Sevilla sends United packing, in Europa semi-finals

SEVILLE: Europa League powerhouse Sevilla breezed past Manchester United and sailed into the competition’s semi-finals as Youssef En Nesyri scored a brace in a dominant 3-0 win on Thursday that secured a 5-2 aggregate victory.

En Nesyri’s goals came from mistakes by United goalkeeper David de Gea while trying to play the ball with his feet. Sevilla was relentless with its high pressing and a listless United, which had led the first leg 2-0 before conceding two late goals at Old Trafford, never threatened to get back into the tie amid a raucous atmosphere at the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

“I have never seen an atmosphere like this in my entire life,” En Nesyri told Movistar Plus. “I am very happy for the two goals and for the fans who supported us until the end. We have to stay together, with the fans, because that is how we will go far.”

Languishing in the bottom half of La Liga during a difficult season in which two managers have been fired, Sevilla had rediscovered its mojo at Old Trafford to grab a late 2-2 draw.

It took only eight minutes for Sevilla to open the scoring in the second leg. De Gea delivered a hospital pass to Harry Maguire, who was challenged by Erik Lamela, and En Nesyri scooped up the loose ball into net from close range.

The home team wasted several chances in the rest of the first half and Lucas Ocampos had a goal ruled out by VAR, due to offside in the build-up, shortly before the interval. Two minutes into the second half, Sevilla defender Loic Bade scored with a towering header from a corner, which went in off the crossbar.

En Nesyri wrapped up the win in the 81st minute after De Gea, rushing out of his box, failed to deal with a long ball over the top. The Morocco striker finished well to move the Spanish side closer to a record-extending seventh Europa League title.

Post the defeat, Ten Hag said: “We have to do better, that is the demand. We were not composed, not calm. We did not beat the press; when you do, there are so many spaces behind. We have to blame ourselves. It is gone, we cannot change it.”

RESULTS:

Quarter-finals: Second leg: Sevilla 3 (Y En Nesyri 8 & 81, L Bade 47) bt Manchester United 0 (Sevilla won 5-2 on aggregate); Sporting Lisbon 1 (M Edwards 20(P)) drew with Juventus 1 (A Rabiot 9) (Juventus won 2-1 on aggregate); Roma 4 (L Spinazzola 60, P Dybala 89, S El Shaarawy 101, L Pellegrini 109) bt Feyenoord 1 (I Paixao 80) (Roma won 4-2 on aggregate after extra time); Union Saint-Gilloise 1 (C Terho 64) lost to Bayer Leverkusen 4 (M Diaby 2, M Bakker 38, J Frimpong 60, A Hlozek 79) (Leverkusen won 5-2 on aggregate)