Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have both advanced to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League following victories in their final group-stage matches. United secured their spot with a 2-0 win over Romanian side FCSB, while Tottenham relied on their young talent to clinch a 3-0 win against Swedish team Elfsborg.
At the National Arena in Bucharest, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was keen to ensure a top-eight finish to avoid the Europa League play-offs. His team responded by extending their unbeaten run in the competition to eight games. United struggled in the first half but came alive after the break, thanks to the impact of substitutes Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho.
In the 60th minute, Diallo delivered a precise low cross, allowing Diogo Dalot to score the opening goal. Despite a close call for FCSB, with Daniel Birligea’s powerful shot hitting the bar, United doubled their lead in the 68th minute. Garnacho’s assist to Kobbie Mainoo saw the midfielder calmly finish and secure the win.
The victory marked United’s third consecutive win and kept their momentum going as they remain unbeaten in their group. Amorim had stressed the importance of the match, noting that qualifying directly for the last 16 would give him the chance to rest key players for upcoming challenges.
Meanwhile, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs were in dire need of a morale-boosting performance after a rough patch in the Premier League, where they are currently 15th. Under pressure manager Ange Postecoglou looked to his youth academy for a spark, and the young players delivered.
It was 20-year-old Dane Scarlett who opened the scoring in the 70th minute, heading in a cross from Dejan Kulusevski. The match was further secured by 19-year-old Damola Ajayi, who marked his debut with a goal in the 84th minute, finishing a pass from Scarlett. Mikey Moore, just 17 years old, added a third goal in stoppage time to complete the comfortable win. The victory was a bright moment for Tottenham, who had been struggling with both form and injuries.
In other Europa League action, Rangers made it to the last 16 with a 2-1 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise, while Fenerbahce and Lazio also advanced despite mixed results in their final group matches.
