Nick Ames has already filed his report of Benfica 1-1 Arsenal, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails, goodnight!
Full time: Antwerp 3-4 Rangers
Peep peep! Rangers have a slight advantage after a crazy game that included a red card, three penalties - only two of them dodgy - and chances galore at both ends.
Antwerp 3-4 Rangers The substitute Koji Miyoshi rifles an excellent shot that beats McGregor and hits the outside of the post!
Antwerp 3-4 Rangers There are six minutes of added time in Antwerp. The other matches have all finished, and these are the final scores:
- Benfica 1-1 Arsenal
- Granada 2-0 Napoli
- Lille 1-2 Ajax
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-2 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Molde 3-3 Hoffenheim
- Salzburg 0-2 Villarreal
Benfica 1-1 Arsenal That’s a decent result for Arsenal in a slightly low-key game, though it would have been better had Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang not missed two great chances. They should go through next week. Should.
What a preposterous game of football!
GOAL! Antwerp 3-4 Rangers (Barisic 90 pen)
Barisic scores his second penalty of the night, sweeping the ball high into the net!
Updated
Full time: Benfica 1-1 Arsenal
Peep peep!
PENALTY TO RANGERS AND ABDOULAYE SECK SENT OFF! Kent’s shot hits the hand of Seck, though he was trying to pull his arm out of the way. It’s checked by VAR but the decision stands. Seck was also given a second yellow card, so he’s off.
Updated
Antwerp 3-3 Rangers Now the substitute Ryan Jack has cleared off the line from Ritchie De Laet! This is an absurd game.
Updated
GOAL! Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-2 Shakhtar Donetsk (Tete 90+3)
Antwerp 3-3 Rangers Both teams almost take the lead in the space of 10 seconds. First Kent was played through by Hagi and clipped a left-footed shot that was saved with his legs by De Wolf. Antwerp broke devastatingly and moments later McGregor saved with his legs from Martin Hongla!
Updated
GOAL! Antwerp 3-3 Rangers (Kent 83)
Ryan Kent equalises with a belter! He played a neat one-two with Morelos on the edge of the area, skipped past Le Marchand and smashed the ball past De Wolf. Brilliant goal.
Updated
GOALS! Lille 1-2 Ajax (Tadic 87 pen, Brobbey 89) Ajax have scored twice in the last few minutes in Lille! They’ve changed the narrative!
Antwerp 3-2 Rangers The substitute Ianis Hagi has missed a great chance to equalise, shooting wide from eight yards after a brilliant cross from Barisic.
Updated
“Adel Taraabt running straight at David Luiz,” weeps Matt Dony. “That is a match-up where literally ANYTHING could happen. Two players who redefined ‘mercurial’ (or, less charitably, ‘occasional genius paired with maddening inconsistency and hilarious errors’). I was amazed to see that Taraabt is only 31. It seems like a lifetime ago he was in the Premier League.”
He is/was astonishingly talented. The second goal here is a national scandal.
Antwerp 3-2 Rangers The Antwerp keeper Alireza Beiranvand has gone off injured, with Ortwin De Wolf replacing him.
The latest scores
- Antwerp 3-2 Rangers
- Benfica 1-1 Arsenal
- Granada 2-0 Napoli
- Lille 1-0 Ajax
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Molde 3-3 Hoffenheim
- Salzburg 0-2 Villarreal
GOAL! Molde 3-3 Hoffenheim (Fofana 74) Molde have come from 2-0 and 3-1 down to equalise!
Updated
Benfica 1-1 Arsenal Another good chance for Arsenal. Gabriel’s ball over the top finds Aubameyang, who controls it majestically on the run to move through on goal. But then, instead of shooting, he tries to cut back inside Verissimo and is tackled.
Benfica 1-1 Arsenal Adel Taarabt surges through midfield and finds Everton on the left. He runs at David Luiz, cuts inside and whips a curling shot just wide of the far post.
GOAL! Molde 2-3 Hoffenheim (Ulland Andersen 70)
Updated
GOAL! Antwerp 3-2 Rangers (Hongla 66)
For the love of Scottish football. Antwerp have taken the lead again! Martin Hongla is given too much time on the edge of the D and whips an excellent shot across McGregor into the far corner.
