Manchester United reach Europa League Final despite AS Roma defeat

 

Manchester United reached the Europa League Final after a scare from AS Roma as Edinson Cavani scored two more goals to seal an 8-5 aggregate victory.

Cavani put United 1-0 up on the night in the first half, and while goals from Edin Dzeko and Bryan Cristante saw Roma threaten a second-half fightback, Cavani struck his fourth of the tie to effectively end the tie as a contest – though a late own goal from Alex Telles ensured Roma won 3-2 on the night.

United fought back from 2-1 down in the first leg with five second-half goals to win 6-2 at Old Trafford, leaving Roma with a huge task at Stadio Olimpico.

Donny van de Beek was afforded a rare start in midfield with United boasting a four-goal advantage, though Paulo Fonseca’s hosts started brightly just as they did in Manchester.

Roma would likely have gotten an early goal to test United’s nerves were it not for David De Gea, who was on top form with a number of important saves – including a stunning point-blank reaction stop from close range.

Cavani scored twice in the first leg and also created three more, but wasted two first-half chances in Rome: the Uruguayan lobbed the ball against the crossbar, and also blasted at Roma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante when clean through.

The veteran striker didn’t pass up his third chance though, blasting past Mirante off a fine Fred through-ball after 39 minutes.

That meant United went into the interval a goal to the good on the night, and 7-2 up on aggregate.

With Aaron Wan-Bissaka on a yellow card, Solskjaer took him off at the interval to avoid a potential red card and suspension for the final.

However, the withdrawal of both Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw saw United’s defence fall apart 10 minutes into the second half.

Dzeko got his customary goal with an unmarked header after 57 minutes, while Bryan Cristante fired Roma in front three minutes later. De Gea was forced into action seconds later, saving from Dzeko, Pedro and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – the latter with a huge slice of luck – and United could well have conceded four inside a 10-minute stretch.

However, De Gea’s save from Mkhitaryan seemed to sap a little of Roma’s belief, and United struck not long after.

Bruno Fernandes and Cavani has formed a potent partnership, and the Portuguese whipped in a teasing cross for the striker to head home and leve on the night with 22 minutes remaining.

That left Roma needing to score another four goals to level the tie, and that was beyond Fonseca’s men – even if Telles put into his own net off a Zalewski shot to hand them a well-deserved win on the night.

For United, they have broken their semi-final hoodoo, and Solskjaer is one win away from lifting his first trophy as manager of the Red Devils.

 

 

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