A tough one for United there. But a pleasure for us to bring to you, as always, and thanks for all your emails/tweets/Bono jokes. Sorry I couldn’t use everything, but your company is hugely appreciated! Take care, and see you again soon.
Harry Maguire speaks!
“It’s difficult, the boys are devastated in there. We created numerous chances, you’ve got to win the game and the better team lost. They punished us. We started at a high press and scored but maybe let them out too easily and allowed them too much possession. They didn’t create too many chances if we’re honest, conceding two goals from crosses is not good enough. We worked our socks off and deserved to go through but falling short at three semi-finals is not good enough.”
Here is Jamie Jackson’s match report!
@NickAmes82 for Ole not to make any subs until the 87th minute was tactically extraordinarily naive
— Claire McConnell (@ClaireChelsea8) August 16, 2020
I certainly don’t think it helped. United’s starting front line looked blistering for long periods but had ground to a halt by the time De Jong scored.
“It looks like United are closing Bono’s show with a stirring rendition of Running to Stand Still,” writes Peter Oh, who assures me this is the fifth track on The Joshua Tree. I’ll let Peter have this as the most obscure – relatively at least – reference yet.
That 10-minute spell, where Martial in particular should have scored a few, was critical. You sense Sevilla knew they’d earned a reprieve, thanks partly to solid goalkeeping from Bono, and they worked their way back into the game before pouncing. They’re old hands at this! United ended up looking knackered and despondent. But they’ll go again next season.
Full-time: Sevilla 2-1 Manchester United
The Europa League wizards are a game away from doing it again! They celebrate wildly; United rue that succession of missed chances, particularly early in the second half.
Updated
90+5 min: De Jong really should tee up Vazquez for a third but United cut out his centre. Even better, he should have gone for the corner flag. United break and he’ll be in trouble if they score ... but again Sevilla repel their attack.
90+4 min: Ighalo gets some early possession around the box but is crowded out. Then Mata aims a really poor, especially by his standards, cross into Bono’s arms. Sevilla are almost there.
90+3 min: Here’s Odion Ighalo! He is on for Greenwood and has three minutes to make a difference.
90+1 min: They do, however, have six added minutes. James has a sniff at attacking a far-post cross but doesn’t gamble and the ball sails out. United press, press and press some more, but Sevilla are currently not for buckling ...
90 min: Time is running out and United look out of ideas ...
87 min: The cavalry are coming! James, Mata and Fosu-Mensah will come on in United’s first changes – replacing Williams, Wan-Bissaka and Rashford.
For Sevilla, Gudelj is on for Jordan.
Updated
86 min: Is Fernando about to concede a second United penalty? No, there’s a quick VAR check but, much to Fernandes’ chagrin, nothing wrong with his challenge on the earlier goalscorer. Shortly after, a frustrated-looking Maguire is booked.
84 min: It’s delivered well to the back post, where Vazquez volleys over. The goal has put a real spring in Sevilla’s step. Suddenly they look confident and controlled.
83 min: United need something ... anything ... but the ball is in their territory and Sevilla can slow it down with a corner.
81 min: That period after half-time always looked important. Sevilla have been flat this half but are too good not to create *something*. And so it proved ... United will be absolutely kicking themselves here. They went a little flat and were ruthlessly punished by the substitute, once a non-scoring Newcastle loanee.
Goal! Sevilla 2-1 Manchester United (De Jong 78)
Well, well, well. That’s football, right? Navas is given too much time to cross from the right, it takes a snick and De Jong is unmarked in front of goal to stab adroitly past De Gea. United switched off and Lindelof is getting a few glares in particular, he just let De Jong go.
Updated
77 min: A bit of a basketball feel now as the teams counter, counter-counter and counter-counter-counter. In one of those counters, Williams wants a free-kick on the edge of the box but does not get his wish.
75 min: No penalty. Quite right. Suso comes off now, to be replaced by Vazquez.
