Japan winger Junya Ito scored his third league goal of the season for Reims in France on Sunday, when Freiburg attacker Ritsu Doan also reached the same tally in Germany.

The 31-year-old Ito sealed Reims' 2-1 home win over Metz in Ligue 1 with a fine 79th-minute strike, finding the top left corner of the net following a marauding run into the box for his first goal since November.

Reims' Junya Ito (R) vies for the ball in a French Ligue 1 football match against Metz on March 17, 2024, in Reims. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Doan, meanwhile, scored for the second time in five Bundesliga matches during Freiburg's 3-2 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, canceling out Florian Wirtz's early goal by burying a shot low inside the near corner in the 10th minute.

Adam Hlozek and Patrik Schick netted on either side of the break to give Leverkusen a two-goal cushion, however, and the runaway leaders held on to continue their impressive 26-game unbeaten run, with 22 wins.

"I had lots of similar chances this season without scoring. It took a while but I'm happy to have scored," Doan said after playing a give-and-go to get inside the box for his goal. "But we at least wanted a point out of the game and I couldn't fulfill my job."

Freiburg's Ritsu Doan (L) reacts after scoring in the first half of a German Bundesliga football match against Bayer Leverkusen on March 17, 2024, in Freiburg. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Yukinari Sugawara hit a brace in the Dutch Eredivisie as AZ Alkmaar won 4-0 away to Volendam, the right-back getting their second with a deflected shot on the half-hour mark before curling in a 76th-minute, close-range free-kick to complete the scoring.

Forward Ayase Ueda also scored in the Netherlands as the substitute pounced on a defensive mistake to slot home the 88th-minute winner in Feyenoord's 3-2 comeback win away to Heerenveen.

"I'm relieved. I'm happy regardless of its manner," Ueda said after getting his first goal since September. "I might have met some expectations at long last."

In England, midfielder Wataru Endo had a goal ruled out for offside in the buildup as Liverpool's 4-3 extra-time loss away to Manchester United in the FA Cup quarterfinals ended their hopes of winning the quadruple.


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