Photo: Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saves at the feet of Anthony Martial in one of a string of fine saves as Sevilla came from behind to defeat Manchester United 2-1 in the semifinal of the Europa League on Sunday. (Getty Images)
The Europa League’s winningest team Sevilla, game themselves a real chance of winning yet another title with a hard fought, come from behind, 2-1 win over Manchester United in the first semifinal at the Stadion Koln on Sunday.
United who last won the competition in 2017 started the game strongly and were rewarded when they took the lead through this season’s top scorer, Bruno Fernandes in the 9th minute. Marcus Rashford was brought down in the box and United were rightly awarded a penalty kick.
Fernandes who has been perfect from the spot since joining United in January, fired high to goalkeeper Yassine Bounou right to give Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s team the perfect start.
In the 13th minute a team move from United saw Fernandes release Fred who skipped by a defender but dragged the ball too wide and shot into the side netting with his weaker right foot.
Two minutes later there was an important clearance from Brandon Williams from a dangerous Navas cross as the Spanish team threatened for the first time.
A Campos shot at near post was well saved by DeGea for a corner kick a minute later, as Sevilla get into the game.
Ten minutes later Sevilla were level after a left sided move and cross from Regulion into the box was swept home at the back post by Suso.
United worked an opening in the 33rd minute but there was a disappointing finish from a normally lethal Antony Martial, who skied his effort from 16 yards.
A Rashford free kick from distance in the 38th minute was beaten away by Bounou as United continued to create chances.
Rashford dragged an effort wide on the stroke of half time as he failed to make a real impact on the play apart from drawing the early penalty.
A Fernandes sweetly struck volley was parried away by Bounou in the first minute of added time at the end of the first half, as the teams went in level at the break.
Bounou, who was Sevilla’s best player, produced a point blank save from Mason Greenwood a minute after the restart.
A frantic passage of play in the 50th minute saw Bounou save at near post from a Martial shot and a Rashford follow up shot blocked by defender before a Fernandes shot was blocked behind for corner kick, as the ball somehow failed to go into the Sevilla goal.
A United press saw them recover the ball and Martial was again denied by Bounou who was keeping Sevilla in the game.
United were then punished for their profligacy in front of goal when second half substitute Luuk de Jong squeezed in between Lindelof and Wan-Bissaka to poke home a Navas cross to make it 2-1 in the 78th minute.
United failed to create more real openings after conceding the goal and a triple change with four minutes to go failed to provide the desired effect as Sevilla managed the clock, well to see out the game and claim their spot in the final.
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