Sports

United draws Brighton in quarters

February 18, 2018
Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring against Huddersfield Town during their FA Cup match at John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield, Saturday. — Reuters
Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring against Huddersfield Town during their FA Cup match at John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield, Saturday. — Reuters

LONDON — Manchester United will host Brighton in the FA Cup quarterfinals next month after all the big guns avoided each other in the draw Saturday.

Theirs is a repeat of the 1983 final, won by United in a replay.

Wigan or Manchester City, who meet on Monday, will host Southampton.

Chelsea, last year’s beaten finalist, visits Leicester.

The winner of the Rochdale-Tottenham tie Sunday will travel to Sheffield Wednesday or Swansea.

Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea face a replay on Feb. 27 after their fifth-round clash at Hillsborough ended goalless Saturday.

The quarterfinals will be played over the weekend of March 16-19.

Debate over the merits of video assistant refereeing was again raised as a Romelu Lukaku double eased United to a 2-0 win at Huddersfield despite a controversial call going against Jose Mourinho’s men.

Juan Mata thought he had put United into a 2-0 lead just before half-time only for the Spaniard’s effort to be ruled out by the video referee after a lengthy delay, and without conclusive proof the officials on the field had made the wrong decision.

Thankfully for United, and the authorities, that decision didn’t have a definitive influence on the outcome as Lukaku struck early in both halves to take his tally for the season to 21.

“If they have the VAR to help them make the right decisions, I think the referees will be happy with that,” said Mourinho.

“But if the VAR change their good decisions for bad decisions, I think they are not happy with that.”

Bizarre own goal costs

Inter Milan dearly

One of the most bizarre own goals of the Serie A season set Inter Milan on its way to a 2-0 defeat at Genoa which cost it third place Saturday.

Veteran Macedonia striker Goran Pandev scored the second against his old club as Inter slipped below AS Roma, which earlier won 2-0 at Udinese after Cengiz Under scored his fourth goal in three games.

On the stroke of halftime, Ervin Zukanovic swung in a cross, which Milan Skriniar hooked away. But his clearance ricocheted off Andrea Ranocchia and flew into the net, leaving goalkeeper Samir Handanovic stranded.

Valencia, Sevilla win

Valencia consolidated its grip on third place in Spanish league, coming from behind to win 2-1 at bottom side Malaga with a late Dani Parejo penalty.

Nigerian Brown Ideye had put the home team ahead, but French midfielder Francis Coquelin headed Valencia level 10 minutes from time with his first La Liga goal since moving from Arsenal.

Valencia is four points clear of fourth-placed Real Madrid but has played two games more than Zinedine Zidane’s side.

Sevilla warmed up for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Manchester United by winning 2-1 at struggling Las Palmas, aided by a controversial late offside call.

Goals from Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia had Sevilla in control in Gran Canaria, before Jonathan Calleri pulled one back for Las Palmas with a penalty.

Sevilla has now claimed back-to-back league victories since progressing to the Copa del Rey final, and is fifth. — Agencies


February 18, 2018
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