Manchester United 2-2: Maguire and Malacia late own goals see Red Devils crumble

By Sports Desk April 13, 2023

Harry Maguire and Tyrell Malacia put through their own goal late on as Manchester United squandered a comfortable lead in a 2-2 draw against Sevilla in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.

Captain Maguire deflected into his own net in the 92nd minute, just eight minutes after Malacia had turned past David de Gea as Sevilla somehow found a way back at Old Trafford in the quarter-final first leg.

A Marcel Sabitzer first-half double appeared to have Erik ten Hag's hosts in complete control, only for the late drama to leave United reeling by full-time.

Jose Luis Mendilibar's side will boast home advantage in a week's time as they eye a seventh Europa League title since the 2006-07 season.

Related items

  • Girona will improve when injured players return, insists Michel Girona will improve when injured players return, insists Michel

    Girona head coach Michel insisted that his side will rediscover the form that earned them Champions League football last season once their injured players return. 

    Girona find themselves 13th in the LaLiga standings after 11 games this season, but have been hit with several injuries to a plethora of first-team starters. 

    The likes of Oriol Romeu, Jhon Solis, Portu, Yaser Asprilla, Ivan Martin, Abel Ruiz, Viktor Tsygankov, Pau Lopez, Cristhian Stuani and Yangel Herrera have all missed significant amounts of game time already this term. 

    Michel, however, is expected to welcome Romeu, Stuani and Herrera back into the side for the visit of Leganes, who are one place below them in the table. 

    But the Girona head coach insisted he would not rush players back into first-team action, but is hoping to welcome more of his injury absentees back for their Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven next week. 

    "I am a realistic person and I look ahead. I have no doubt that when the injured recover, the team will be fine and will play well," Michel said. 

    "I can't predict what people think. We will be a competitive team that can beat anyone.

    "Stuani, Romeu and Herrera are back. Jastin and Tsygankov are not far away and Lopez might be available for Tuesday's (Champions League) game against PSV.

    "You have players who are close to returning, but we want them to recover well and to be really ready..."

    Girona are without a win in consecutive games in LaLiga, but did get themselves a much-needed victory in the Copa del Rey, sweeping aside CD Extremadura 4-0. 

    And that will give them confidence of returning to winning ways in the league, and they boast an impressive record against this weekend's opponents. 

    They have not lost any of their four matches against Leganes in the league (W2 D2), keeping a clean sheet in all of them. 

  • Kobel ruled out of Leipzig clash, but Sahin confident of Dortmund revival Kobel ruled out of Leipzig clash, but Sahin confident of Dortmund revival

    Nuri Sahin confirmed that Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel will miss their upcoming Bundesliga fixture with RB Leipzig this weekend. 

    Kobel, who has kept four clean sheets in 13 appearances in all competitions this season, sustained a hip injury in Tuesday's DFB Pokal defeat to Wolfsburg. 

    The Switzerland international becomes the latest name to be sidelined for Dortmund, who have failed to win their last three games in all competitions. 

    Sahin is already without Karim Adeyemi, Julien Duranville, Gio Reyna, Kjell Watjen, Niklas Sule, Julian Ryerson, and Yan Couto, among others.

    "Clearly it is a difficult situation with the defeats and the Cup exit, a competition we had high expectations for," Sahin told a press conference.

    "The injury list with this squad is extremely bitter. With Greg (Kobel) out now we have 10 players out.

    "Ten players injured. That's something I have not experienced before. How do we get out of it? We won't hide behind excuses. The lads are well prepared."

    Dortmund come into the encounter after earning 13 points from their first eight games, their worst start to a Bundesliga season since 2014-15. 

    Sahin's struggles have been away from home in the league this term, failing to win any of their five games while also conceding 10 goals during those matches.

    But they have won each of their last eight home games in all competitions, their longest run since between November 2022 and May 2023 (11).

    Dortmund are the only team yet to drop a point at home in the Bundesliga this season (four home wins) and have collected 12 of their 13 points at the Westfalenstadion. 

    And Sahin is confident that their run on home soil will help them stop their current losing streak. 

    "We are well prepared and we play at home. And at home it is difficult to beat us," Sahin said.

