MANCHESTER UNITED have beaten Lyon 7-6 on aggregate to progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League in the most dramatic of circumstances.
Manuel Ugarte broke the deadlock on 10 minutes, finishing a superb move to put the English giants ahead in the crunch tie.
Diogo Dalot gave the Red Devils breathing room just before half time with a striker-like finish.
Corentin Tolisso got one back for Lyon with 70 minutes on the clock before Nicolas Tagliafico made the clash 2-2 and sent the dramatic tie to extra-time.
The French side went into the additional period with 10-men after Tolisso received his second yellow card moments before the full time whistle, but it didn’t matter as Rayan Cherki’s rocket put Lyon in front.
It went from bad to worse for United as Alexandre Lacazette netted a penalty to make it 6-4 on aggregate in the second half of extra time.
But an unbelievable seven-minute period saw United turn the tie on its head after goals from Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, and finally a stunning winner from Harry Maguire at the death put Man Utd in the Europa League semi-finals.
The Red Devils will face Athletic Club in the last four of the European competition.
- Match result: Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (agg 7-6)
- Man Utd team: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu, Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes
- Lyon team: Perri, Maitland-Niles, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico, Vertout, Akoukou, Tolisso, Cherki, Mikautadze, Almada
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Red Devils treat fans to drama
No manager would ever want to go through that every week but the fans could not believe what they were seeing out on the pitch.
Their side were dead and buried but came back to win in the most dramatic fashion possible.
These are the nights that fans dream of when you talk about European football.
Now they will start dreaming about getting their hands on that trophy.
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty Boss to focus on Europa League
With nothing but pride to play for in the Premier League, Ruben Amorim will now focus on Europe.
You can expect to see the Red Devils playing weakened teams domestically, as they look to keep key players fit.
It offers them their only real chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League tournament now as well.
Only knowing one way to do it
Nothing seems to be simple for Man Utd in recent years.
They were looking comfortable at two-nil but seemed to throw it all away when letting the visitors take control of the game.
Ruben Amorim’s side then shocked everyone, scoring three late goals to almost take the roof off Old Trafford.
The fans who stayed certainly got their money’s worth this evening.
Credit: Getty
Defender buzzing after crazy win
Leny Yoro spoke with TNT Sports after the match:
I still don’t know what happened, it was crazy. It was difficult, when you hear the fans at 4-2, anything is possible. You need to believe, if you do not believe, you cannot win. Honestly, this is what the fans deserve, they give everything. It is because of them we win the game. Our target is to win the trophy, I am sure we can do it.
Leny Yoro
Pundits cannot contain their glee
Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes are used to putting a brave face on after Man Utd implosion over the last few years.
After such a dramatic end to the game neither ex-Man Utd player could contain their happiness at the end.
The Red Devils were out of the Europa League and then something unthinkable happened and they now have a semi-final to plan for.
Credit: Getty Lyon throw it away late
The visitors thought they were through to the semi-finals when Lacazette scored his penalty to put them two goals up.
Giving away a needless penalty gave Man Utd the adrenaline boost they needed to turn this game around.
It seemed we were heading to a penalty shootout but Maguire scored late on to book the Red Devils’ place in the next round.
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty Boss beaming from ear to ear
A smiling Ruben Amorim spoke with TNT Sports after this mammoth tie:
It was fun. It was a great night, we were tired. When it was 4-2, you thought it was over. But anything is possible here. We try to put Maguire [up front] as he is the only person who can score with his head. Mount brought us experience, Shaw was only supposed to play thirty minutes. But in the end it was a good day. I think we start well but we are not too consistent. I feel when the team is a little bit tired we drop a lot. We have a lot to improve, but the character was there.
Ruben Amorim
European dreams still alive for Red Devils
When Alexander Lacazette slotted his penalty home, the season seemed to be over for Man Utd.
Three goals in the final six minutes of the game saw Ruben Amorim’s side do the impossible.
The Red Devils have booked themselves a Europa League semi-final with Athletic Club as their hopes of silverware this season live on.
Credit: Getty Credit: PA Know what I mean ‘Arry
Makeshift striker Harry Maguire spoke with TNT Sports after the game:
Obviously it is an incredible game. We made really hard work of it. Two-nil up at half-time. We had chances to score then and they scored out of nothing. They have great forwards, they play good football. We dug in and to come back like that in unbelievable. I felt we were going to get chances to get back into it. When I saw it hit the back of the net it was just amazing.
Harry Maguire
FT: Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (AGG: 7-6) ET
From zeros to heroes for the Red Devils.
The Lyon players looked absolutely devastated.
Ruben Amorim’s side have done the unthinkable tonight.
Credit: AP Credit: PA FT: Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (AGG: 7-6) ET
What a dramatic end we have see here at Old Trafford.
Man Utd looked dead and buried when Lacazette scored his penalty.
Three goals in six minutes then turned this game on its head.
FT: Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (AGG: 7-6) ET
That’s it, the referee blows his whistle.
Man Utd are through to the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Nobody would have predicted this when they were two goals down in extra-time.
Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (AGG: 7-6) ET
120+3. Imagine if you left this game early.
Those fans are getting the karma they deserve for having no belief in their own football team.
Two goals in a minute have turned this game on its head.
Credit: PA Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (AGG: 7-6) ET
120+1. Unbelievable scenes at Old Trafford.
A cross comes in and it hits Maguire’s shoulder and goes in.
VAR is reviewing it to see if there was a foul by the defender but decide the goal stands.
Goal – Harry Maguire (Man Utd)
Man Utd 4-4 Lyon (AGG: 6-6) ET
120. Wow, what are we seeing here!
Mainoo controls the ball before drilling an effort into the far corner.
We are going to have five added minutes.
Goal – Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd)
Man Utd 3-4 Lyon (AGG: 5-6) ET
118. What an end to this game we have here.
It has been pure entertainment at Old Trafford tonight.
None of that will mean anything for these Red Devils’ fans if they do not progress.
Man Utd 3-4 Lyon (AGG: 5-6) ET
116. The fans who decided to stay are making this a cauldron of noise now.
Maguire goes down in the box, demanding a penalty.
The referee waves away his protests.
Credit: Getty Man Utd 3-4 Lyon (AGG: 5-6) ET
114. Fernandes passes the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.
The keeper went the right way but could not get anywhere near it.
Many Man Utd fans have already left the stadium, they are certainly missing out.
Goal – Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd)
Penalty to Man Utd
Man Utd 2-4 Lyon (AGG: 4-6) ET
112. Casemiro goes down in the box demanding a penalty.
The referee waves away their protests.
However, after a VAR review, the referee is sent to the monitor.
VAR review in progress
Man Utd 2-4 Lyon (AGG: 4-6) ET
110. This is a terrible showing from Man Utd.
Since going down to ten men, Lyon have scored two goals.
The uphill struggle the Red Devils faced has now become a mountain.
Lacazette sends Onana the wrong way and buries his spot kick into the bottom corner.
Credit: Getty
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
