Van Persie scores hat trick as Man United beats Olympiakos 3-0, advances in Champs League

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Manchester United\'s Robin van Persie, right, celebrates scoring their third goal, and his hat-trick against Olympiakos, with team-mate Wayne Rooney, left, during the UEFA Champions League, Round of 16, second leg match at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Wednesday March 19, 2014. (AP Photo / Peter Byrne, PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES

MANCHESTER, England – Robin van Persie scored a hat trick as Manchester United beat Olympiakos 3-0 to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Champions League, overturning a 2-0 deficit from the first leg.

The Netherlands striker converted a penalty in the 25th minute, side-footed home his second goal in first-half injury time and curled in a free kick in the 52nd, completing a stirring second-leg comeback.

It was a massive result for United manager David Moyes, whose position had come under scrutiny after Sunday’s humiliating 3-0 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League.

That left the team in seventh place and with little chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League through its league position — but a route back to Europe’s top competition is still available by winning it this season.

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