    "I know my role and the players know their roles. We have to go through this. We have to work our way out of this situation."

    "We need the stadium tomorrow more than ever. I'm sure the stadium will have a feel for our situation. We want to continue our home streak."

    However, Dortmund have lost six of their last seven competitive games against RB Leipzig, with their only win coming in a 2-1 victory in the 2022-23 campaign. 

    They had previously gone on an eight-match unbeaten run against Die Roten Bullen in all competitions (W6, D2).

  • Cushing aiming to create ‘incredible’ Citi Field atmosphere to inspire playoff comeback Cushing aiming to create ‘incredible’ Citi Field atmosphere to inspire playoff comeback

    Nick Cushing acknowledged the importance of New York City FC’s supporters at Citi Field for Game 2 of their best-of-three series MLS playoff clash with FC Cincinnati.

    Yamil Asad’s only goal handed the Orange and Blue a slender advantage heading into their upcoming encounter, though the Pigeons head coach was confident about his sides chances on home soil.

    NYCFC won 10 games at Citi Field during the regular season, with only Inter Miami (11) winning more in the Eastern Conference.

    And Cushing believes that his players must start the game well to ensure their home fans generate an “incredible” atmosphere to push them over the line.

    “We love playing at home in front of our people,” Cushing said. “I said post-game - irrelevant of what happened in Cincinnati - we're now playing in front of our people, and that is where we play our best football, but we need everybody behind us.

    “The players are incredibly hungry. They have a huge desire to win this football game and to make sure that we win the game with our people. They've been amazing all season. I can always go back to the Miami game [this season]. That was incredible.

    “It was actually interesting because the Miami game at Yankee Stadium was an amazing game in front of our fans. Our fans delivered so much for us, but the last playoff game I did at Citi Field was also against Miami.

    “That was an incredible atmosphere and a good performance from the team. We know that if we play well and we start well we get our people behind us, and that is our aim.”

    Pat Noonan, meanwhile, expects another difficult “chaotic” playoff encounter, evident when NYCFC’s goalkeeper Matt Freese was sent up from the back late on to try and steal a point in the opening game.

    Cincinnati boasts an impressive record away from home, though, and Noonan said the ending of their previous match was a timely reminder to his players about the aggressive nature of the postseason.

    “On Monday, we experienced what it looks like when there is no aggregate, and that’s teams going for it with no repercussions if they concede another goal,” Noonan said.

    “We have a one goal lead, and they were going after it. You could see it when the goalkeeper came up at the end. It’s a little bit chaotic, so you must be prepared for it.

    “That was a good reminder of what the game can look like when you’re playing with a lead and, on the other side of it, the ability to go after it in a very aggressive way to find the leveller – that was the reminder we needed from that particular game.”

    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    NYCFC – Alonzo Martinez

    Since his move to NYCFC in August 2023, Martinez has found home comfort at Citi Field, netting 11 of his 16 goals in the 2024 regular season on home soil.

    Along with team-mate Santiago Rodriguez, who scored in 10 of his 12 games at home, the Pigeons, along with Inter Miami (Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez), were the only two teams to feature two different players with 10 home goals this term.

    Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

    Acosta continued his fine regular season form into the postseason, setting up Asad for the only goal in Cincinnati’s 1-0 win in Game 1 on Monday.

    The Argentine has now scored (three) or assisted (three) in six of Cincinnati’s 10 all-time playoff goals.

    MATCH PREDICTION: NYCFC WIN

    The Pigeons have won five of their seven home matches against Cincinnati (D1 L1), though both of Cincinnati’s games away from home against NYCFC have come in their three visits since 2022.

    NYCFC have lost only four of their last 25 home matches in all competitions dating back to late August 2023 (W15 D6). They have won their last two home matches, scoring three goals in each, including a 3-2 win over Cincinnati in October. 

    However, Cincinnati, along with Inter Miami, won 11 away matches in the 2024 regular season, equalling CF Montreal’s single-season MLS record set in 2022. They only managed two wins in their last six on the road (D1 L3) though, after winning nine of their first 11 away matches in 2024 (D1 L1).

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    NYCFC – 43.7%

    Draw – 26.8%

    Cincinnati – 29.5%

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.