Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Club: Amorim’s side progress to Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur
Much of the build-up to this match focused not on Manchester United and Athletic Club, but on the home side’s seemingly inevitable final with Tottenham Hotspur. Two lifeless teams, having some of the most dreadful domestic performances that have ever been associated with sides called “big clubs” in living memory.
The second part of the semi-final tie, a follow-up from the first leg where United won 3-0, was more or less written off. Surely, not even the worst Manchester United team in Premier League history – according to coach Ruben Amorim – could mess up as big a lead as that.
United spoke a lot about preparing for Thursday’s game, with their sacrifice of Premier League matches particularly incensing former captain Roy Keane. But that preparation wasn’t evident as Athletic moved the ball around on the night without being challenged.
The Spanish side were comfortable in possession, but far from incisive though. The ball only hovered promisingly around United’s defensive third, with little of note produced. Athletic did take the lead on the half-hour mark, Mikel Jauregizar scoring from 22 yards out after their lacklustre opponents gave the ball away cheaply. But that injected very little pace into the game.
United dropped deep into their half in a 5-4-1 and occasionally went on the counter-attack, but their passing was wayward and disappointing. Alejandro Garnacho did get a golden chance after being put through on goal by Patrick Dorgu, but one-on-one with the goalkeeper the Argentine tried a lob and it went agonisingly wide.
In the second period, Amad Diallo’s introduction spiced up United’s attack, ending Athletic’s unproductive reign. As United’s signs of life reached a crescendo, French defender Lenny Yoro twisted and feinted in a surprisingly forward position and then slipped the ball to Mason Mount in the Athletic penalty area. The England international collected and turned with a clever piece of skill, then curled a shot into the bottom far corner. It was a reminder of what the former Chelsea player of the season can produce.
From that moment on, with the score one-all on the night and 4-1 on aggregate, the tie felt over. Amorim’s punch of relief into the Manchester air crystallised that. Then came Casemiro’s goal, the Brazilian heading in Bruno Fernandes’ near-post free kick. Five minutes later, the excellent Amad – how United missed him – beat Athletic defenders with his pace on the right flank and then squared into the six-yard box for Rasmus Hojlund to finish.
As Amad, Hojlund and Yoro stood shoulder to shoulder and took selfies in celebration, the finality of the moment was evident. The rest of the tie dissipated like the lifeless thing it always was.
Its last act was a measured Mason Mount strike to score from range after Athletic had blundered as they passed out from the back. Two for the Englishman, four for United, and no final for their Spanish opponents.
