Manchester United has qualified for the semi-finals of the Europa League for the second year in a row. After a 0-2 victory in Granada, the team of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also too strong in-house for the number eight of LaLiga: 2-0. In the Czech Republic Arsenal did not have a child from Slavia Prague. Mikel Arteta’s team had six extremely productive minutes in the first half in which the net was found three times: 0-4. The Londoners thus ended an impressive series of Slavia, which last lost an official match in-house in November 2019. Villarreal also reached the semi-finals by beating Dinamo Zagreb (2-1).
Manchester United – Granada 2-0
Solskjaer chose David de Gea under the bar, just like last week, while Dean Henderson seems to have gained the confidence of the coach in the Premier League. After the 0-2 victory in Spain, United could look forward to the return with confidence. Especially when Edinson Cavani scored the opening goal after just five minutes of play. The striker was in the right place after Paul Pogba received a cross from Alex Telles. The striker suddenly hit the left and hit the far corner: 1-0. Granada hoped to do something back quickly and also got the necessary opportunities, but a header from Yangel Herrera, among other things, went just wide.
With the substitute Donny van de Beek within the lines, it was also after the break United that the clock struck. A cross by Bruno Fernandes from the right side of the field was headed in front by Cavani and a shot by Van de Beek ended one meter off the left post. On the other hand, Germán Sanchéz had an excellent opportunity to level Granada, but the shot from the captain’s turn could easily be taken by De Gea. Solskjaer then took most of his starting team to the side with Cavani, Fernandes and Mason Greenwood and saw how his team simply remained upright in the final phase. In the injury time of the game, Jesús Vallejo scored the 2-0 final score with an own goal, after the defender unhappily worked the ball behind his own goalkeeper with his head.
Slavia Prague – Arsenal 0-4
Arsenal had to do without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Czech Republic, who has become infected with malaria with the Gabon national team. Mikel Arteta’s team had prepared for a difficult evening after last week’s 1-1, but there was no stunt for a moment. The game started somewhat expectantly, but Arsenal immediately took the lead at the first danger, when Nicolas Pépé scored 0-1 in the short corner on a pass from Emile Smith. A minute earlier, Smith Row already thought he would provide the opening goal, but his hit from a rebound was disallowed for offside. Slavia was then in no way to be seen and soon had to take a second downer, when Alexandre Lacazette hit from eleven meters after a foul by Jakub Hromada on Pépé: 0-2.
Five minutes after the striking penalty kick, the game was already thrown in by Arsenal, when Bukayo Saka pulled in from the right and lashed out effectively with the left in the short corner: 0-3. With that, the visitors threw the game into the slot in a period of six minutes. In the second half, Arsenal took it down significantly. Lacazette screamed for the second penalty kick of the game after an hour of play, but was not answered by referee Cüneyt Cakir. Fifteen minutes before the end, the same Lacazette scored a fourth goal with his second of the evening. The striker was served from the left side of the field by Pépé, threw a nice feint and then left goalkeeper Andrej Kolár without a chance for the fourth time with a shot into the short corner: 0-4.
Villarreal – Dinamo Zagreb 2-1
After the 0-1 victory in Croatia, Villarreal started with a good starting position. In the opening phase, the Spaniards hit the post through Samuel Chukwueze, but at the end of the first half, Villarreal was happier in the completion. Chukwueze dived on the right behind the defense and laid wide to Paco Alcácer, who pushed the ball into the empty goal: 1-0. Two minutes before half time, Alcácer hit the post and Gerard Moreno was able to do the job in the rebound: 2-0. Fifteen minutes before the end, Dinamo did something back, when Mislav Orsic found the far corner from close by after a combination with Bruno Petkovic: 2-1. The competition was led by Danny Makkelie, who took office for the first time with his new assistant Jan de Vries.
