Maguire salvages draw for Man United at Porto after Fernandes sent off again in Europa League

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Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, foreground right, scores his side’s third goal during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between FC Porto and Manchester United at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

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Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, right, reaches for the ball too high and close to the head of Porto’s Nehuen Perez to see a second yellow card and be sent off, during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between FC Porto and Manchester United at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

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Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes leaves the pitch after being shown a second yellow card during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between FC Porto and Manchester United at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

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Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Europa League soccer match between Ferencvaros and Tottenham Hotspur in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Supporters fire flares during the Europa League soccer match between Ferencvaros and Tottenham Hotspur in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Tottenham’s goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario makes a save during the Europa League soccer match between Ferencvaros and Tottenham Hotspur in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

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Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni, left, scores from penalty the fourth goal against Nice during an Europa League opening phase soccer match between Lazio and Nice, at Rome’s Olympic Stadium, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

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Nice’s Jeremie Boga scores during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Lazio and Nice at Rome’s Olympic stadium, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

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Olympiacos’ Santiago Hezze celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Olympiacos and SC Braga at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium at Athens’ port of Piraeus, Greece, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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Real Sociedad’s Nayef Aguerd, left, and Anderlecht’s Luis Vazquez go for a header during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Real Sociedad and Anderlecht at the Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

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Real Sociedad’s goalkeeper Alex Remiro reaches for the ball over Anderlecht’s Luis Vazquez to make a save during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Real Sociedad and Anderlecht at the Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

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Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens reacts as he lies on the ground during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Real Sociedad and Anderlecht at the Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

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Heidenheim’s Adrian Beck scores the opening goal past Ljubljana’s goalkeeper Matevz Vidovsek during the Europa League soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Dynamo Kiev at PreZero Arena in Sinsheim, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

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Legia Warsaw’s Luquinhas fights for the ball with Real’s Johnny Cardoso, top, during the Europa League soccer match between Legia Warsaw and Betis in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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Manchester United’s Casemiro, right, has a shot saved by Porto’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between FC Porto and Manchester United at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

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Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, left, attempts a shot at goal next to Besiktas’ Gabriel Paulista during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Besiktas and Eintracht Frankfurt at the Besiktas stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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Eintracht Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Kaua Santos, background, blocks a shot by Besiktas’ Rafa Silva during to the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Besiktas and Eintracht Frankfurt at the Besiktas stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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Elfsborg’s Michael Baidoo celebrates after scoring a penalty kick during an UEFA Europa League soccer match between IF Elfsborg and AS Roma at Boras Arena in Boras, Sweden, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Bjorn Larsson Rosvall/TT News Agency via AP)

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Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Europa Conference League opening phase soccer match between Chelsea and Gent at Stamford Bridge in London, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

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Chelsea’s head coach Enzo Maresca embraces Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after the Europa Conference League opening phase soccer match between Chelsea and Gent at Stamford Bridge in London, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

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Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, second from left, scores his side’s goal during the Conference League soccer match between Fiorentina and The New Saints at Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, Thurday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

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Fiorentina’s Lucas Beltran, centre, fights for the ball with The New Saints’s Daniel Davies during the Conference League soccer match between Fiorentina and The New Saints at Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, Italy, Thurday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

By KAREL JANICEK

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Manchester United narrowly avoided another embarrassing defeat as substitute Harry Maguire headed in an injury-time equalizer to salvage a 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday after Erik ten Hag’s team had given up an early 2-0 lead and seen Bruno Fernandes sent off for a second straight game.

Fernandes was shown a second booking in the 81st minute for a high boot that caught defender Nehuen Perez as he tried to connect with a cross into the box.

“We started the game very good, we dominated, we scored two good goals but then we lost control,” Ten Hag said. “The middle part was no good and then we finished very good. ... We got the equalizer so it is good for the spirit.”

Fernandes had been shown a straight read in a 3-0 loss to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday that upped the pressure on Ten Hag. And the Dutch manager seemed to be in more trouble when United gave up an early 2-0 lead to trail 3-2 when Pepê produced a cross from the right for his fellow forward Samu to fire his second and goal high into the net five minutes into the second half.