Updated
GOALS PLURAL! Lille 1-0 Ajax (Weah 72), Salzburg 0-2 Villarreal (Nino 71)
Updated
Benfica 1-1 Arsenal It’s been a more even game in the second half, with Benfica carrying more of a threat. I suspect Arsenal would be happy with this result, although we said that in 1991.
Antwerp 2-2 Rangers Arfield’s low cross shot is saved by Beiranvand. Rangers are much the better team at the moment.
“On looking at said Portuguese table from 1990/91,” begins Jimmy Maloney, “I was amazed to see only 3 points separating a relegation place from a European place. Squeaky-bum times all round.”
That’s an excellent spot, although I’ve seen worse.
GOAL! Antwerp 2-2 Rangers (Barisic 59 pen)
With James Tavernier off injured, Borna Barisic steps forward and smacks the penalty through the hands of the diving Alireza Beiranvand. Rangers are level!
Updated
PENALTY TO RANGERS! This time VAR does intervene, with Ritchie de Laet penalised for pulling the shirt of Alfredo Morelos.
Updated
Benfica 1-1 Arsenal Benfica almost take the lead again. The substitute Rafa Silva beats Gabriel with ease, moves into the D and flicks a nonchalant shot with the outside of the boot. Leno springs to his right to push it away.
The latest scores
- Antwerp 2-1 Rangers
- Benfica 1-1 Arsenal
- Granada 2-0 Napoli
- Lille 0-0 Ajax
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Molde 1-3 Hoffenheim
- Salzburg 0-1 Villarreal
Antwerp 2-1 Rangers Joe Aribo almost equalises on the break, but Maxime Le Marchand boots his low shot away inside the six-yard box. Actually, replays suggest the shot might have been going wide anyway, though Le Marchand didn’t know that.
GOAL GIVEN! Benfica 1-1 Arsenal
Yes, it stands. It was beautifully worked: Odegaard slipped a lovely pass through to Cedric on the left of the area, and his precise cross was turned in from close range by Saka.
Updated
NO GOAL! Molde 1-3 Hoffenheim Dabbur is denied a hat-trick by VAR.
GOAL? Benfica 1-1 Arsenal (Saka 57)
An excellent equaliser from Arsenal - but it’s being checked by VAR.
GOAL! Molde 1-4 Hoffenheim (Dabbur 55) Munas Dabbur completes a hat-trick in Norway, and all but puts Hoffenheim into the last 16.
Updated
Benfica 1-0 Arsenal It’s quite hard to see what happened with that penalty award. I’m pretty sure it hit Smith-Rowe’s hand, but it may have deflected off his body first.
GOAL! Benfica 1-0 Arsenal (Pizzi 55 pen)
Pizzi scores with a swagger, stopping in his run up and then sliding the ball into the bottom-right corner. Leno went the right way but couldn’t get there.
Updated
PENALTY TO BENFICA! Grimaldo’s cross hits Smith-Rowe, who is penalised for handball. His arm was up, though it may have hit his chest first and then deflected onto his arm. After a brief VAR check, the penalty is given!
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal An excellent chance for Arsenal. Bukayo Saka surges thrillingly into the area, only to drag a tame shot wide of the near post.
“There seems to be no VAR debates when the midweek Euro games are on,” says Ian Copestake. “Is that a) because they are not using it, b) they are but the refereeing is far better or c) because of Brexit?”
Obviously you’re not a golfer you haven’t been following the Rangers game. I suspect Steven Gerrard will have plenty to say about the penalty not being overturned.
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Benfica have made a lively start to the second half, with the captain Pizzi forcing an admittedly comfortable save from Bernd Leno.
“Not really relevant to the football, but that was a wonderful song you linked to earlier,” says Matt Dony. “I’ve never heard of Lael Neale, but the Sub Pop logo was more than enough to tempt me. Until I was about 13, I desperately wanted to be Liverpool’s striker. Then I discovered music, and all I could dream of was signing a contract with Sub Pop. I have thus far conspicuously failed to realise either dream. Ah well. Still time, I guess.”
Especially with the way Firmino’s playing roflcopter.
Peep peep! The second halves are under way. Most of them, anyway: Rangers are a bit behind due to the four hours of added time in the first half.
