Marcus Rashford lit up Nou Camp as Manchester United and Barcelona performed out a rip-roaring 2-2 draw within the first leg of their Europa League knockout play-off conflict.
The worldwide giants fought for Champions League glory within the 2009 and 2011 finals, however latest travails imply they had been taking part in away from the continent’s high desk as they proceed their respective rebuilds.
Thursday’s eagerly-anticipated assembly lived as much as the billing as Rashford scored his twenty second purpose of the season and fizzed within the cross that Jules Kounde became his personal purpose as United responded fantastically to Marcos Alonso’s Fiftieth-minute opener for Barcelona.
United shone in Spain however Raphinha’s cross discovered its manner into the online to peg them again and sparked a breathless conclusion to a wild tie, organising a mouth-watering return fixture at Previous Trafford subsequent week.
Erik ten Hag’s gamers heeded his request to take the sport to the runaway LaLiga leaders, who had Marc-Andre ter Stegen to thank for protecting the primary leg goalless at half-time.
Bruno Fernandes brilliantly put Wout Weghorst by way of however the on-loan frontman couldn’t beat the goalkeeper, who additionally stopped in-form Rashford bending a shot house.
For all of United’s positivity it was Barcelona that took the lead 5 minutes into the second half as former Chelsea defender Alonso rose to go house a nook.
However Ten Hag’s males are product of stern stuff and Rashford is within the type of his life, with the ahead thumping house from an acute angle after which sending over a ball that Kounde became his personal purpose.
It was a mightily spectacular show however United had been to not finish with a 2-1 comeback win on the Nou Camp like 1999, with Raphinha’s harmful cross entering into – maybe by way of a slight Robert Lewandowski contact.
Ten Hag praised England ahead Rashford and the efforts of his facet.
“He’s in nice type,” the United boss stated. “The entire crew did properly. It was a extremely good crew efficiency. We had numerous variation.
“We had numerous alternatives and we should always have gained this recreation.”
In different video games, Juventus had been held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Nantes within the house leg of their playoff tie.
Juve raced into an early lead when Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic swept house Federico Chiesa’s header throughout purpose.
Nantes, nonetheless, scored a fantastic equaliser on the hour mark with Ludovic Blas slamming the ball into the online following a swift counter-attack.
In Germany, captain Axel Disasi scored in stoppage time to offer AS Monaco a late 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen.
Moussa Diaby and Florian Wirtz earlier scored for Leverkusen whereas an personal purpose from Lukas Hradecky (og) and equaliser from Krepi Diatta saved the groups stage, earlier than Disasi clinched the win for Leverkusen.
Sporting Lisbon drew 1-1 with Midtjylland whereas Sevilla trounced PSV Eindhoven 3-0, with objectives from Youssef En-Nesyri, Lucas Ocampos and Nemanja Gudelj.
Salzburg will take a 1-0 result in Roma subsequent week due to Nicolas Capaldo’s header within the 88th.
Coach Jose Mourinho’s crew nearly levelled when Andrea Belotti’s header was pushed onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Philipp Köhn.
Ajax drew 0-0 at house to Union Berlin, the shock Bundesliga title challengers, whereas Shakhtar Donestk beat Rennes 2-1.
© AAP
