Manchester United, Tottenham on brink of Europa League final

BILBAO, Spain, May 02 (Agencies): The rescue act is on for Manchester United and Tottenham.

Big wins for both teams in the first legs of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday kept alive their hopes of lifting a major trophy and qualifying for the Champions League.

United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at the San Mames in Spain and Tottenham won 3-1 at home against Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt.

Both United and Spurs have endured miserable domestic campaigns and are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League. But European club soccer's second-tier Europa League could yet see one of them salvage their season.

Not only is silverware on the line, but so is an unlikely route to the lucrative Champions League as the prize for winning the competition.

Three first-half goals helped Manchester United put themselves on the cusp of the Europa League final on Thursday, with the Premier League side earning a 3-0 semi-final first leg win away at Athletic Bilbao.

In a raucous San Memes atmosphere, with supporters dreaming of a first-ever European trophy, veteran midfielder Casemiro arrived at the back post to give the visitors the lead 30 minutes in.

United, who are having a miserable season domestically, were given another boost five minutes later as Bilbao defender Daniel

Vivian was sent off for fouling Rasmus Hojlund in the penalty area and Bruno Fernandes converted the resulting spot kick.

The United fans high in the top tier were in dreamland moments later as captain Fernandes raced through to put the seal on a victory, and perhaps even the tie, before the interval.

Bilbao, who have the added incentive that the final will be hosted at their own stadium on May 21, could not muster a response in the second half with depleted numbers, leaving United to coast to the most unlikely first-leg success.

"Of course it's a great start, to get a victory here and score three goals and with a clean sheet," United defender Harry Maguire told TNT Sports.

"All the pressure will be on us, everyone will be expecting us to go through. We need to prepare properly, and if we do that we'll give ourselves a great chance.

"One foot in the final, but it's not done."

The Europa League has been somewhat of a safe haven for United this term, where they can forget the fact they are on course for their worst-ever Premier League points haul this term. United travelled to Bilbao as the only unbeaten

team in any European competition, but were up against their toughest challenge yet, with Bilbao sitting fourth in LaLiga, possessing the meanest defence in the division.

The Bilbao players fed off the crowd's energy early on, creating the better of the initial chances. Inaki Williams should have scored from a close range header, while Victor Lindelof came to United's rescue with a timely block on the line.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur put aside their woeful domestic season with a 3-1 home victory against Norway's Bodo/Glimt leaving them within sight of the Europa League final on Thursday.

Brennan Johnson's headed goal inside the opening minute paved the way for Ange Postecoglou's Premier League strugglers and James Maddison doubled their lead with a smart finish in the 34th minute after controlling a long pass.

Dominic Solanke's cooly-taken 61st minute penalty, given for a foul by Fredrik Sjovold on Cristian Romero, put the hosts completely in control of the semi-final.

Bodo/Glimt, the first Norwegian club to reach a European semi-final, did not manage a shot on target for the first 83 minutes but there was a late twist as captain Ulrik Saltnes's deflected effort gave them hope for next week's second leg on their artificial pitch inside the Arctic Circle.