Europa League semi-final: Manchester United 6-2 Roma
Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes doubles, plus strikes from Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood, leave Man Utd on verge of Europa League final; Roma had scored two away goals but United hit back with five unanswered second-half goals to take control of semi-final
Manchester United delivered a sparkling second-half fightback to place one foot in the Europa League last with an exciting 6-2 semi-last first-leg triumph over Roma at Old Trafford.
Joined’s semi-last revile under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked set to proceed with when Lorenzo Pellegrini’s punishment and Edin Dzeko’s 6th Old Trafford objective counteracted Bruno Fernandes’ splendid opener to hand Roma two away objectives before half-time.
Joined watched shell-stunned and out of thoughts yet wrestled back control with an overwhelming assaulting show as Edinson Cavani’s twofold, Fernandes’ second from the punishment spot, Paul Pogba’s header and Mason Greenwood’s 6th saw them score five unanswered objectives.
Roma, who were constrained into three replacements before the span because of injury, became wearier as time passes and were lucky to get away from Old Trafford without yielding seven as they did in 2007, however that will come as little relief to Paulo Fonseca’s side as their expectations of arriving at the last were viably finished.
Player ratings
Man Utd: De Gea (7), Wan-Bissaka (5), Lindelof (6), Maguire (7), Shaw (7), McTominay (7), Fred (6), Rashford (6), Fernandes (9), Pogba (8), Cavani (9).
Subs: Greenwood (7), Mata (n/a), Matic (n/a).
Roma: Pau Lopez (4), Smalling (5), Cristante (6), Ibanez (5), Karsdorp (7), Diawara (6), Veretout (3), Spinazzola (7), Pellegrini (7), Mkhitaryan (6), Dzeko (7).
Subs: Mirante (5), Villar (5), Bruno Peres (5).
Man of the Match: Edinson Cavani.
Roma lost midfielder Jordan Veretout to injury inside five minutes and, after four minutes, United got the activity with an advancement objective which overflowed class and quality.
Pogba skipped around two Roma challenges prior to taking care of the ball up to Cavani who, with his back to objective, delivered Fernandes with a first-time pass which the Portuguese lifted carefully and devastatingly over on-surging goalkeeper Pau Lopez.
Roma’s physical issue issues deteriorated on 25 minutes as goalkeeper Pau Lopez was constrained off with a speculated disjoined shoulder seconds subsequent to repelling Pobga’s drive from the edge of the container. Veteran 37-year-old plug Antonio Mirante fell off the seat, however Roma’s interests before long went to euphoria as they assumed responsibility for the tie.
The energetic Leonardo Spinazzola made advances down the left flank, moved the ball inside to previous United forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan who delivered Pellegrini in behind, and he squared for Dzeko to package in his standard Old Trafford objective.
Spinazzola turned into the third Roma player constrained off through injury, a mishap which didn’t hope to have wrecked the Italians until the stroke of half-time, when Cavani captured focus back Ibanez’s unpredictable pass, yet the Uruguayan was impeded by Mirante in objective before Amadou Diawara obstructed his subsequent shot.
Joined reappeared from the break revitalized and required only three minutes to draw level, with Cavani wrapping a clinical exertion into the top corner of the Roma objective having held up play and traded passes with Fernandes.
The objective set apart to beginning of a time of control from Solskjaer’s side, with Cavani reestablishing United’s lead with a tap-in after Roma goalkeeper Mirante spilled Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s drive.
Three got four on 71 minutes when previous United protector Chris Smalling was punished for a late foul on Cavani around there, and Fernandes unhesitatingly changed over his twentieth punishment in United tones.
With Roma out on their feet, Pogba looked in a header from Fernandes’ inch-amazing cross and there was still an ideal opportunity for substitute Greenwood to get in on the demonstration with a redirected 6th which guaranteed a once-encouraging night for Roma finished with more Old Trafford hopelessness and left United near the precarious edge of another Europa League last.
United rip Roma to shreds again – Match stats
- Manchester United are first side to score six in the semi-final of a major European competition since May 1964 when Real Madrid beat FC Zurich 6-0 in the European Cup 2nd Leg.
- Manchester United scored six goals in a single match in European competition for the first time since netting seven against Roma in April 2007.
- Roma are the first Italian side to ship six goals in the semi-final of a European competition.
- Roma became the first side to make three substitutions in the first-half of a UEFA Europa League game (since 2009).
- Bruno Fernandes netted his 25th and 26th goals of the season in all competitions, with Harry Kane (31) and Mohamed Salah (29) the only two Premier League players to score more.
- Bruno Fernandes (20) is only the third player in Manchester United’s history to score 20+ penalties, after Ruud van Nistelrooy (28) and Wayne Rooney (27).
- Three of the last four penalties Manchester United have conceded in all competitions have been given away by Paul Pogba, while the Frenchman has conceded four of their last six at Old Trafford.
