Man Utd through to Europa League semis after NINE-GOAL thriller

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur remain on course to meet in the final of the UEFA Europa League after a dramatic evening of European action, while Chelsea have taken a step closer to the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Football writer Tom Hancock looks at how the night unfolded…

Maguire secures win on extraordinary night at Old Trafford

Manchester United 5-4 Lyon aet (agg 7-6)

Harry Maguire was the hero as Manchester United reached the Europa League semi-finals in astonishingly fashion, beating Lyon 5-4 on an unforgettable night at Old Trafford when both teams blew two-goal leads, advancing 7-6 on aggregate.

Thrashed 4-1 at Newcastle United in the Premier League last time out, Ruben Amorim needed a positive reaction from his men – and it came quickly, Manuel Ugarte sweeping home on 10 minutes to complete a slick team move and notch his first Old Trafford goal.

Back between the sticks after being left out of the trip to Newcastle following his pair of costly mistakes in United’s 2-2 first-leg draw, Andre Onana made a point of celebrating his side’s opener in front of the travelling Lyon fans.

Diogo Dalot’s goal in stoppage time capped a hugely encouraging first half in which United showed great aggression to take the game to Lyon and go in two goals up at the break for the first time since November.

Man Utd remained well on top the first 25 minutes of the second half but, after Alejando Garnacho had missed a chance to make it 3-0 on the night, found themselves facing a nervy finale when Corentin Tolisso pulled a goal back for Lyon.

And when Nicolas Tagliafico bagged an equaliser seven minutes later, things became more than nervy.

Tolisso’s red card shortly before the end of normal time ought to have handed the initiative back to Man Utd, but the hosts appeared shellshocked from throwing away such a healthy-looking advantage.

Lyon came out all guns blazing at the start of extra time to go 4-2 up on the night and lead 6-4 on aggregate, Rayan Cherki putting his side ahead before former Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty seemed to have put the tie to bed.

But the second half of extra time was to prove to be one of the most dramatic periods of football Old Trafford has witnessed in its long and glorious history.

A Bruno Fernandes penalty gave Man Utd hope, before substitute Kobbie Mainoo struck in the 120th minute to, seemingly, send the tie to penalties.

There was to be no need for the lottery of a shootout, though, as, barely one minute later, Maguire, pushed up front as an emergency centre-forward once again, sparked unadulterated pandemonium by meeting Casemiro’s cross to head home a winner which had seemed so far away barely six minutes earlier.

Manuel Ugarte lights up Old Trafford with Man Utd’s opener
Andre Onana makes a vital save from Lyon’s Rayan Cherki
Diogo Dalot drills home Man Utd’s second of the night
Dalot and Alejandro Garnacho celebrate in sync
Corentin Tolisso begins the Lyon fightback
Nicolas Tagliafico nets Lyon’s leveller
It looks to be all over as Man Utd concede a third…and then a fourth…
Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo sensationally bring it back to 4-4…
Harry Maguire’s last-gasp winner sparks wild scenes

Man Utd’s progression keeps alive their hopes of sealing Champions League qualification as Europa League winners, an achievement which would go some way to mitigating what looks set to be their lowest league finish for 35 years.

Here’s how an incredible night of drama at Old Trafford unfolded:

10: Man Utd 1-0 Lyon (Ugarte)

45+1: Man Utd 2-0 (Dalot)

71: Man Utd 2-1 Lyon (Tolisso)

77: Man Utd 2-2 Lyon (Tagliafico)

88: Tolisso sent off for Lyon

104: Man Utd 2-3 Lyon (Cherki)

109’: Man Utd 2-4 Lyon (Lacazette pen)

114: Man Utd 3-4 Lyon (Fernandes pen)

120: Man Utd 4-4 Lyon (Mainoo)

120+1: Man Utd 5-4 Lyon (Maguire)

Man Utd face Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals, with the first leg taking place on Thursday 1 May 1 and the second leg on Thursday 8 May.

Solanke is spot-on as Spurs edge to famous win in Germany

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (agg 1-2)

Tottenham Hotspur eased some of the pressure on head coach Ange Postecoglou by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 to clinch a 2-1 aggregate victory, triumphing amid a hostile atmosphere in Germany to reach their first European semi-final since 2019.

Spurs enjoyed the better of the first-half action, and their efforts were rewarded when Dominic Solanke put them ahead from the penalty spot after referee Davide Massa had been sent to the VAR monitor to review a badly mistimed challenge by goalkeeper Kaua Santos on James Maddison.

While Solanke ended an 11-match goal drought, there was less positive news to follow for Spurs, as Maddison had to be substituted as a result of the foul by Santos.

A tense second half ensured, but Spurs assuredly fended off a late onslaught to hold on for surely their most important win of the season yet, becoming the first team in more than a year to stop Eintracht from scoring at home.

Dominic Solanke fires Spurs ahead from the penalty spot
Solanke roars with delight after scoring
Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos averts the danger
Elation for Ange Postecoglou and the Spurs’ bench at the final whistle

Spurs fans are bound to be in good spirits after such a crucial result, and they can have this good omen, too: last time their side got this far in the Europa League, in its previous guise as the UEFA Cup back in 1984, they went on to lift the trophy.

Repeat the feat this time around and Spurs will not only end their 17-year trophy drought but would also qualify for the Champions League.

Spurs now face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt or in the semi-finals, with the first leg taking place on Thursday 1 May and the second leg on Thursday 8 May.

Chelsea ease through to semis despite Stamford Bridge hiccup

Chelsea 1-2 Legia Warsaw (agg 4-2)

Chelsea are through to the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals thanks to a 4-2 aggregate win over Legia Warsaw, but the Blues surrendered their 100 per cent record in the competition proper as they suffered just their third home defeat of the season, losing 2-1 on the night.

Enzo Maresca’s side, heavily rotated as has been the case throughout their European campaign, trailed inside 10 minutes, after Tomas Pekhart was brought down in the box by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and converted the resulting penalty.

But Chelsea were level shortly after the half-hour mark as the seemingly revitalised Jadon Sancho registered his fourth goal involvement in three appearances to set up Marc Cucurella, who also had another goal ruled out for offside before half-time.

Steve Kapaudi’s header early in the second half clinched a famous victory for Legia, but Chelsea ultimately progressed comfortably, thanks in no small part to the 3-0 aggregate lead they held from the first leg.

Tomas Pekhart’s penalty squirms through the hands of Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen
Marc Cucurella scores Chelsea’s equaliser
Goalscorer Cucurella and Jadon Sancho celebrate
Steve Kapuadi stuns Stamford Bridge with Warsaw’s second goal
Goalscorer Kapuadi clears Tyrique George’s effort off the line

Marseca’s side are back in Premier League action on Sunday when they make the short trip to Craven Cottage to face local rivals Fulham.

Victory in that match will keep the Blues firmly in contention for the top-five finish they need to secure UEFA Champions League qualification.

Chelsea will play Swedish side Djurgarden in the semi-finals, with the first leg taking place on Thursday 1 May and the second leg on the following Thursday, 8 May.

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