Odion Ighalo made a late introduction but could not prevent Manchester United from losing 2-1 to Sevilla in the semi-final of the Europa League in Cologne on Sunday.
Sevilla have now reached the Europa League / UEFA Cup Final for a record sixth time, at least two more than any other club.
The defeat means United end the season trophyless after last winning a silverware in 2017.
United took the lead on nine minutes through Bruno Fernandes after they were awarded a 22nd penalty of the season when Diego Carlos fouled Marcus Rashford in the box.
United could have doubled their lead shortly afterwards, however, Fred shot wide from close-range.
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United had a 10-minute spell at the start of the second-half where Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was in inspired form to deny Anthony Martial twice and Mason Greenwood.
And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal when substitute Luuk de Jong connected with Jesus Navas’ cross to put the Spaniards in front with 12 minutes remaining.
United had a total of 20 shots on goal, with seven on target, in Cologne as they lost a third semi-final this season.
They had lost to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final before losing to Chelsea in the last four of the Emirates FA Cup.
Sevilla will take on Inter Milan or Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League final on August 21.
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COMMENTS
Penalty Football Club of Manchester. Bruno Penandes.
The Coach has no single trust in Ighalo. He has let the words of those Englishmen get to his head. I bet Ighalo wouldn’t have missed 4-5 good chances they had within 60th-75th minutes of the game. This serves them right. Get out of Europa! Out of FA Cup! Nonsense.
For my Brother Ighalo, abeg after January just go back to China to make your cool cash. At least you’ve fulfilled your dream and you’re a proven goal scorer. #ProudlyCityzen
He formally had confidence in him, but suddenly after the second leg game against LASK, where he played 90mins and did score a goal he lost confidence in him, which is quite uncalled for. Forgetting that Ighalo presence forced Martial to step up his game. Main while other strikers like Rashford and Martial have gone several games without scoring. How can you have someone you claimed was a goal poacher and you keep him on the bench and your frontline has been struggling for goals. At least you can give him between 20 to 30mins and see what difference he can make.
Now they are out, which is good for the coach. Please go back to China, or some where else, you don’t deserve this bench role.
I understand Ighalo wanted atleast a trophy, the reason he stayed back. But you know’A black man is always the last option for this guys!’they will always prefer their own players.
Leave now Ighalo,pleas go back to China where you are celebrated.
… Ighalo is seriously disrespected at that overhyped club, playing him as support to inferior strikers.
Well , Europa is over for Manchester United. The way Ighalo was treated by The coach baby face assassin shows the kind of person that he is . A moment ago you hipped lots of praise and desire for Ighalo only for you to know bench him just for your favouring Rashford and Martial who are suppose to learn from him. Ighalo is thfhest goal scorer for the world cup qualifier, nations cup wualifier and the nations cup itself and yet Man-U belittles him with such bullwhip hype. Well I’m glad he’s fulfilled his dream of playing for the club and now it’s time for him to move on . There’s nothing for him to prove again. I would love it that he plays his game in other to enjoy his high warned money in China .
I even heard that PSG are looking for his services . I don’t know whether it’s ok . I sure wish him the best .
Abeg, Olusegun B, please remind me when Ighalo was the highest goal scorer in the World Cup qualifiers? Please calm down. Man U were going to be eliminated no matter who played. It’s even good ’cause had he played he would have been made the scapegoat. Remember the game against LASK? Ighalo played virtually the whole game hardly made an impact, infact Marshal had to come in & score so there’s no guarantee that introducing Ighalo earlier would have made a difference.
Bros, he would make a huge difference. He is a box stricker, something Man U is lacking, check the Stat of all the games he started, he always scored except the LASK game and you can’t possibly judged him based on that alone. And yes, I think he was the highest goal scorer during the world cup qualifier, if am not mistaken
@ Adisboy,Most times it is hard for players who stay long on the bench to give their best or play at optimum when they finally get their chance to hone their skills.
This things is not as easy as you think the reason coaches should rotate their squad to keep at least the top 16 players active for greater efficiency,which variably can be result-oriented.
You will agree with me that players also have bad days.let’s say his preferred Rashford or Martial had a bad day in the office in one game would that decide their faith in the team?I don’t think so in my opinion.
The fact is Ighalo has improved of late.He emerged as goal king in Africa that has world class strikers in the mould of Aubameyang,Salah and Mane,the aforementioned players are top players in their clubs whearas Ighalo who bests them is wallowing on the bench in a team that has lost it’s footing in English football.That’s absurd and lacked every fairness.
Manchester united apparently,got what they deserved!
@Greenturf, yesterday’s game get as it be. Marshal, Rashford, Greenwood have been scoring for fun but what happened yesterday was weird. On another day, these guys would score no less than 4 goals. See what happened to prolific Sterling on Saturday. Could you imagine if Ighalo started didn’t score and the same result. Who do you think the Oyibo would target? Since Man U returned to Europe since lockdown, all the strikers including Ighalo have underperformed. At least now he can’t be blamed.
Of course black African players are targeted when results go wrong it’s basic standards in Europe.Unless you are a top player in the mould of Aubameyang,Salah,Mane those class of African players are respected.
Manchester United strikers won’t put four past Seville no way!at least not the likes of Rashford!they have their kinds they can bully not a well organised Spanish side like Seville.
Meanwhile,Manchester United strikers especially Martial started scoring when Ighalo moved to the club.He upped his game because he is desperate not to let go his first team place.
However,you can’t keep up with such desperate high standards because at some point you start bulking and start slipping down but Ighalo who should have stepped up his game to claim the top nine couldn’t because he has suffered from rustiness from playing so little.
A shame indeed!
It serves Man U right, Ighalo started 6 times, of the 6, he scored 5 times, by any standard that is a fantastic result, only one game is not enough to lose confidence in the player of Ighalo’s caliber, does Rasford score in every game? Ighalo should please move to another club, I think his time Man U is done, to be the forth option for a striker is not the best.
Season over for penalty united, the coach would hv done better if he has chosen to rotate his attacking pairs,confining ighalo to the bench was his greatest undoing bcus i kw dat if ighalo started the match he would hv made a big difference.