European roundup: Tottenham survive scare, Liverpool hit seven in Lincoln

Heung-Min Son of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League third round qualifying match between Shkendija and Tottenham Hotspur at National Arena Todor Proeski on September 24, 2020 in Skopje, Macedonia.

Tottenham had to ask for the goalposts to be changed ahead of their 3-1 win over Shkendija in Skopje, Macedonia on Thursday to reach the final round of Europa League qualifying.

Son Heung-min and Harry Kane struck in the final 20 minutes to set up a playoff round tie at home to Maccabi Haifa next Thursday on an eventful night in Macedonia for Jose Mourinho's men.

Mourinho said his goalkeepers noticed before the game that the goalposts at both ends of the ground were around five centimetres too small.

"I thought I had grown but then I realized the goal was five centimeters lower," Mourinho posted on Instagram alongside a picture of him nearly stretching to reach the crossbar.

"The goalkeepers they live hours and hours in the goal so they know when the goals are not the right dimensions. I felt immediately something was wrong and we got the UEFA delegate to confirm and it was five cm too small. We asked for goals to be replaced for goals of the right dimensions."

Mourinho left Kane out among six changes from the side that swept aside Southampton 5-2 on Sunday, but needed to call on the England captain after Valjmir Nafiu's blistering strike cancelled out Erik Lamela's early opener.

Kane set up Son to score four times at Southampton and the South Korean's scoring streak continued when he pounced on the rebound after Lucas Moura's shot was saved to restore Tottenham's lead.

The roles from the weekend were reversed 11 minutes from time when Kane powered home a header from Son's cross.

AC Milan shrugged off the loss of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to a positive coronavirus test to squeeze past Bodo Glimt 3-2 at the San Siro.

The Italian giants responded quickly to going a goal down as Hakan Calhanoglu struck twice either side of Lorenzo Colombo's tap in at the far post.

But the Norwegians ensured Milan had to survive a nervy final half hour when Jens Petter Hauge's long-range effort found the top corner.

Celtic had to wait until the final minute to break Riga's resistence in Latvia as Mohamed Elyounoussi scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Neil Lennon's men dominated possession and chances but looked set to go into extra-time until Southampton loanee Elyounoussi came off the bench to turn home the impressive Jeremie Frimpong's cross.

Adam Smith of AFC Bournemouth battles for possession with Raheem Sterling of Manchester City during the Carabao Cup third round match between Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on September 24, 2020 in Manchester, England.

Holders Manchester City needed a Phil Foden goal 15 minutes from time to see off Bournemouth 2-1 and reach the fourth round of the League Cup, while Liverpool ran riot in a 7-2 win at Lincoln on Thursday.

City have won the competition for the past three years, but Pep Guardiola admitted he had been forced to name a youthful side to prioritise their Premier League campaign due to a shortened pre-season and a series of positive coronavirus tests.

Liam Delap, son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, took just 18 minutes to score on his City debut with a fine finish into the top corner from Foden's pass.

"He's a different striker to what we have in terms of physicality. We see in training how good a finisher he is," said Guardiola of the 17-year-old.

However, the lead lasted just four minutes as Bournemouth's Sam Sturridge spun inside the City box before firing into the far corner.

Guardiola introduced the artillery he had on the bench after half-time in Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, but it was another first-team regular in Foden who made the breakthrough after Riyad Mahrez's shot came back off the post. 

City will travel to Burnley in the last 16.

Liverpool will face Arsenal twice at Anfield in three days next week after Jurgen Klopp's much-changed side hit Lincoln for seven with Takumi Minamino and Curtis Jones both scoring twice.

Xherdan Shaqiri opened the floodgates with a brilliant free-kick that clipped the underside of the bar.

Minamino curled home to double the Premier League champions' lead before Curtis Jones struck twice in four minutes to make it 4-0 before half-time.

A minute into the second-half, Minamino had his second, but League One Lincoln responded to get two goals to remember the night by.

Tayo Edun finished off a great team move and Lewis Montsma headed home a corner.

But Liverpool continued to find the net at the other end as Marko Grujic briefly made it 6-1 before Divock Origi rounded off the scoring.

Bertrand Traore marked his Aston Villa debut with a stunning side-foot volley to score his side's second goal in a comfortable 3-0 win at Bristol City.

Anwar El Ghazi opened the scoring 11 minutes in before Traore showed why Villa spent 17 million pounds (21 million U.S. dollars) to sign him from Lyon last week with a cute finish from a narrow angle.

Another Villa new boy Ollie Watkins then grabbed his first goal for the club 17 minutes from time as Dean Smith's men set up a last 16 clash with Stoke.

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