Updated
Right, these are the half-time scores. Study them, digest them, embrace them while I get a drink.
- Antwerp 2-1 Rangers
- Benfica 0-0 Arsenal
- Granada 2-0 Napoli
- Lille 0-0 Ajax
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Molde 1-3 Hoffenheim
- Salzburg 0-1 Villarreal
Half time: Antwerp 2-1 Rangers How did that happen? Rangers were good for most of the first half yet they find themselves 2-1 down. Their frustration will be compounded by the fact the penalty was such a soft one, with Davis barely touching Refaelov.
Rangers have also lost two players to injury: James Tavernier early on and now Kemar Roofe, who was replaced by Ryan Kent just before the penalty.
GOAL! Antwerp 2-1 Rangers (Refaelov 45+8 pen)
Refaelov curls he penalty over McGregor, who went the right way but couldn’t reach it.
Updated
PENALTY TO ANTWERP! Steven Davis has been penalised - harshly, I think - for a challenge on Refaelov. We’re in the seventh of four added minutes.
Updated
GOAL! Molde 1-3 Hoffenheim (Baumgartner 45+3)
Half time: Benfica 0-0 Arsenal A low-key first half in Rome. Arsenal were the dominant side, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed an absolute sitter, but the pace of play has been very slow.
Updated
GOAL! Antwerp 1-1 Rangers (Avenatti 45)
Antwerp have equalised out of nothing! A free-kick on the right was curled towards the edge of the Rangers area, where Felipe Avenatti strained his neck muscles to loop a superb header over McGregor and into the corner. That’s a brilliant finish.
Updated
“‘Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea’,” says Ed Rostron of the Granada goalscorer. “Do you think it’ll say that on his gravestone?”
GOAL! Salzburg 0-1 Villarreal (Alcacer 41) Paco Alcacer has put Villarreal in front in Austria.
GOAL! Molde 1-2 Hoffenheim (Ellingsen 41) Martin Ellingsen gets one back for Molde.
GOAL! Antwerp 0-1 Rangers (Aribo 38)
Rangers take the lead! The keeper Alireza Beiranvand came a long way off his line to dive at the feet of Roofe, but the ball slithered out of his grasp towards Morelos. He laid it back to Joe Aribo, who curled the ball calmly into the empty net from 25 yards. After a slow start, Rangers have been the better team and deserve to be in front.
Updated
“Naples calling,” says Colum Fordham. “A bit of a nightmare start for Napoli with manager Rino Gattuso under pressure. Napoli just edged The Arch Enemy Juventus on Saturday 1-0 but this doesn’t bode well for their Europa League hopes. Hope local heartthrob Insigne comes up with a bit of magic.”
Imagine telling Rino Gattuso he’s fired. I’d probably do it via WhatsApp and then change the locks.
Updated
GOAL! Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk (Patrick 31) And it’s in there from Alan Patrick!
Updated
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal A good Benfica attack ends with a low shot from Darwin Nunez that is saved at the second attempt by Leno.
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal On that Benfica team of 1991, look what they had to do just to qualify for the European Cup. FC Porto finished second with the equivalent of 98 points (it was two for a win in those days).
Updated
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers An excellent chance for Morelos, who goes through one on one but hammers his shot straight at Alireza Beiranvand.
Updated
GOAL! Molde 0-2 Hoffenheim (Dabbur 28) A second goal for Munas Dabbur.
Wolfsberger 1-4 Spurs
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Every time I look at this game, Arsenal have the ball. Charles Antaki will be thrilled to hear that Benfica don’t look up to much.
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers Tavernier is replaced by Leon Balogun.
GOAL! Granada 2-0 Napoli (Kenedy 21) Two in three minutes for Granada! Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea, has got the second.
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers The Rangers captain Jame Tavernier is struggling after injuring his knee during a block tackle on the edge of the Antwerp area. I don’t think he’ll be able to continue.
GOAL! Granada 1-0 Napoli (Herrera 19) Yangel Herrera has put Granada ahead in - where’s this being played - Granada.
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has missed a rare old sitter, sliding Bellerin’s low cross past the post from eight yards. That was a shocking miss for a player of his class.