73 min: After a wait, Jordan hits the free-kick, at an angle, into the wall and then a Suso effort is charged down. Sevilla want a handball from that first shot as it thwacked into Fernandes’ arm ... but you really can’t give that can you? The VAR checks ...
71 min: Navas crosses towards De Jong but it’s headed away. Sevilla have certainly stabilised but aren’t offering that much. Reguilon is caught clumsily by Wan Bissaka just outside the box though ...
69 min: Pogba drives optimistically over. We are starting to smell extra time ...
67 min: Sevilla have got a bit spikier, fouling a fair bit, but not too much sparkier with those changes. United, for their part, have gone a touch flat since that blistering first eight or nine minutes of the half. Rashford is booked for dissent when conceding a throw-in.
65 min: “Probably already done, but: at the risk of an intentional Partridge, I can only hope United score so Bono can mutter to himself ‘Sunday, bloody Sunday’,” says Tim Horner and, yes, two other people as well.
61 min: Bono has been good but I’d say none of those saves was “brilliant”. Most of the time he stood tall and didn’t commit rashly, and that kind of presence is so vital in a keeper. I tend to find saves, in and of themselves, are gushed over a bit too much 80% of the time. And now I’ll end this searing hot take.
58 min: It’s still all United, with Sevilla at sixes and sevens defensively, but Bono hasn’t been called upon to make a potentially gamechanging save for some five minutes now.
56 min: Attacking shakeup from Sevilla, who have put nothing together in this half. Ocampos is replaced by Munir, and De Jong comes on for En-Nesyri.
55 min: Going to need some pretty niche Bono puns at this rate. United could have won this game in the last 10 minutes. And might be worried they haven’t ...
53 min: My goodness me, Bono saves *again*! And AGAIN! United’s high press sees Martial mug Banega, Pogba subsequently returning the ball to the striker. He’s one-on-one but Bono stands up and saves with a foot. Moments later, he does something similar in an almost identical situation. This is a quite incredible spell.
Updated
50 min: Oh, and United have another big chance! And another! Bono comes to the rescue again with a big save at the far post from Martial, with Rashford then denied by last-ditch challenge from Fernando. Then a Fernandes drive inside the box is brilliantly blocked. Somehow Sevilla stay level!
Updated
49 min: United have, as in the first half, come out very positively here. Sevilla look far less convincing on the back foot than the front.
46 min: Great save by Bono! Forty-six seconds into the half, Fernandes wafts one through to Greenwood and the youngster’s first touch is superb. But so is the save, diverting the ball away when you’d have backed United to regain the lead!
Updated
Peeeep! We begin again!
The second half has started.
Gavin May asks: “Surprised no one felt the foul on Rashford for the pen wasn’t a red card – studs showing full force into the shin – endangering an opponent? Seen plenty of reds for similar fouls in the middle of the park.”
Maybe, it was a really poor challenge on second viewing. Equally, you don’t always see those ones after a shot given as pens (rightly or wrongly).
Toby emails, seemingly with the sole intention of making me blindly jealous:
“Hello from a very chilled out Leros in Greece. Social distancing is easy as there’s no one here! A joy. What a great game so far. Sevilla are a lovely side and Utd are looking better as the game goes on. Think we’re on for a cracking second half with Utd to edge it. Fingers crossed.”
Half-time: Sevilla 1-1 Manchester United
A fine half played at a great tempo. Suso equalised Fernandes’ early penalty and I make that fair, at this point. Don’t go away – anything could happen here.
45+2 min: Marvellous play by Pogba on the edge of his box sends Rashford away again, and he gets into the Sevilla area with defenders backing off and looking petrified. But he gets his feet in a muddle and Sevilla survive!
45+1 min: Another parry from Bono – this time when Fernandes sets himself up a volley and thuds one down the keeper’s throat from 20 yards.
45 min: Rashford sears down the left, cuts inside but shoots well wide. Two added minutes of the half to come.
