United secure jaw-dropping victory over Lyon to keep Champions League hopes alive
Manchester United have secured their spot in the Europa League semi-finals
Harry Maguire secured one of the most jaw-dropping European wins in Old Trafford’s long history as Manchester United came back to secure a scarcely believable 5-4 extra-time win against 10-man Lyon and reach the Europa League semi-finals.
There was no room for error as the Red Devils’ 14th place in the Premier League standings meant a first European defeat of the campaign would end their hopes of saving a miserable season with silverware and continental qualification.
Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico cancelled out Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot goals to take the match to extra-time on Thursday night, when United were staring down the barrel of a humiliating quarter-final exit.
Lyon made light work of Tolisso’s sending off as Rayan Cherki saw his strike followed by Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty as the hosts faced the prospect of a first season without European football since 2014-15.
Despite their flaws in recent years, United have frequently shown they can fight until the end.
Bruno Fernandes’ 114th minute spot-kick brought hope, substitute Kobbie Mainoo’s 120th-minute goal sparked bedlam and moments later Maguire’s header sent the home faithful into dreamland, sealing a 7-6 aggregate win and semi-final date with Athletic Bilbao.
“Never gonna stop!” read a giant tifo featuring the five United captains to have lifted European trophies and proved a prescient message on a night that got off to a dream start.
“The sound of the two last goals were amazing and that is something we can keep for the future,” the United boss said after an unforgettable triumph.
“In the end you go to the semi-finals but you need to win it. If you go the semi-finals and don’t win it, it’s the same feeling. We just need to focus on the next stage and try to win the competition.
“I think that (ending is) why we like this sport so much and all the frustration that the coach has in this kind of season, the frustration, the bad moments, when you had a moment like this it’s all worth it.
“But then you finish, you calm down and then you start thinking we have a game on Sunday (against Wolves). Then we have to see all the players if they are fit to play because we have to focus on the Europa League.”
The competition offers United’s only route to silverware and European qualification given the side sit a lowly 14th in a campaign that is guaranteed to be their worst of the Premier League era.
Asked how big this moment can be, Amorim said: “I think these kind of moments can help a lot players in this kind of season, in this kind of context.
“They can create some connection between the fans and the players, and we can forget for a few minutes what kind of season we are having.
“Today is a good feeling but tomorrow we need to start everything again. So we need to focus on the next game, to focus on the players, if they are fit to play.
“We have to take the risk in to save some players because if you look at the our season, the most important thing is clear for everybody. It’s the Europa League.”