There isn’t a huge amount going on. These are the latest scores:
- Antwerp 0-0 Rangers
- Benfica 0-0 Arsenal
- Granada 0-0 Napoli
- Lille 0-0 Ajax
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Molde 0-1 Hoffenheim
- Salzburg 0-0 Villarreal
“Lovely Arsenal v Benfica video you shared, and super nice to see Yuran and Kulkov combining to score,” says Philip Bickerstaffe. “Not something we saw much of five years later when they both came to the Den to join Millwall.”
That’s the year you were relegated after being top early in the season, isn’t it? Or was that 1989-90?
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Sterile domination so far from Arsenal, though I suppose that’s better than being 4-0 down. They have looked confident in possession, if slightly one-paced.
“Evening Rob,” says Tom Hopkins. “As a lad, this was routinely presented to me as the peak of sporting achievement, so any game involving Benfica still has a certain frisson. I assume Eusebio is not playing tonight though?”
It would be quite the story if he was.
Updated
The first goal of the 8pm games has been scored: Munas Dabbur has put Hoffenheim ahead away to Molde.
Antwerp 0-0 Rangers Not much going on in Antwerp, though Premier League alumnus Ritchie De Laet has just driven wide from long range.
Slavia Prague 0-0 Leicester
Updated
Real Sociedad 0-4 Manchester United
Updated
Benfica 0-0 Arsenal Bellerin wins a corner for Arsenal, who have made an assured start in Rome. Nothing comes of it but Mikel Arteta will be pleased with how his team have started.
“Hi Rob,” says Charles Antaki. “I remember Benfica is being absolutely wonderful in the, when was it, 80s? 90s? I haven’t looked it up to see how good they are at the moment. I could do; but it would only worry me. Could you say a word or two about them being absolutely dreadful, just to give a bit of comfort to Arsenal fans as we start?”
Actually, they’re not having a great season – they’re fourth in the league, miles behind the runaway leaders Sporting Lisbon.
“Saka, Smith-Rowe, Odegaard and Auba starting today after starting vs Leeds,” says Emmanuel Dairo. “Does it mean Arteta has written off the City game on Sunday as a loss?”
Either that or he wants to win this game.
Tonight’s match in Rome is the first time Arsenal have met Benfica since that traumatic night at Highbury in 1991. You’re welcome.
Updated
Peep peep! The 8pm games are under way.
Updated
Arsenal have named an unchanged side for the first time since September 2018, it says here. Crikey.
Cheers Scott, hello everyone. There’s an 82-second break, give or take, between matches. Why not fill it with a bit of fragile beauty?
Updated
So that’s all the 5.55pm kick-offs done and dusted, but there are a load of 8pm kick-offs still to come. Time to hand over to your friend and mine, Mr Rob Smyth, who’ll take you by the hand and treat you real nice.
Here are the full-times in the other matches, then.
- Dynamo Kyiv 1-1 Brugge
- Red Star Belgrade 2-2 Milan
- Krasnodar 2-3 Dinamo Zagreb
- Olympiakos 4-2 PSV
- Braga 0-2 Roma
- Young Boys 4-3 Bayer Leverkusen
Young Boys reclaim the lead against Bayer Leverkusen at the death! Theoson Siebatcheu snatches an 89th-minute winner to secure a remarkable 4-3 win. Leverkusen will be sickened after coming back from three down, though those away goals will stand them in good stead come the second leg. Meanwhile a late equaliser for ten-man Red Star Belgrade against Milan, the appropriately named Milan Pavkov with that one.
The full-times in our featured games
Real Sociedad 0-4 Manchester United
Slavia Prague 0-0 Leicester City
Wolfsberger AC 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur
GOAL! Wolfsberger AC 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur (Vinicius 88)
Vinicius with the reflex, poking home from close range. Wolfsberger are on a ride and they want to get off.
Updated
GOAL! Real Sociedad 0-4 Manchester United (James 90)
James zips down the right flank, cuts inside, and nutmegs the keeper at the near post. Easy as that. United have been rampant; La Real a rabble.
