Sports

UEL: Man United Edges Past Barcelona, Advances To Round of 16

Manchester United recorded a 2-1 victory over La Liga leaders, Barcelona Thursday night in the second leg of their Europa League knockout round playoff.

The win ensures that the Red Devils advance to the last-16 stage of the competition courtesy of a 4-3 aggregate success after coming from a goal down at the Old Trafford.

The breathless Europa League knockout play-off clash was delicately poised following a 2-2 draw at Camp Nou last week, and it seemed the Spanish giants have a long evening in front of a passionate ground but striker Robert Lewandoki conveted from the penalty spot.

Man United levelled the scores early in the second period through Fred, though, before Antony came up with the winner in the 73rd minute, as the 20-time English champions won 2-1 on the night.

The victory will be remembered with their 1984 and 2008 second-leg Old Trafford triumphs against Barca and sets Ten Hag’s men up nicely for Sunday’s shot at Carabao Cup glory against Newcastle at Wembley.

The draws for the round of 16 stage o the competition will hold on Friday at 12pm Nigerian time.

Manchester United will avoid English sides like Arsenal in the round of 16 when the draws are conducted at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.