Hat-trick Di Maria for Juventus; Sporting does the Netherlands a disservice


Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 8:43 PM• Sam Vreeswijk • Last update: 20:46

Juventus managed to qualify for the eighth finals of the Europa League on Thursday evening without any problems. Thanks to Ángel Di María, who made a hat-trick, Massimiliano Allegri’s team won 0-3 against FC Nantes. Sporting Portugal also managed to survive the intermediate round: the team from Lisbon won 0-4 against ten men against FC Midtjylland.

FC Nantes – Juventus 0-3
Last week both teams played a 1-1 draw in Turin, but in Nantes Juventus showed that it is still a size too big for the current number thirteen of the Ligue 1. After twenty minutes, la Vacchia Signora already on a 0-2 lead, and both times Di María was the celebrated man. In the fifth minute, the Argentinian curled the ball in from the corner of the penalty area beautifully, only to double the score from a penalty fifteen minutes later. The penalty kick was awarded after hands on the goal line by Nicolas Pallois, who received a red card for it.

Juventus also had the greatest chances in the remainder of the first half. For example, Adrien Rabiot headed over on the instructions of the well-playing Di María, Manuel Locatelli shot wide and former FC Groningen player Filip Kostic saw his bet hit the post. Juventus also dominated after the break, and the game was finally decided through a header from Di María.

FC Midtjylland – Sporting Portugal 0-4
The Netherlands is now breathing down Portugal in the coefficient ranking, but Sporting took important points for the Portuguese on Thursday evening. With Jeremiah St. Juste in the starting line-up, the current number four of the Primeira Liga made it 0-1 via Sebastián Coates, who headed in after a scrimmage. Seven minutes before the break, Midtjylland defender Paulinho collected his second yellow card, after which Pedro Gonçalves signed for the 0-2 with a nice volley in the fiftieth minute. Again Pedro Gonçalves (deflected long shot) and a very clumsy own goal by Stefan Gartenmann eventually made it 0-4.