Updated
Spurs and United continue to run down the clock, while Leicester search in desperate fashion for that crucial away goal. “Interesting that Spurs are playing their Austrian opponents in Budapest, in the same stadium where Liverpool took on Germany’s RB Leipzig. With apologies to Duran Duran, this is certainly no Ordinary World we find ourselves in at the moment. The ‘home’ team look so starved for chances, you might say they’re Hungary Like the Wolfsberg.” New romantic satirist Peter Oh, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the industrial quantities of cocaine.
Iyayi Atiemwen restores Dinamo Zagreb’s lead in short order. They’re 3-2 up at Krasnodar. Otherwise, a lull descends across Europe.
Now Greenwood drags a shot wide left from 12 yards. As fine as United have been tonight, Real Sociedad are a shambles. Meanwhile Ole Gunnar Solskjaer takes Ruth Purdue’s hint and takes off Fernandes, albeit on 83 minutes with his side long home and hosed. He’s replaced by Mata.
Fernandes remains on the pitch, and here he is rampaging down the middle of the park, releasing James into acres down the right. James enters the box and slaps his shot straight at the keeper. United could quite easily have run up a cricket score this evening.
Krasnodar’s Viktor Claesson has made it 2-2 against Dinamo Zagreb. Elsewhere, Manchester United and Tottenham are coasting home. “Fernandes needs to come off now,” argues Ruth Purdue. “That’s now, not in minutes 80. He burnt out last season due to not being rested. Sir Alex understood when to take/rest his best players when there was a large lead.”
Never say Neverkusen! The comeback is complete! Moussa Diaby’s 68th-minute goal has drawn Bayer Leverkusen, three down at the break, level at Young Boys! Meanwhile a Theo Hernandez penalty has given Milan a 2-1 lead at Red Star.
Updated
Still goalless between Slavia Prague and Leicester, though that’s not to say there’s nothing of interest to report. “I am watching Europa League match Slavia Prague against Leicester City,” begins Giorgio. “I am pretty used to empty stadium sound ambience, so I was pretty distracted when I heard jeering and whistling against Leicester during the match. I was wondering who possibly could do these sounds in the empty stadium. Luckily a photographer form Deník Sport newspaper made a picture. Apart from usual suspects from our political scene you can see our former Minister of Health Roman Prymula who just today called for complete lockdown (and who had to step down in October after he himself violated covid 19 restrictions imposed by himself). I can’t watch the game anymore.”
Kromě tradičních celebrit typu Mynáře nebo Vondry dorazil na fotbal Slavia - Leicester i Roman Prymula (dolní řada, druhý zleva). Někdo má holt kliku.
— Adam Nenadál (@ANenadal) February 18, 2021
Foto: Pavel Mazáč (@DenikSport) pic.twitter.com/9YkkRU64LE
United find the net again, Greenwood roaring down the left wing and slipping the ball across for James, who sidefoots off the base of the right-hand post and into the net. But this one’s offside, Greenwood having gone a wee bit too early. There wasn’t much in it, though, and United look in the mood to finish this tie off tonight, if they haven’t done that already.
GOAL! Real Sociedad 0-3 Manchester United (Rashford 64)
This is too easy ... or are Manchester United simply making it look too easy? Fred strokes a perfectly weighted pass down the inside-left channel to release Rashford, who enters the box, opens his body, and sidefoots across Remiro and into the bottom right. You could argue that United should have scored six tonight. They may yet manage it!
Updated
Mind you, great as that United move was, they were helped by some more thoroughly confused Sociedad defending. James and Fernandes were given free rein to run all sorts of baroque patterns without challenge. “Is it fair to say that Real Sociedad are a tribute act to the Manchester United defence of that comical night against Istanbul Basaksehir last November?” wonders Justin Kavanagh. Meanwhile elsewhere, a Guelor Kanga penalty has levelled things up for Red Star against AC Milan, while Bruno Petkovic makes it 2-1 for Dinamo Zagreb at Krasnodar.
GOAL! Real Sociedad 0-2 Manchester United (Fernandes 57)
A lovely goal, this. Rashford breezes down the left and passes infield for Fernandes. But Fernandes leaves it for James, just behind him. James flicks it instantly back into Fernandes’s path. Fernandes does what Fernandes does, steering the ball delightfully into the bottom right. There’s an interminable wait for VAR to check things, because the flag’s gone up for offside ... but the goal’s given. That was some mighty fine football.