But Maguire headed home a corner in the first minute of injury time to salvage a point for United, which now has two draws in the league phase and has failed to win any of its last four games in all competitions.

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Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes left, and Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee celebrate scoring their side's first goal during the Europa League soccer match between Manchester United and Real Sociedad at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Thursday, March 13, 2025 . (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

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Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee, right, challenges for the ball with Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo during the Europa League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Manchester United at the Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

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United couldn’t have asked for a better start in Portugal, though. Christian Eriksen teed up Marcus Rashford, who showed great footwork to burst into the area before beating goalkeeper Diogo Costa with a low strike into the bottom left-hand corner of the net in the seventh minute.

Eriksen was involved in the second 13 minutes later, too, as he started the move in the middle before finding Rashford to set up Rasmus Højlund, who unleased a powerful blast inside the near post for his first goal of the season.

But Porto came right back as Pepê and Samu headed in goals within seven minutes of each other to level the score before the break.

Earlier, a youthful Tottenham side maintained a perfect record with a 2-1 victory away at Ferencváros , while Lazio also made it two wins out of two by routing Nice 4-1 at home.

Pape Sarr gave Tottenham the lead midway through the first half when he reacted quickly to a loose ball in the area and slotted it into the net with a right-foot shot for his second goal in two games in the second-tier European competition.

Brennan Johnson came on as substitute in the second half and scored the second four minutes from time with a left-footed strike off the far post. It was the fifth goal in five games in all competitions for the Wales international.

Parnabas Varga pulled one back for Ferencváros in the final minute.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou made seven changes to the team that beat United at Old Trafford. Four teenagers started for Spurs, with the 19-year-old Will Lankshear making his senior debut and 17-year-old teammate Mikey Moore making his first start.

In torrential rain at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Taty Castellano scored twice for Lazio, first making it 2-0 in the first half by lobbing the ball over goalkeeper Marcin Bulka in a one-on-one situation and then makin it 3-1 in the second half with a shot into the roof of the net.

Lyon also has two wins after beating Rangers 4-1 in Glasgow, with forward Alexandre Lacazette and Malick Fofana scoring two goals apiece.

Dutch side Twente that upset Manchester United 1-1 at Old Trafford last week, held also José Mourinho‘s Fenerbahce 1-1 at home.

Captain Michael Baidoo scored from the spot and Swedish club Elfsborg upset Roma 1-0. New Roma coach Ivan Jurić remains with a win in the competition.

Substitute Tomáš Chorý headed in a second-half equalizer for Slavia to hold Ajax to a 1-1 draw in Prague. Ajax went ahead after Branco van den Boomen sent Slavia goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot in the 18th. The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 75th after defender Youri Baas received his second yellow card.

Anderlecht came from a goal down to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 away, with Theo Leoni scoring the winner late in the first half.

Ayoub El Kaabi scored two and Santiago Hezze added another one for last year’s Conference League winner Olympiacos to beat visiting Braga 3-0.

Hoffenheim, which is struggling in the Bundesliga, recorded a 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv.

Eintracht Frankfurt, the 2022 Europa League winners, scored two first half goal within three minutes on the way to a 3-1 away victory at Besiktas.

Conference League

Chelsea made a winning debut in the third-tier Conference League as Renato Veiga, Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all scored in a 4-2 win over Belgium’s Gent at Stamford Bridge.

Fiorentina, which reached the final in the last two seasons, beat Welsh side New Saints 2-0.

In a couple of high-scoring games, Cercle Brugge routed St. Gallen 6-2 after a hat trick from Kevin Denkey, and Omonoia beat Vikingur Reykjavík 4-0 at home in Cyprus.

Legia Warsaw edged Real Betis 1-0.

Scottish side Hearts traveled a long way to Sumgayit, Azerbaijan, to take home a 2-1 victory over Belarusian champion Dinamo Minsk.

UEFA banned Russian clubs from all its events over the country’s invasion of Ukraine but has allowed Belarusian teams to keep playing despite the country’s support of Russia, as long as the games are hosted outside of Belarus without a crowd.

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