Three Belgian sides make last 16 of Europa League

At least one Belgian side will be in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, after Gent and Genk were drawn against each other in the last 16 and Anderlecht also qualified, meaning a record three Belgian sides are still in the competition.

Gent secured their place after a hard-fought aggregate victory over Tottenham Hotspur, holding the current English Premier League runners-up 2-2 in the away leg at Wembley on Thursday. The match was played in front of a Europa League record crowd of 80,465. Their 1-0 victory the week before at the Ghelamco Arena meant the Buffaloes went through: a stunning result for a side that won its first and so far only title in 2015.

Genk, meanwhile, secured a relatively routine victory over Romanian champions Astra Giurgiu, with a 1-0 win in the Cristal Arena (pictured), a week after a 2-2 draw in Giurgiu.

Anderlecht endured a difficult tie against Russia’s Zenit St Petersburg, where Bruges-born Nicolas Lombaerts plays as centre-back. They lost 3-1 in the away game at the Krestovsky Stadium, but went through on the away goals rule after winning the home match 2-0. Their next opponents, Cyprus’s most successful side, Apoel Nicosia, are unlikely to present a threat, despite their impressive second-round win over Athletic Bilbao.

The ties will be played on 9 and 16 March. Anderlecht are currently second in the Jupiler Pro League, level on points with Club Brugge. Gent and Genk are in seventh and eighth respectively.

Photo: Luc Claessen/BELGA