Updated
GOAL! Wolfsberger AC 1-3 Tottenham (Liendl 55 pen)
The Wolfsberg captain Liendl steps up and rolls the penalty into the bottom left.
Updated
Penalty for Wolfsberger AC! Sissoko dozes, allowing himself to be robbed in the box by Wemitznig. Sissoko sticks out a leg and brings his opponent down. What a brain fade. Out of nothing!
Well, well, well. Another goal for Patrik Schick, three minutes after his first, and suddenly it’s Young Boys 3-2 Bayer Leverkusen. The extremely unlikely suddenly looks more than possible.
Is the big Bayer Leverkusen comeback on? Well, probably not, but Patrik Schick has pulled a goal back on 49 minutes against the Young Boys. It’s 3-1.
Spurs meanwhile have sent on Carlos Vinicius against Wolfsberger AC. Son has contributed more than enough already and is rewarded with the chance to fling his boots up onto the desk. Other big challenges lie ahead.
The second halves are underway. Real Sociedad are on the front foot immediately, Le Normand channelling his inner Beckenbauer by striding forward and creaming a long-range shot towards the top right. Henderson is always going to claim it easily, but it was a sweet strike nonetheless.
Benfica v Arsenal team news
Benfica (3-5-1-1) Leite; Verissimo, Otamendi, Vertonghen; Diogo Goncalves, Taarabt, Weigl, Pizzi, Grimaldo; Isaias Waldschmidt; Nunez
Substitutes: Svilar, Vlachodimos, Gilberto, Everton, Gabriel, Cervi, Seferovic, Chiquinho, Rafa Silva, Pedrinho, Nuno Tavares, Joao Ferreira.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Leno; Bellerin, David Luiz, Gabriel, Cedric; Ceballos, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Smith-Rowe; Aubameyang.
Substitutes: Ryan, Hein, Tierney, Lacazette, Willian, Holding, Pepe, Chambers, Pablo Mari, Elneny, Nketiah, Martinelli.
Referee Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey)
Antwerp v Rangers team news
Antwerp (3-4-2-1) Beiranvand; Seck, Le Marchand, De Laet; Buta, Boya, Hongla, J Lukaku; Refaelov, Gerkins; Avenatti.
Substitutes: Chevaughn, De Wolf, Verstraete, Miyoshi, Nsimba, Ampomah, Gelin, Pavlic, Van Den Bosch.
Rangers (4-3-3) McGregor; Barisic, Helander, Goldson, Tavernier; Arfield, S Davis, Kamara; Roofe, Morelos, Aribo.
Substitutes: McLaughlin, Hagi, Jack, Itten, Kent, Wright, Stewart, Balogun, Simpson.
Referee Georgi Kabakov (Bulgaria)
A flurry of activity just before half-time. Meschack Elia makes it 3-0 for Young Boys against Bayer Leverkusen, while Youssef El Arabi restores Olympiacos’s lead over PSV Eindhoven. It’s 3-2, and that looks like a cracker. So here are the other half-times in the 5.55pm kick-offs...
- Red Star Belgrade 0-1 AC Milan
- Krasnodar 1-1 Dinamo Zagreb
- Olympiakos 3-2 PSV
- Sporting Braga 0-1 Roma
- Young Boys 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Half-times in our featured games
- Real Sociedad 0-1 Manchester United
- Slavia Prague 0-0 Leicester City
- Wolfsberger AC 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Updated
Theo Hernandez thought he’d given AC Milan the lead at Red Star Belgrade on 12 minutes. That was chalked off by VAR, but the Italians are ahead now, Radovan Pankov putting through his own goal.
In the blink of an eye, the 1-1 scoreline between Olympiacos and PSV has turned into 2-2. Yann M’Vila put the hosts ahead on 37 minutes, only for Eran Zahavi to score his second for the Dutch side two minutes later.
Updated
Real Sociedad are beginning to ask a few questions of United. Greenwood, of all people, is forced to slice over his own bar under severe pressure; Bailly hacks a header off the line. A couple of textbook examples of last-ditch defending. Grant Tennille is watching this game in the US, and reports: “Watching the Spanish channel feed of the United game, and you’ll not be surprised to learn the commentators were just name-checking Larry, Curly, and Moe.”