43 min: Williams and En-Nesyri, the Sevilla striker, have a tussle and Williams goes down, with United claiming there were some naughty afters. Didn’t see much that fitted that description, really, and nothing is done.
42 min: Ocampos tracks back assiduously to rob Greenwood. Sevilla do have some lovely players. So do United – which means we’ve had a really interesting first half.
39 min: Fair play, that was quite a hit from Rashford given the range. Bono has to make sure and parry the wickedly moving ball.
38 min: United are more on the front foot now, Greenwood and Martial just finding themselves crowding out as they tip-tap towards the six-yard box. Banega then concedes a free-kick and United might have a shooting chance from 30+ yards ...
35 min: “You can guarantee a Man Utd penalty will get rival fans throwing conspiracy theories all over the place. But it stands to reason that a team that had quick, fleet footed attackers should get more penalties. Plus with VAR, surely a poorly given penalty would be overruled? Besides the Villa penalty, can anyone name one Utd didn’t get fairly?” asks Kevin Wilson.
Let’s head this off at the pass – I agree with this email.
33 min: Pogba tries to free Rashford but it’s cut out. Then Martial has a great sight of goal from 18 yards after Greenwood tees him up ... but he whips his first-time effort just over!
32 min: Reguilon, on loan from Real Madrid, is absolute *lightning* down there. His latest foray is held up but what a player he looks.
29 min: Fernandes, full of fun, tries to catch Bono off his line from halfway. He overcooks it but United do need to rediscover the flair they showed at the start.
28 min: Maguire heads a corner harmlessly over. We really have a game here!
Goal! Sevilla 1-1 Manchester United (Suso 26)
They’d been threatening and probably deserve it. The goal is a fine one, Ocampos feeding the bursting Reguilon – who has been excellent from left-back. Reguilon’s low centre is perfect for ex-Liverpool man Suso to slam home at the far post. United are furious as they, not Sevilla, should have been awarded a throw-in at the start of the move – but that’s not in VAR’s remit. And to be fair, Sevilla were 70 yards from goal at that point.
Updated
24 min: A slightly scrappy phase, though Ocampos heads over from a Reguilon cross as I type. United seem to want to lure Sevilla’s full-backs as high as possible and then streak in behind.
22 min: A dangerous low Navas centre from the right is hacked away. He’s still got legs at 34! Could he have done a job for City last night ... ? (*hides*)
Updated
19 min: That penalty was United’s 22nd of the season, conspiracy wizards! At the moment they seem happy to sit in a bit more.
@NickAmes82 Bono in nets for Sevilla, is the Edge at fullback? Paul watching in Murcia
— Paul Howarth (@TOOFEE) August 16, 2020
About 10 zillion of you have sent this in but it’s easiest, in the heat of the battle, to paste a tweet.
16 min: De Gea parries a meaty shot from the lively Ocampos, from an angle on the left. This game is absolutely not done, Sevilla are bright and bubbly going forward.
14 min: Good chance for Fred! United win the ball, initially through Fred actually, and then sweep upfield. Fred is in acres on the right side of the box but would rather the ball was on his left foot. He slices wide of the near post with his right.
13 min: Sevilla’s goalkeeper is called Bono and, as you might expect, my inbox is buckling under all your wisecrackery. Keep it coming and I’ll try my best to do an email roundup at the break.
11 min: Sevilla look for an instant response and again make hay down that left side, but Banega can’t quite control well enough to get a shot in when reasonably placed.
Goal! Sevilla 0-1 Manchester United (Fernandes 9 pen)
A hop, a jump and a quite brilliantly taken penalty into the top corner. His 12th goal for United!
Updated
Penalty to Manchester United!
Martial slips Rashford in and his shot is well parried by Bono ... but he’s clipped by Diego Carlos on the follow-through and United have a spot kick! Did the follow-through affect the shot? I’m not sure. But Fernandes will take it, pending a VAR check ...
