Manchester United secured a 2-1 victory against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday. Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 with Rangers.
Rasmus Hojlund scored two second-half goals to propel Man United to victory. The Danish striker’s brace helped overturn a 0-1 deficit and secured three crucial points for the English side.
Man United currently hold the seventh position in the group stage standings. A top-eight finish guarantees automatic qualification for the round of 16. Finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth place leads to a play-off tie for a spot in the next round.
Matej Vydra gave Viktoria Plzen a surprising lead three minutes into the second half. However, Hojlund’s two goals in the final half-hour sealed the win for United.
The winning goal came just two minutes before the final whistle. Bruno Fernandes cleverly passed a free-kick to the 21-year-old Hojlund, who skillfully held off a defender before scoring.
Tottenham Hotspur played to a 1-1 draw with Rangers in Glasgow. Both teams share 11 points in the group stage standings.
Rangers currently occupy the final automatic qualification spot. Tottenham Hotspur sit one place below them.
The draw provides some relief for Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou. His team had only one win in their previous seven matches across all competitions.
Rangers took the lead two minutes after the half-time break. Hamza Igamane, the Moroccan striker, continued his impressive start in Glasgow by scoring his fourth goal in as many European appearances this season.
Captain James Tavernier delivered a precise pass to Igamane, who finished expertly at the far post.
Tottenham Hotspur equalized with fifteen minutes remaining. Substitutes Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski combined effectively, with Kulusevski deceiving the goalkeeper with a composed finish.
Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers nearly scored a late winner. However, Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster made a crucial save in the last ten minutes. Moments later, a goal by Dessers was disallowed for offside.
Lazio lead the group with 16 points. They share the top spot with Athletic Bilbao after defeating Ajax 3-1 in Amsterdam to secure their place in the knockout stages.
Lyon’s 3-2 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt moved them up to fourth place in the standings, one position above the in-form Bundesliga club.
Anderlecht’s 2-1 win against Slavia Prague in the Czech capital propelled them to third place in the group.
