Bilbao stun Schalke with late strikes

Manchester United’s conquerors Athletic Bilbao scored three late goals to beat Schalke 4-2 in their Europa League quarter-final first leg last night.

Although Athletic led through Fernando Llorente’s 20th-minute goal, Raul immediately levelled for Schalke and then put the Germans ahead.

But Llorente headed in another 17 minutes from time and, after Oscar De Marcos put them ahead, Iker Muniain scored a fourth at the death.

Brett Holman and Maarten Martens handed AZ Alkmaar a scarcely-deserved 2-1 victory in the first leg of their clash with Valencia in Holland.

The pair scored either side of Mehmet Topal’s equaliser.

An 89th-minute strike from Eduardo Salvio gave Atletico Madrid a deserved 2-1 advantage in their home tie with Hannover 96.

Radamel Falcao had given Atletico the lead inside the opening 10 minutes but Mame Diouf levelled the scores before half-time.

Intense pressure from Atletico was rewarded just before full-time when Argentine Salvio fired in.

In last night’s other quarter-final, a last-minute penalty from Cleiton Xavier kept Metalist Kharkiv’s hopes alive as they lost 2-1 at Sporting.

Goals from Marat Izmailov and Emiliano Insua had given the Lisbon side a two-goal cushion.

UEFA Europa League quarter-finals first legs: AZ 2 Valencia 1; Atletico Madrid 2 Hannover 96 1; Schalke 04 2 Athletic Bilbao 4; Sporting 2 FC Metalist Kharkiv 1.