Manchester United hosted Real Betis in the first leg of the Europa League last-16 tie, with Erik ten Hag selecting the same 11 players who suffered a heavy defeat against Liverpool in their previous match. The game started brightly for United, with Marcus Rashford scoring his 26th goal of the season in the 5th minute, powering an emphatic strike into the Betis goal. Although he got lucky with how the ball fell to him initially, Rashford’s finish was nothing short of clinical.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side tried to respond quickly, but United’s defense held firm, with goalkeeper David de Gea making some crucial saves to keep Betis at bay. Despite Betis’ efforts, United were able to hold on to their slender lead and secure a 1-0 victory in the first leg.

The result gives United a slight advantage heading into the second leg, but they will need to improve their overall performance if they are to progress to the quarterfinals of the Europa League. The team will be hoping that they can build on their positive start and secure a place in the next round of the competition.