Barcelona and Tottenham advance in cups

Posted January 27, 2015 10:00 pm

By The Associated Press

Barcelona's Neymar, left, scores his second goal during a second leg quarterfinal Copa del Rey soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki) The Associated Press

Neymar scored twice, and Barcelona won 3-2 at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night to reach the Copa del Rey semifinals on 4-2 aggregate.

Barcelona will play Villarreal or Getafe, who play Thursday following the Yellow Submarine's 1-0 win in the first leg. Espanyol goes to Sevilla ahead 3-1, and Athletic Bilbao hosts Malaga after a scoreless opening leg in the home-and-home, total-goals series

Atletico finished two men short after Gabi Fernandez (end of first half) and Mario Suarez (84th minute) received their second yellow cards.

Fernando Torres put Atletico ahead 39 seconds in, but Lionel Messi started a counterattack that led to Neymar's goal in the ninth minute.

Raul Garcia converted a penalty kick in the 30th minute after referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Javier Mascherano fouled Juanfran Torres inside the penalty area - replays show the foul to be outside.

Miranda's own goal in the 38th tied it when he directed Sergio Busquet's off-target header into his own net. Neymar scored again in the 41st after Antoine Griezmann volleyed Guilherme Siqueira's cross into Jordi Alba's arm, but no hand ball was called. Messi led a counterattack and crossed to Alba, who knocked the ball down for Neymar to score.

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ENGLAND

Christian Eriksen got a pair of goals that gave Tottenham a 2-2 tie at third-tier Sheffield United and a 3-2 aggregate win, advancing Spurs to the League Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on March 1.

Eriksen scored on a free kick in the 28th minute, but substitute Che Adams put the hosts ahead with goals in the 77th and 79th minutes. Eriksen ran on to a through pass from Harry Kane to score in the 88th.

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ITALY

Serie A leader Juventus needed an 89th-minute goal from substitute Alvaro Morata for a 1-0 win at last-place Parma and a berth against Roma or Fiorentina in the Italian Cup semifinals.

Lazio plays Napoli or Inter Milan in the other semifinal.

Barcelona's Neymar celebrates his second goal during a second leg quarterfinal Copa del Rey soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki) The Associated Press

Atletico de Madrid player Fernando Torres, right, kisses the grass as he celebrates after scoring a goal with team mate Raul Garcia during a second leg quarterfinal Copa del Rey soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza) The Associated Press

Tottenham's Christian Eriksen celebrates with teammates after his team's English League Cup Semi-Final victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane Stadium, Sheffield, England, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Jon Super) The Associated Press

Tottenham's Christian Eriksen takes the ball downfield during his team's English League Cup Semi-Final second leg soccer match between Sheffield United and Tottenham at Bramall Lane Stadium, Sheffield, England, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Jon Super) The Associated Press

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