Manchester United, Ajax squeeze into Europa League final
Manchester United survived a sizeable scare to reach their first Europa League final after a nervy 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo on Thursday completed a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Jose Mourinho’s side will play a youthful Ajax team in the final at Stockholm’s Friends Arena on May 24, when they can complete their trophy collection and — perhaps more importantly — book a place in next season’s Champions League. Ajax advanced to their first European final in 21 years despite a 3-1 defeat to Lyon in France, the Dutch side progressing 5-4 on aggregate.
Marouane Fellaini’s 17th-minute header put United 2-0 up on aggregate, but Celta hit back late on through Facundo Roncaglia, who was then sent off along with United’s Eric Bailly following a centre-circle shoving contest.
“We suffered until the end and it was open until the last second,” United manager Mourinho said.
“After 14 matches we are in the final. If we win the Europa League I am more than happy. It would be amazing.” Mourinho will have to do without centreback Bailly, whose suspension leaves Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Daley Blind as United’s only available central defenders.
With Mourinho having publicly abandoned hope of a top-four finish in the Premier League, after his side fell four points off the Champions League berths, United’s season would have been over had they gone out.
Instead they have a chance to add a second big trophy to the League Cup won in February and allow Mourinho to end a complicated maiden campaign as manager by winning the fourth major European honour of his career.
Appearing in their first European semifinal, Eduardo Berizzo’s Celta gave United several uncomfortable moments and there was panic in the hosts’ box during the fraught closing stages.
LYON GO CLOSE
An audacious juggling show from Pogba roused the crowd and United tightened their grip on the tie when Marcus Rashford’s cross from the left was headed in by Fellaini. The goal had the effect of freeing United from their shackles, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard and Pogba all arrowing shots over the bar.
But Celta served reminders of their threat as the first half drew to a close, Pablo Hernandez, Pione Sisto and John Guidetti working Romero and Daniel Wass heading wide from Sisto’s dangerous drilled cross.
Celta continued to probe in the second half, with Guidetti thrashing inches wide from Sisto’s layoff and heading off-target from Mallo’s cross. Roncaglia’s looping 85th-minute header set the scene for a nerve-wracking finale, but despite losing Bailly, United held on.