Europa League, the results: draw Arsenal, Bayer ok

Emotions in quick succession on all pitches, in the round of 16 of the Europa League. No winner between Sporting and Arsenal, who however offer an excellent show in the 2-2 final. Xabi Alonso is already looking to the quarterfinals, after the 2-0 win against Ferencvaros with his Bayer Leverkusen. Pyrotechnic 3-3 between Union Berlin and Union Saint-Gilloise, already rivals in the group stage: a result that leaves everything open in view of the return match.

Sporting 2-2 Arsenal

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In Lisbon it is hard to keep up with all the opportunities. Gonçalves opens the hostilities, launched by Inacio, who does not frame the goal after the percussion in the area. In the 22nd minute Arsenal went ahead with Saliba’s header from a corner kick, the same action also earned Sporting an equalizer in the 34th minute thanks to Inacio’s aerial turn. Before the break, Edwards tried to surprise Turner with a sharp strike at the near post and Xhaka headed in, but Adan saved with his foot. Even in the second half things went like crazy, Martinelli immediately had a chance and face to face with the goalkeeper he opted for the spoon, touched for a corner. In the 55th minute Paulinho was the quickest of all to push Tuner’s clearance on Gonçalves’ shot into the net, but the Portuguese were caught up immediately: on Xhaka’s cut ball, Morita was unlucky to deflect it behind his own goalkeeper (62′) . Martinelli and Paulinho made mistakes from an excellent position, Vieira headed the goal but found opposition from Adan. The final phase of the race is less eventful, in London it starts again in a draw.

Bayer 2-0 Ferencvaros

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No complications for Bayer Leverkusen, who direct the match immediately. In fact, in the 10th minute it was Demirbay’s sharp right foot that gave the Germans the lead, after a good triangulation with Wirtz. Ferencvaros’ response was all concentrated on Zachariassen’s lob, which stopped on the crossbar in the 27th minute. Overall, Xabi Alonso’s formation runs no risks and in the 86th minute he also puts the mortgage on the next round: Tapsoba scores, pushing the post’s rebound from Hlozek’s free-kick with a diving header.

Union Berlin 3-3 Union Saint Gilloise

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3-3 It is the Germans who make the match, even if the only dangerous scoring comes in the 9th minute, with Becker’s crushed shot saved by Moris. The guests took the lead by surprise: Boniface shot from a very long distance without too much hope, a detour caused the trajectory to rise and made it unstoppable (28′). The well-deserved equalizer comes just before the break, with a perfect free kick by Juranovic who crosses the barrier. In the second half, the inertia of the game remained with Union Berlin, the difference being that the opponents became lethal on the counterattack. It happens in the 58th minute when on a bad ball lost by Trimmel it is Vertessen who concludes the restart for the doubling and it happens again in the 71st minute for Boniface’s brace; in the middle (68′) Knoche’s goal, who misses the penalty awarded after an on-field review due to a touch by Burgess, but reiterates the goalkeeper’s rebound on the net. In the 89th minute the balance is restored: the signature is from Michel, who wedges well into the area and with the help of a deflection beats Moris.