Manchester United were at their blistering best on Thursday night as they sealed a 4-1 win against 10-man Real Sociedad at Old Trafford in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 16 clash, Afrosport reports.
A hat-trick from Bruno Fernandes and a Diogo Dalot strike deep into stoppage time were enough for United to seal a comeback win and reach the quarter-finals after Mikel Oyarzabal had put the visitors ahead early on.
Oyarzabal scored the opener from the penalty spot in the 10th minute after the Sociedad captain was brought down in the box, but United responded six minutes later through a Fernandes penalty after Rasmus Hojlund was infringed on a goal attempt.
Bruno Fernandes put on a show 🎩🪄#UEL pic.twitter.com/4PocOm6vYg
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) March 13, 2025
The first half ended in a deadlock, but it was United who drew first blood in the second half as Fernandes scored again from the spot after Patrick Dorgu was fouled.
Sociedad was reduced to 10 men when substitute Jon Aramburu was shown a straight red card for a last-man tackle on Dorgu just seven minutes after coming on for Igor Zubeldia.
United exerted dominance from there on out, and Fernandes completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute, finding the bottom corner from an Alejandro Garnacho pass.
The Premier League side made it four in the 91st minute through Dalot, who fired home from close range from a Hojlund cutback.
United extended their unbeaten home record in the Europa League knockout phase to 16 games, and Ruben Amorim’s men will face Lyon in the quarter-finals after the French club beat FCSB 4-0 at home and 7-1 on aggregate.
