Manchester United took a giant step towards the Europa League final on Thursday evening. The team of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer surprisingly fell behind AS Roma before the break, but made up for it in a very strong second half: 6-2. The stars on the side of United were Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani, who both provided two goals and two assists. Rick Karsdorp played the entire match at AS Roma and scored a penalty in the first half; Donny van de Beek stayed on the bench with United.
The first chance that Manchester United got was immediately used. Edinson Cavani was played with his back to the goal in the ninth minute after a beautiful dribble by Paul Pogba. Cavani sent Bruno Fernandes away with a clever through pass, who then handled the ball over Pau Torres: 1-0. It took AS Roma only six minutes to get back. Rick Karsdorp wanted to pass sliding on the back line and shot the ball against the high arm of the also sliding Paul Pogba. That resulted in a penalty, which was shot in by Lorenzo Pellegrini: 1-1.
Roma was unlucky that Jordan Veretout had to be replaced after five minutes with a muscle injury and also lost goalkeeper Pau Torres after half an hour due to a shoulder injury. It did not prevent the Italians from taking the lead after more than half an hour. Pellegrini was played in complete freedom in the sixteen and laid wide to the incoming Edin Dzeko: 1-2. Remarkably, Roma then also lost Leonardo Spinazzola with an injury.
DELICIOUS!
Bruno Fernandes rounds off a wonderful attack from Manchester United very well. It is 1-0 for the English. #UEL # rtl7 pic.twitter.com/RPNGH7MwLH
– VTBL? (@vtbl) April 29, 2021
Manchester United had great difficulty in creating anything in the first half, but got an enormous opportunity right on the stroke of half time. Bryan Cristante just pushed the ball in the feet of Edinson Cavani, who first shot at substitute goalkeeper Antonio Mirante and then at Chris Smalling. Three minutes after the break it was hit for Cavani, who initiated the counter attack by United itself. The Uruguayan got the ball back from Bruno Fernandes and shot it from close range exactly into the intersection: 2-2.
Cavani then got another big chance, but this time aimed from a low pass by Luke Shaw. Moments later, it was still hit for the center forward, when Mirante handled a shot by Aaron Wan-Bissaka badly. The ball rolled in front of Cavani’s feet, who finished from close range: 3-2. Cavani tried to chop a ball seven minutes later, missed the ball and was then slid down by Smalling. This resulted in a debatable penalty for United, which was used impeccably by Bruno Fernandes: 4-2. It became even better for United, as four minutes later Pogba headed home from a fine cross by Bruno Fernandes: 5-2. In the final phase, Cavani sent a beautiful pass with outside foot to Mason Greenwood. The substitute dribbled into the penalty area and found the far corner with the right: 6-2.