UEFA Europa League

2023 - 2 - 17

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Image courtesy of "UEFA.com"

Europa League knockout round play-off first legs: Sevilla shine ... (UEFA.com)

Sevilla were the big winners, Manchester United were denied a famous triumph in Barcelona and Roma suffered a late setback at Salzburg.

Nicolás Capaldo's emphatic 88th-minute header gave Salzburg a hard-earned victory over UEFA Europa Conference League holders Roma. Ocampos was introduced at the interval and scored a superb second before teeing up Nemanja Gudelj for the third goal with a classy back-heel. An own goal by Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky early on was cancelled out by Moussa Diaby's smart finish. Gerónimo Rulli ensured John Heitinga's men held on for a draw, keeping out a fierce Josip Juranović free-kick and close-range header from Morten Thorsby, who also had a goal disallowed for the impressive visitors. Winners of the ties earn a place in the [round of 16 draw](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/draws/2023/2001682/) on 24 February, where they will be unseeded. Shakhtar will take a narrow advantage to France after Dmytro Kryskiv's early finish and an Artem Bondarenko penalty helped earn a first-leg win in Warsaw. Sporting did not have a shot on target until added time but Coates then popped up to fire in a rebound from his own header. Ludovic Blas struck from a clinical second-half counterattack to earn Nantes a draw at opponents with a club coefficient ranking 109 places above them. Did you know? Marcos Alonso's header was cancelled out quickly by Marcus Rashford and United turned the contest around through a Jules Koundé own goal. Midtjylland, playing their first game since before the World Cup in November, finished strongly after a tame first half with Emam Ashour taking advantage of a poor clearance from Antonio Adán to lash in from long range. Raphinha's cross missed everyone to make it 2-2 before Casemiro saw his clearance bounce back off his own post in a frenetic finish.

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