Manchester United all but sealed their place in the Europa League quarterfinals — should the competition continue over the coming days and weeks — with a 5-0 demolition of LASK in the two sides’ round-of-16 first-leg clash in Linz, Austria, on Thursday.
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The game was played in an empty stadium due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Five different Red Devils scored on the day, including a pair of forwards in January signing Odion Ighalo and 18-year-old Mason Greenwood.
Ighalo tallied his fourth goal (all competitions) since joining Man United on transfer deadline day, with his second in the Europa League. While he is still awaiting his first Premier League goal for the club, he appeared to be in fine form with his left-footed strike to open scoring in the 28th minute.
Ighalo WOW
➡️ https://t.co/erVHQdIeJS pic.twitter.com/CeMRFEEc7X
— Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) March 12, 2020
Daniel James and Juan Mata made it 2-0 and 3-0, respectively, before Greenwood pinged the ball off both posts before sneaking over the goal line in the 91st minute. Andreas Pereira added a fifth for good measure just seconds after the restart.
Mason Greenwood hit both posts on the way his goal 😅 pic.twitter.com/BMhePQmZsQ
— Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) March 12, 2020
United are tentatively scheduled to host LASK for the second leg at Old Trafford next Thursday.
More coronavirus connections to soccer:
- UEFA announce videoconference meeting next week to discuss plans for Champions League, Europa League and EURO 2020.
- Sampdoria and Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini tests positive for coronavirus.
- Real Madrid players in isolation and La Liga games suspended for the next two weeks after Real basketball player tests positive for coronavirus.
- Serie A is considering alternative ways to conclude its scudetto and relegation races, including playoffs or the non-awarding of a champion.
- Juventus confirm that their defender Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus.
- Sevilla v. Roma and Inter Milan v. Getafe postponed in the UEFA Europa League due to travel restrictions between Spain and Italy.
- Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis being diagnosed with coronavirus. Olympiacos and Forest have since confirmed all of their staff and players have been tested and their tests have come back as negative.
- Chelsea will visit Bayern Munich at an empty Allianz Arena for a Champions League second leg next week.
- Manchester United’s Europa League game at LASK in Austria will be played behind-closed-doors, and matches in Spain’s La Liga will be played in empty stadiums until early April.
- The San Jose Earthquakes’ next home match, March 21, is 11 days away and the Santa Clara Public Health Department has banned all gatherings over 1000 people.