Van Persie inspires dramatic United comeback, Dortmund through

Robin van Persie scored a sensational hat-trick as Manchester United beat Olympiakos 3-0 to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals, while Borussia Dortmund joined them in the last eight.
Under-pressure United manager David Moyes saw his side produce a much-improved performance from Sunday's 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool, and Van Persie made the difference as the ailing Premier League champions overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit to go through yesterday.
There was less drama in Germany, where last season's beaten finalists Dortmund lost 2-1 at home to Zenit St Petersburg but progressed 5-4 on aggregate.
United had only previously come back from a first-leg defeat to win a Champions League tie once before, against Roma in the 2007 quarter-finals, and the listless nature of their recent displays would have done little to inspire confidence among the home fans at Old Trafford.

However, a Wayne Rooney header that came back off the post set the tone before the three-time European champions were awarded a penalty midway through the first half when Jose Holebas barged into the back of Van Persie.
The Dutchman confidently beat Roberto from the spot, and the Spanish goalkeeper then did well to save from a Patrice Evra header.

Olympiakos, who retained the Greek title at the weekend, remained a threat and United goalkeeper David de Gea made a brilliant double save to deny David Fuster and Chori Dominguez as half-time approached.
But United levelled the tie on aggregate in first-half stoppage time when Rooney's low cross was lashed home first-time by Van Persie, and he then scored the decisive third goal, and completed his hat-trick, by curling home a free-kick in the 52nd minute.

Moyes will be delighted that his side held on, although there were plenty of nerves, and Evra picked up a yellow card that rules him out of the first leg of their quarter-final while Van Persie went off with an injury late on.
"The way the players responded after Sunday's defeat pleased me. I said to them on Monday morning we had to win 3-0 and give the crowd something back," Moyes told British Sky television at full-time.