Sports

De Gea shuts out Sevilla

Shakhtar leads Roma 2-1

February 22, 2018
Soccer Football - Champions League Round of 16 First Leg - Sevilla vs Manchester United - Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain - February 21, 2018   Manchester United's David De Gea makes a save from Sevilla’s Luis Muriel    REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Soccer Football - Champions League Round of 16 First Leg - Sevilla vs Manchester United - Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain - February 21, 2018 Manchester United's David De Gea makes a save from Sevilla’s Luis Muriel REUTERS/Jon Nazca



SEVILLE — Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea added another heart-stopping save to his collection as his team held a highly-impressive Sevilla side to a 0-0 draw away from home in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie Wednesday.

The Spain international foiled Colombian striker Luis Muriel from point-blank range at the end of the first half not long after tipping over an overhead kick from Argentine defender Gabriel Mercado as the Spaniards created far more chances than Jose Mourinho’s side.

Shakhtar Donetsk’s South American blend proved too strong for AS Roma as goals from Facundo Ferreyra and Fred gave them a 2-1 win in a Champions League tie played in freezing conditions.

United forward Romelu Lukaku spurned a rare clear opening in the first period when he punted a pass from Alexis Sanchez well over the bar and the Belgian had a goal ruled out for handball late in the second.

Sevilla fired 25 shots at De Gea’s goal while United only had six attempts, only one of which was on target.

United coach Jose Mourinho, however, said he did not feel his side had been fortunate to leave Spain with the tie still wide open.

The second leg takes place at Old Trafford on March 13, where United will be looking to reach the last eight of the competition for the first time since 2014, with Sevilla hoping finally to get past the last-16 barrier it has failed to overcome in three previous attempts.

Mourinho’s relationship with Paul Pogba was left open to more scrutiny when the Portuguese left his record signing out of the starting lineup, although he threw on the France midfielder when Ander Herrera pulled up injured early in the game.

Pogba did not manage to answer his many recent critics, who have questioned his influence over the last two months. He was unable to engineer many attacks and sent a long, hopeful shot well wide of goal in the second half.

United’s latest high-profile signing, Alexis Sanchez, also had a night to forget in his first European game for the club since joining from Arsenal in January as he saw little of the ball and was hauled off for Marcus Rashford in the 75th minute.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine, the Serie A team Roma appeared to be coasting in the round-of-16 first-leg tie when Cengiz Under put them ahead with his fifth goal in four games four minutes before halftime.

Yet as the temperature dipped toward minus-nine Celsius, Argentine striker Ferreyra took advantage of poor Roma defending to score with an expertly-taken goal in the 52nd minute.

That turned the game on its head and it was no surprise when Brazilian midfielder Fred curled in a free kick off the underside of the crossbar to stun the visitors in the 71st minute.

“The team performed well in the second half,” said Shakhtar’s Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca, whose side reached the knockout stage at the expense of Roma’s fellow Italians Napoli.

“It wasn’t easy to keep up that pace after a long winter break. The only reason we didn’t win by a bigger margin was a brilliant display from the Roma keeper.” — Reuters


February 22, 2018
27 views
HIGHLIGHTS
Sports
5 days ago

Neom FC clinches First Division spot with a thrilling victory over Al Zulfi

Sports
5 days ago

Hiba Al Owaidi becomes first female main referee in Saudi Women's League

Sports
6 days ago

Salem Al Dawsari's goal secures Saudi victory over Tajikistan in World Cup qualifiers