Friday, February 24, 2023 – 2:00 AM
World Capitals, February 23 / WAM / Manchester United, Juventus, Germany, Bayer Leverkusen, and Sporting Lisbon, Portugal, qualified for the round of 16 of the European Football League, after all of them achieved victory today, Thursday, in the second leg of the “knockout” round of the tournament.
And at the “Old Trafford” stadium in Manchester, Manchester United overturned its delay with a clean goal in the first half to a precious 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the second half, to qualify the English team to the round of 16 by winning 4-3 on aggregate.
Polish Robert Lewandowski advanced to Barcelona from a penalty kick in the 18th minute, and Manchester United responded with two goals in the second half; Fred and Anthony scored them in the 47th and 73rd minutes.
Juventus defeated its French host, Nantes, with three goals, a “hat-trick” by Argentine Angel Di Maria, to qualify Juventus to the round of 16, by winning 4-1 on the aggregate of the first and second matches.
Despite a 1-1 draw at home in the first-leg match, Portuguese Sporting Lisbon achieved a huge 4-0 victory over its Danish host, Mittelland, back today, to make its way to the round of 16.
PSV beat Sevilla, Spain, 2-0, but qualification went to the Spanish team, due to its 3-0 victory at home in the first leg.
Bayer Leverkusen needed penalty kicks to qualify for the round of 16 after beating its French host Monaco 3-2, the same result that Nantes won in the first leg at Leverkusen, and the penalty shootout decided the result in favor of Leverkusen 5-3.
Germany’s Union Berlin defeated Dutch Ajax 3-1 to qualify for the round of 16 by winning the two matches 3-1.
Italian Roma also beat Austrian Red Bull Salzburg 2-0 to qualify by winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Asim Al-Khouli / Mustafa Badr Al-Din / Ahmed Zahran
