Sevilla shock for Man United
Manchester, March 14: Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League as Wissam Ben Yedder struck twice in four second- half minutes to send Sevilla into the quarter- finals for the first time in 60 years with a stunning 2- 1 win at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The Spaniards progressed by the same score on aggregate after a goalless first- leg draw.
The visitors were deserving winners as they controlled the game throughout but had to wait for Ben Yedder’s introduction as a substitute to add a clinical finish. Ben Yedder put Sevilla in front 16 minutes from time when he blasted into the bottom corner before heading in a second shortly after.
Romelu Lukaku reduced United’s arrears, but it was too little, too late with United boss Jose Mourinho’s decision to once again drop Paul Pogba certain to be scrutinised.
Mourinho sprang a surprise before kick- off by recalling Marouane Fellaini at the expense of Pogba, who had also been dropped for the first game.
Jesse Lingard also returned in place of Juan Mata in Mourinho’s only other change from the side that beat Liverpool 2- 1 at the weekend.
Sevilla dominated the vast majority of the first leg only to be denied by some stunning saves from David de Gea.
However, it was wayward finishing rather than the Spanish number one that prevented the visitors making the most of their ascendency for most of the match.
Mourinho’s gamble on Fellaini appeared to have largely backfired as he failed to impose his physical presence on Sevilla’s ball players in midfield.
Pogba, who cost United a then- world record £ 89 million ($ 116 million) in 2016, was eventually introduced just after the hour mark with Fellaini sacrificed.
Ben Yedder had only been on the pitch for two minutes after replacing Muriel, when he finally broke the deadlock. he soon put the outcome beyond any doubt when he forced home a corner at the far post.
Lukaku finally got United on the board six minutes from time. But it was to little avail as United have now failed to reach the quarter- finals for five straight years.