With a sweeping first-time shot, Antony fired Manchester United to a rousing 2-1 win over Barcelona.
The comeback victory at Old Trafford despatched United into the Europa League spherical of 16 and stored supervisor Erik ten Hag’s four-pronged trophy hunt on monitor.
Antony may need silenced a couple of critics, too.
“He is brave, he is fearless,” Ten Hag said of the Brazil forward who cost United $95 million for his transfer from Ajax last summer.
With United trailing 1-0 at halftime and heading out of the tournament, Antony came off the bench to turn the match around.
His 73rd-minute strike completed a come-from-behind win and provided further evidence that Ten Hag’s team is a rising force in Europe.
“What he brought (in the) second half was what we needed, running in behind and dribbles and his goal,” Ten Hag stated.
Barcelona is main the way in which in Spain, eight factors forward of Champions League holder Real Madrid and seemingly on the right track for the home title.
Yet, over two video games in opposition to United, the Spanish large was shaken by the tempo and urgent of Ten Hag’s gamers.
“We lacked that calm and endurance and began the second half actually dangerous,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez stated. “Small details. We could have been more intense.”
Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty had put the guests in entrance on combination after the thrilling 2-2 draw within the first leg on the Nou Camp final week.
But Fred’s strike within the forty seventh evened the match earlier than Antony’s winner.
In entrance of a raucous crowd of 73,000, this was the kind of encounter United followers hope will develop into an everyday prevalence beneath Ten Hag, whose excellent first season in cost is bettering by the week.
“This is another step because when you can beat Barcelona — one of the best teams in this moment in Europe — your belief can be really strong because then I think you are able to beat anyone,” Ten Hag added.
The Dutch supervisor remains to be in competition to win 4 trophies, together with his staff dealing with Newcastle within the League Cup closing on Sunday.
United additionally sits third within the Premier League standings and remains to be within the FA Cup.
But Ten Hag’s staff regarded in peril of being eradicated from the Europa League as Barcelona seized the benefit at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes concerned within the two key incidents within the first half.
The Portugal worldwide might have put United in entrance after simply three minutes when he ran by means of on purpose, solely to fireplace in opposition to the legs of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Having did not take benefit at one finish, Fernandes was then responsible of dragging again Alejandro Balde within the field and referee Clement Turpin pointed to the spot.
Despite getting a hand to Lewandowski’s 18th minute penalty, David de Gea couldn’t maintain the ball out.
United struggled to seek out their rhythm earlier than the break, however evened the rating in an explosive begin to the second half when Fred fired past Ter Stegen after Fernandes’ by means of ball.
Old Trafford was rocking and it went wild when Antony swept his shot low into the far nook to place United in entrance.
“We’ve had some good wins, Liverpool and Arsenal, but I think this over two legs — Barcelona are La Liga leaders — to beat them it’s a big win,” Ten Hag stated.
Di Maria hattrick
Angel Di Maria scored a hat trick as Juventus superior within the Europa League playoffs by beating Nantes 3-0.
Juventus gained 4-1 on combination to make sure one other of Europe’s giants will play within the spherical of 16.World Cup winner Di Maria opened the scoring at Stade de la Beaujoire within the fifth minute and doubled the lead within the twentieth from the penalty spot after Nicolas Pallois was despatched off for a handball within the field.
The Argentine accomplished his hat trick within the 78th.
Sporting Lisbon additionally reached the subsequent spherical after Pedro Goncalves scored twice in a 4-0 win at Midtjylland to safe a 5-1 combination victory.
Midtjylland’s Paulinho was despatched off for receiving two yellow playing cards within the house of two minutes within the first half.
Bayer Leverkusen wanted penalties to win an epic in opposition to Monaco after the rating ended 5-5 on combination.
Monaco had gained the primary leg in Germany 3-2, however dropping 3-1 going into the final 10 minutes on the Stade Louis II, it wanted a Breel Embolo purpose within the 84th to ship the match into additional time.
But that solely delayed Leverkusen’s celebrations because the German staff gained the shootout 5-3.
Sevilla keeper attacked
Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović was attacked by a fan who ran onto the sector within the Spanish staff’s recreation at PSV Eindhoven.
The fan threw a punch at Dmitrović earlier than being wrestled to the bottom by the keeper throughout the incident which occurred late within the match on the PSV Stadium.
Dmitrović gave the impression to be unharmed and the fan was shortly surrounded by gamers from each groups earlier than being led off the sector to jeers from the gang.
Sevilla progressed regardless of dropping 2-0 at PSV Eindhoven, advancing 3-2 on combination.
Ajax crash out
While Ten Hag is wanting ahead to the subsequent spherical, his former membership Ajax is out after a 3-1 loss at Union Berlin.
Roma, in the meantime, recovered from a 1-0 first-leg loss at RB Salzburg to win 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico.
Andrea Belotti fired the house staff in entrance within the thirty third and Paulo Dybala sealed a 2-1 combination scoreline 5 minutes earlier than halftime.
Shakhtar Donetsk beat Rennes on penalties after a 2-1 loss by means of additional time left the rating at 3-3 on combination.
Karl Toko Ekambi’s strike within the 52nd for Rennes meant the sport needed to go to additional time. Ibrahim Salah then put the house staff up 2-0 earlier than an personal purpose from Jeanuël Belocian despatched it to a shootout which Shakhtar gained 5-4.
