Ibra treble downs Saint-Etienne in Europa League

MANCHESTER: Zlatan Ibrahimovic resumed his torment of Saint-Etienne with a hat-trick as Manchester United claimed a 3-0 victory in their Europa League last 32 first-leg encounter on Thursday.

Saint-Etienne were the Swede’s favoured prey during his time with Paris Saint-Germain and his treble took his tally against the French side to 17 goals in 14 games, and 23 for the season.

Victory gives Jose Mourinho’s side one foot in the last 16 ahead of Wednesday’s return leg, although things would have been very different had Nolan Roux not spurned a chance just before United’s second goal.

As it is, United are unlikely to miss Ander Herrera at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard after he received a booking for handball that will incur a one-game suspension.

The win meant United star Paul Pogba came out on top in his first competitive appearance against his elder brother, Florentin, and he came close to scoring with a header that hit the bar.

“We created good chances. It was important to get a good win at home. It was a good game but I think we can do better,” Ibrahimovic told BT Sport.

“We are winning but in a short time everything can change. It’s important to keep getting the wins we need. Everything can change but we’re happy at the moment.”

Prior to kick-off, Saint-Etienne’s fans lit up Old Trafford’s East Stand with a mass of red and green flares.

Smoke hung above the pitch at kick-off and there was a distinct fogginess to Eric Bailly’s first contribution, with his careless back-pass almost letting in Romain Hamouma.

But after Anthony Martial had warmed Stephane Ruffier’s palms from 25 yards, United went ahead in the 15th minute in doubly soft fashion.

Ibrahimovic was awarded a free-kick despite minimal apparent contact from Jordan Veretout and the Swede’s shot struck Vincent Pajot in the wall before rolling tamely past the grounded Ruffier.

United had two good chances to extend their lead, with Juan Mata seeing a volley saved by Ruffier from Pogba’s clever lofted pass.

Martial then tore through the visiting defence before dispatching a low shot that Ruffier blocked with his left foot.

Ibrahimovic instinctively scuffed the rebound goal-wards, but over the bar.

Saint-Etienne began to exploit pockets of space in United’s half as the first period wore on, however, and Hamouma in particular gave them some uncomfortable moments.

Mourinho sent on Jesse Lingard for Marouane Fellaini at the break in a bid to keep the play in Saint-Etienne’s half.

But while the early skirmishes all took place in and around the visitors’ box, they had more to do with flailing limbs than dashing football.

Martial was booked after catching Kevin Malcuit with his left forearm, which left the Saint-Etienne right-back spitting blood.

A clash of heads between Chris Smalling and Loic Perrin, the two captains, left both on the turf, but although Perrin in particular seemed dazed, both men stayed on.

Saint-Etienne were beginning to live dangerously, with Ruffier blocking from Martial and Antonio Valencia and Pogba shooting inches wide.

Pogba’s influence continued to grow and he came within inches of doubling United’s lead by slamming a header against the bar from Daley Blind’s free-kick.

Four minutes later, Saint-Etienne squandered a huge chance to level as Ole Selnaes picked out fellow substitute Roux, only for the former Lille man to loft his shot onto the roof of the net.

It was a miss they quickly came to rue as United substitute Marcus Rashford darted to the byline on the left and centred for Ibrahimovic to tap in his second in the 75th minute.

The United number nine had the last say with two minutes left, steering a low penalty past Ruffier after he had been caught on the heel by Kevin Theophile-Catherine.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League campaign got off to a frustrating start as they were beaten 1-0 by mid-table Belgian outfit Gent despite fielding a strong side.

Spurs, who have dropped into the competition from the Champions League, were off colour throughout the match and were undone in the second half when journeyman French striker Jeremy Perbet stroked home at the second attempt on the hour.

Olympique Lyonnais made light work of AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands as they began the knockout phase with Alexandre Lacazette scoring twice in a 4-1 victory, while Fiorentina edged Borussia Moenchengladbach 1-0 in Germany.

Spurs arrived in Belgium looking to restore pride in north London football after Arsenal were thrashed 5-1 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday but were stifled in a poor performance and were lucky to escape with a one-goal deficit.

After Perbet scored, Gent, eighth in the Belgian league, had a golden chance to double their lead but Danijel Milicevic’s effort was tipped onto the post by keeper Hugo Lloris.

Spurs made only two changes from the team that were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday.

Yet apart from a Harry Kane effort that hit the post early in the second half, they had few chances and Gent comfortably held on to take a slender lead into next week’s second leg.

Gladbach came into their encounter with Fiorentina on a hot streak having won their last four games and they dominated possession and made several chances against the Italians.

The Serie A side were resilient at the back, however, and grabbed the only goal when Federico Bernardeschi fired home a fine free kick in the dying seconds of the first half.

Lyon will take a commanding lead into their second leg against AZ Alkmaar after teenager Lucas Tousart scored his first senior goal for the club and Jordan Ferri rounded off the scoring in stoppage time either side of Lacazette’s double.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh had reduced the deficit for AZ with a 68th-minute penalty.

Elsewhere, Shakhtar Donetsk won 1-0 at Celta Vigo with a 27th-minute goal from Gustavo Blanco Leschuk, while Sparta Prague were thrashed 4-0 at Rostov and FC Krasnodar beat visitors Fenerbahce 1-0.