“How did Januzaj react to the United goal?” wonders Robin Hazlehurst. “Please tell us he was in mid mid-air-fist-pump when he remembered where he was.” I can report that he’s not looking particularly happy right now, having just clanked a witless cross out of play when in a load of space just inside the United box on the left. Meanwhile Marcus Berg has equalised for Krasnodar against Dinamo Zagreb: it’s 1-1.
GOAL! Wolfsberger AC 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur (Moura 34)
Spurs have one foot in the last 16 already. Moura shimmies his way past two defenders down the inside-left channel, gives the keeper the eyes, and passes the ball into the bottom left. That’s another sensational effort. All three of Tottenham’s goals have been a delight.
Updated
Wolfsberger AC nearly haul themselves back into contention immediately. Vizinger sends a close-range header towards the top left, but Lloris fingertips it onto the bar and Spurs clear their lines.
GOAL! Wolfsberger AC 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Bale 28)
This is lovely! Bale scampers down the right, after Doherty’s through ball. He’s level with the six-yard box, and stops dead, pulling the ball back and sending Scherzer aquaplaning off the pitch. He then opens his body and curls powerfully into the top left. Gorgeous goal! He’s still got it, you know.
Updated
GOAL! Real Sociedad 0-1 Manchester United (Fernandes 27)
It’s fair to say this had been coming. A simple ball shovelled down the inside-left channel. Remiro comes off his line and clatters into both Zubeldia and Le Normand. The three Sociedad players crumble in a heap as Fernandes swans past and walks the ball into the unguarded net. What a slapstick farce!
Updated
PSV have equalised at Olympiacos. Eran Zahavi on 14 minutes. Young Boys are now 2-0 up against Bayer Leverkusen, Theoson Siebatcheu after 19 minutes. And Bruno Petkovic has put Dinamo Zagreb ahead at Krasnodar after 15.
Updated
Leicester have been knocking at the door in Prague. They should be a goal up, the ball dropping to Barnes, in space in an otherwise crowded area, on the left-hand edge of the six-yard box. He pulls his shot into the side netting. What a chance!
And another! The Sociedad back line is a sick joke. Telles sends Fernandes bombing down the left, in acres of space. Rashford is free in the middle. Fernandes sets one up on a plate. Rashford, on the penalty spot, meets the ball first time and aims for the bottom left. The keeper blocks again. This is absurd, and great fun.
Another huge chance in Turin! McTominay bursts into the Sociedad box down the right, and is one on one with Remiro. He fires towards the near post, and the keeper hacks clear. A fine save, though he shouldn’t have been allowed to make it. Somewhere in the multiverse, this game is 2-2. It should be 2-2. Both defences are in full Slapstick Mode.
GOAL! Wolfsberger 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Son 13)
Spurs take the lead against their Austrian opponents! Doherty worms his way down the right and feeds Bale, who clips back from the byline towards Son. The striker crouches and steers a delightful header across the keeper and into the bottom right. Kind of a mirror image of one of Ian Rush’s goals in the 1989 FA Cup final. Sort of. If you remember that.
Updated
A fine burst down the United left by Rashford, who feeds Telles on the overlap. The resulting cross is dangerous, but headed powerfully clear by Monreal. Meanwhile Andreas Bouchalakis gives Olympiacos the lead against PSV on nine minutes.
Wan-Bissaka goes into the book for a crude lunge on Nacho Monreal from behind. Meanwhile here’s a reassuring word from Alex Brown: “Folk don’t unsubscribe from The Fiver in disgust. Just a vague sense of disappointment.”
Five minutes into the game between Wolfsberger AC and Spurs, and Son cuts in from the right and nearly curls delightfully into the bottom left. It’s lively elsewhere, too, Eden Dzeko giving Roma an early lead away to Braga, Young Boys going one up at home to Bayer Leverkusen, Christian Fassnacht opening the scoring on three minutes.
Updated
It’s an absurd start to the game in Turin. Seconds after Januzaj’s attempt on goal, Rashford is sent clean through down the other end! He’s denied by Remiro in the Sociedad goal. And then Alexander Isak goes racing towards the United goal, firing towards the bottom right, forcing Henderson into a save. Just over two minutes gone, and the score could be - should be - Real Sociedad 2-1 Manchester United. As it stands, it’s still 0-0.