Updated
7 min: Ever Banega, one of the best “almost top-top-top” players of recent years, is pulling some strings early on. If Sevilla lose it’ll be his last game for them – he’s off to Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia. But oh ... !
5 min: Sevilla had a frayed first minute or two but now, from a good move down the left, Reguilon earns them a corner. It’s headed away by Fernandes at the near post. But a good brisk tempo to this early on.
2 min: Good start from United! Greenwood slices into the box but can’t quite make room for a shot. Fernandes has a blast but it’s deflected behind, and then Maguire heads over after the corner is half-cleared but inflicts a foul in the process.
Peeeeep!
United, right to left, kick off.
The players are emerging ... we will kick off soon! United in black, Sevilla in white.
From Woolie Madden: “As part of my research before this game (each Europa League game I submit a 20-page dossier for inclusion in my son’s school newsletter – none printed so far) I came across the surprising fact that Sevilla have had an English, a Scottish and two Irish managers in their history. But for me, no one can top the wonderful six months in 1995 when they were managed by the marvellously named Otto Bumbel.”
I think it might have been in 1964 unless we are looking at different Otto Bumbels – we wouldn’t want the kids being misinformed now. Otherwise, heck of a name and do go on Wiki for a look at his career, quite a life ...
“In what world can we see this one-off tournament format continuing? Whatever happens tonight, everything in Lisbon and Köln has been buckets of fun and I’d be only too pleased to see it happen with fans one day. Obviously participating clubs wouldn’t be too keen on losing matchday revenue from two-legged ties, but this just seems too good to drop,” asks Matthew Richman.
It’s been great, hasn’t it? I get that it means aberrations are more likely but what’s wrong with that? I think everyone agrees it’s been a success – but I don’t see it continuing in “normal” circumstances. The big dogs want more face-offs against each other, not fewer.
“Big call to put in Fred over Matic, hope it works out for Ole and we make the final,” writes Neil Carter.
Definitely an eye-catcher but Fred did start against Copenhagen and Linz.
Digvijay Yadav writes in on an even bigger selection controversy – De Gea starts!
“I have to say, the decision to drop Romero does not sit well with me, not least because it backfired against Chelsea. Romero has won this tournament before and he is the cup keeper. Ergo, he should start.”
Some Manchester United transfer news ...
Get in the mood for the match ...
Starting lineups
Sevilla: Bono, Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Reguilon, Banega, Fernando, Jordan, Suso, En-Nesyri, Ocampos
Subs: Vaclik, Javi Diaz, Sergi Gomez, Escudero, Gudelj, Vazquez, Oliver Torres, Munir, De Jong, Lara, Genaro y Pablo Perez.
Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams, Fred, Fernandes, Pogba, Greenwood, Rashford, Martial
Subs: Grant, Romero, Bailly, Mata, Lingard, Pereira, James, Fosu-Mensah, Ighalo, Matic, McTominay, Mengi
Hello
This European knock-out stuff is proving to be a jolly good wheeze, isn’t it? That was certainly the case for Manchester United fans last night, anyway, as they watched City flunk it in the Champions League against a – let’s be honest – modest Lyon side. And it was the case for literally anyone who isn’t desperate for Barcelona to win games of football, or Bayern to lose them, just 24 hours previously. So what awaits in the second continental competition tonight?
Between them, these two have won six of the last 14 Europa Leagues. OK, so five of those have gone to Sevilla but this is definitely a clash of heavyweights – with the winner facing Internazionale or Shakhtar in what is a mouthwatering climax to this tournament. Both sides scraped through the quarters, Sevilla overcoming Wolves late on and United edging it against Copenhagen. The La Liga side – they finished fourth –also beat Roma en route here so have arguably had the tougher journey. But all bets are off tonight, in my book. This semi-final could be an absolute belter and seems too tough to call.
Can Ole steer United a tantalising step closer to silverware? Or is he in for a Sevilla disappointment? We don’t know yet – but we will soon – and that’s the beauty of it! Stay close, because the team news is coming right up ...
