Xavi’s boys fail to win in Germany despite the numerical superiority in the final. West Ham draw gold, 11 to 10 for a half
Barcelona imitated Atalanta and drew 1-1 in Germany. Same result in London, where Lyon did not take advantage of the extra man for half the match and hit a stubborn West Ham. The only victory of the first leg of the quarter-finals of Europe was recorded by Braga: 1-0 home against Glasgow Rangers. Xavi’s Blaugrana did not break through on the Frankfurt pitch: disadvantage at the beginning of the second half, but then returned to the game and gained numerical superiority without being able to take advantage of it. At the London Stadium, on the other hand, West Ham played a time in ten against eleven (red at Cresswell before the interval): the Londoners unlocked it with Bowen, ten minutes later Ndombele equalized but the French did not go further. In Braga, the only goal comes in the first half, scored by Ruiz after the two Hortas had close to the advantage for the surprise team of the tournament.
EINTRACHT-BARCELONA 1-1
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The blaugrana of Xavi, lined up with the trident Traore-Aubameyang-Torres, immediately try with Torres (4 ‘) and Aubameyang (19’) but the ball goes out in both cases. The Germans defend effectively and on 39 ‘complain about an alleged penalty: Jovanovic, after a check at the Var, judges how to regulate the contact between Busquets and Borré. The second half started with a cold shower for Barcelona: in the 48th minute Knauff sent Frankfurt’s advantage to the intersection with a fireball from the outside. On the wave of enthusiasm, in the 50th minute, Lindstrom nearly doubled. Barcelona draws from the bench and earns a draw in the 60th minute: the action starts on the Dembele-De Jong axis, both replaced, then there is the double triangle between the Dutchman and Torres, who sends the ball behind Trapp . From 78 ‘Eintracht in ten for the red to Tuta (the second yellow is due to a foul on Pedri) but the result does not change anymore: in total it is 67% of possession for the Catalans, but more shots on target for the Germans ( 5 to 3). The pass for the semifinal will be released on April 14 at the Camp Nou in Barcelona.
WEST HAM-LYON 1-1
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At 16 ‘the Algerian Benrahma tries but the Lyon goalkeeper, Lopes, tells him no. Before the break, the episode that turns a blocked match: Dembele, launched into the open field, forces Cresswell to foul as the last man on the edge of the English area, causing the expulsion (direct red) of the West Ham defender (45 + 3 ‘). Yet, at the beginning of the second half, the first goal of the match was scored by the Londoners: Bowen’s winning flash with Boateng’s decisive deviation, who sent Lopes out of action (52 ‘). For Bowen, who has returned from injury, this is the second consecutive goal after Sunday’s at Everton in the Premier League. Lyon, thanks to their numerical superiority, equalized in the 66th minute, shortly after the entry of Toko Ekambi, top scorer of this Europa League: Ndombele fits between the opponent’s defense shirts and bags from close range. In the final twenty minutes the balance holds and, after eight minutes of injury time, the Londoners of Mr. Moyes are smiling (28% of the total ball possession and three shots on target against the four of the opponents), represented by the determination of Dawson , who grits his teeth despite an injury, and Antonio of the tip, added defender for his team. Everything will be decided, in a week, in France at Groupama Stadium.
BRAGA-RANGERS 1-0
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The first occasions are Portuguese in the sign of the Horta brothers: at 25 ‘Ricardo hits the post and then, at 26’, at the end of an insistent action, Andre scores, thanks to a deviation by Tavernier, but the goal is canceled by the Italian referee Massa, after a check at the Var, for a foul by Fabiano on Jack. In the final the Portuguese put the arrow: at 40 ‘Abel Ruiz thinks to pounce on a ball soiled by Balogun and pierce McGregor with a gnaw. Rangers do not shine and become dangerous only in the 71st minute (they will never shoot in the mirror of the opponent’s goal for the whole match): Goldson’s header and ball wide. Nothing happens until the end: Carvalhal’s team can celebrate victory in the first round and look forward to the Scottish away game in Glasgow. There, in Ibrox, it will be determined who will challenge the winner of Atalanta-Leipzig in the semifinal.
April 7 – 11:23 pm
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