Manchester United and Tottenham overcame their inconsistent performances in the domestic leagues to successfully reach the round of 16 in the Europa League on Thursday.
Diogo Dalot scored from a well-placed cross by Kobbie Mainoo at the 60-minute mark, followed by Mainoo himself scoring eight minutes later, leading United to a 2-0 victory over Romanian champions FCSB in Bucharest.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s academy alumni shone as they defeated Swedish club Elfsborg 3-0 in London. The breakthrough came in the 70th minute when substitute Dane Scarlett found the net, and substitutes Damola Ajayi and 17-year-old Mikey Moore added two more goals to seal the win.
In the newly formatted competition, of the 36 participating teams, the top eight automatically qualify for the round of 16 scheduled for March. Teams ranked from ninth to 24th will enter a knockout playoff, with matches taking place on February 13 and February 20, where the winners will join the last 16.
The draw for the next round is set for Friday.
Currently sitting 12th in the Premier League, Manchester United wrapped up the group stage of the European tournament in third place, remaining unbeaten with five wins and three draws, just one point behind the top team.
“Kobbie (Mainoo) played exceptionally well in that role, with more freedom without constantly focusing on defensive duties,” commented United’s manager Ruben Amorim. “The team performed admirably, achieving another clean sheet.”
Amorim’s side has shown improvement since he previously described them as potentially the worst in Manchester United’s history.
Thursday marked their third consecutive victory in a week, following a win against Rangers in the Europa League and another against Fulham in the Premier League.
Tottenham, currently in 15th place in the Premier League, is experiencing its longest winless streak in the league since 2008, with five wins, two draws, and one loss enough to secure fourth place in the Europa League.
Lazio, the only team to qualify for the round of 16 with a match to spare, suffered its first defeat, losing 1-0 at Braga, resulting in their elimination despite topping the group with 19 points, tied with Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic Bilbao secured second place after defeating Viktoria Plzen 3-1 at home, with the latter still eligible for a playoff spot.
Frankfurt finished the group stage in fifth place despite a 2-0 loss to Roma, with Angeliño and Eldor Shomurodov scoring for the Italian side at Stadio Olimpico.
Lyon took sixth place after managing a 1-1 draw at home against Ludogorets, while Olympiacos claimed seventh place with a dominant 3-0 victory over Qarabag.
Rangers secured their place in the top eight by defeating Union Saint-Gilloise 2-1.
José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce avoided an embarrassing exit with a 2-2 draw against Midtjylland, sending both teams through to the playoffs. Midtjylland finished in 24th place, while the hosts were in 20th, giving Mourinho the opportunity to add to his European accolades.
Ajax snapped a three-match losing streak as they handed Galatasaray its first defeat with a 2-1 victory, ensuring that both teams progressed to the playoffs.
Despite Hoffenheim’s thrilling 4-3 win at Anderlecht, they were unable to advance, with the Belgian club finishing in 10th place.
Other teams advancing include Real Sociedad, FCSB, Porto, AZ Alkmaar, Twente, and PAOK.
