Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both earned strong wins in their UEFA Europa League semi-final first legs, putting them in a great position to reach the final in Bilbao.
Manchester United beat Athletic Club 3-0 in Spain, thanks to a solid team performance and two goals from captain Bruno Fernandes.
United had a goal by Alejandro Garnacho ruled out early for offside, but soon took the lead when Casemiro headed in a cross from Harry Maguire.
The match changed completely when a video review showed that Athletic’s Dani Vivian pulled Rasmus Højlund’s shirt in the box.
Vivian was shown a red card, and United got a penalty, which Fernandes calmly scored.
Just before halftime, Fernandes struck again after a smart backheel pass from Manuel Ugarte, giving United a comfortable lead.
United hit the post twice in the second half but held their 3-0 lead. Athletic had won all their Europa League games at home this season, but couldn’t recover after going down to 10 men.
Their hopes of playing in the final at their home stadium now seem slim.
In the other semi-final, Tottenham defeated Norway’s Bodø/Glimt 3-1 at home.
The match started fast, with Brennan Johnson scoring just 38 seconds in after a header from Richarlison.
James Maddison made it 2-0 with a great first touch and a low shot. Dominic Solanke then added a third from the penalty spot after Cristian Romero was fouled.
Bodø/Glimt were outplayed for most of the match but got a late goal when Ulrik Saltnes’ shot deflected in. It was their only shot on target.
Tottenham’s win came with some worries, as Maddison and Solanke left the game with injuries. The second leg in Norway won’t be easy, especially as Bodø/Glimt have a strong home record in Europe.
With both teams holding good leads, an all-English final in Bilbao is now a real possibility.
