Manchester United's hopes of Europa League glory were left in the balance after a tense 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in Spain, while Tottenham Hotspur suffered a 1-0 defeat to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in Thursday's last-16 first-leg clashes.
United took the lead in San Sebastián through Joshua Zirkzee's precise 57th-minute strike, marking his first European goal this season. The young forward, still reeling from last week's FA Cup penalty heartbreak, fired home from 20 yards after a slick assist by Alejandro Garnacho. However, Bruno Fernandes' handball gifted Sociedad a late penalty, calmly converted by Mikel Oyarzabal to level the tie.
Tottenham, meanwhile, endured a frustrating night in the Netherlands. Lucas Bergvall's accidental own goal sealed their loss to AZ Alkmaar, leaving the London club with work to do in the second leg. Rangers provided the night's standout result, defeating José Mourinho's Fenerbahçe 3-1 in Turkey, while Lyon edged closer to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win at Romania's FCSB.
As teams prepare for decisive return fixtures, United and Spurs face mounting pressure to keep their European campaigns alive. For Zirkzee and his teammates, the Europa League now represents their sole chance for silverware this season—a narrative that adds high stakes to next week's rematches.