Nearly the perfect start for former Manchester United starlet Adnan Januzaj! Space down the right. He opens his body, and nearly Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Days one into the top left! Inches wide and high. Henderson was beaten all ends up.
There’s already been one match played in the Round of 32 tonight. Dynamo Kyiv have drawn 1-1 against Club Brugge.
The teams are out! Of the three English clubs kicking off in a minute, only Leicester are wearing their first-choice clobber. Manchester United have chosen to play in black, despite their red kit not clashing with La Real’s blue and white, while Spurs are forced into third-choice tangerine by the famous Pellets of Wolfsberger AC. Off in a minute!
Updated
Today’s Fiver concerns the Real Sociedad v Manchester United tie. Subscribe now for your daily fix o’ football fun! You can always unsubscribe in disgust later.
A reminder that Covid concerns have taken their toll on these fixtures. Manchester United are denied a visit to lovely San Sebastian; they’ll take on Real Sociedad in Juventus’s stadium in Turin ...
... while Tottenham have travelled to Hungary to play Wolfsberger AC. They’ll be running out at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Leicester are allowed into Prague, though ... where this message awaits them.
Updated
Slavia Prague: Kolar, Bah, Kudela, Zima, Boril, Sima, Stanciu, Holes, Provod, Olayinka, Kuchta.
Subs: Deli, Stejskal, Dorley, Hromada, Traore, Masopust, Kovar, Lingr.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu, Thomas, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.
Subs: Ward, Iheanacho, Under, Choudhury, Mendy, Fuchs, Jakupovic, Leshabela, Tavares, Flynn.
Leicester go strong, with Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans all in the starting line-up. Daniel Amartey fills in at right-back with James Justin injured and Ricardo Pereira not travelling.
Wolfsberger AC: Kofler, Novak, Baumgartner, Lochoshvili, Scherzer, Sprangler, Taferner, Liendl, Wernitznig, Joveljic, Vizinger.
Subs: Giorbelidze, Henriksson, Peric, Pavelic, Dieng, Rnic, Leitgeb, Stratznig, Rocher, Skubl, Schofl, Kuttin.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Doherty, Dier, Alderweireld, Davies, Sissoko, Winks, Bale, Alli, Lucas Moura, Son.
Subs: Hojbjerg, Sanchez, Lamela, Hart, Bergwijn, Tanganga, Ndombele, Whiteman, Vinicius, Scarlett, Bowden, Lavinier.
Dele Alli starts a match for the first time in over a month. Gareth Bale also gets his usual European run-out, but while there’s a place in the starting XI for Son Heung-min, Harry Kane is missing altogether, resting at home.
Updated
Real Sociedad: Remiro, Zaldua, Elustondo, Zubeldia, Monreal, Silva, Illarramendi, Merino, Januzaj, Isak, Oyarzabal.
Subs: Portu, Munoz, Guridi, Sagnan, Guevara, Merquelanz, Gorosabel, Barrenetxea, Le Normand, Bautista, Marrero, Zubimendi.
Manchester United: Henderson, Wan Bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Alex Telles, McTominay, Fred, Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, James, Rashford.
Subs: de Gea, Lindelof, Mata, Martial, Grant, Diallo, Shaw, Matic, Williams, Tuanzebe, Shoretire.
Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Daniel James, Alex Telles and Mason Greenwood all come in to a much-changed Manchester United team. Teenagers Amad Diallo and Shola Shoretire are on the bench. One-time United winger Adnan Januzaj lines up for La Real alongside Manchester City legend David Silva.
Preamble
Welcome to EuroClocko™! Some big ties in the Europa League round of 32 this evening. It’s Benfica versus Arsenal and Antwerp versus Rangers later, but first off there are a tranche of kick-offs at 5.55pm GMT, and here are the three we’ll be concentrating on:
- Real Sociedad v Manchester United
- Riegler & Zechmeister Pellets Wolfsberger Athletik Club v Tottenham Hotspur
- Slavia Prague v Leicester City
Yes, we’ll probably just go with Wolfsberger. All the goals, as they fly in, right here. Team news soon!
