Manchester United have unveiled a giant tifo that proclaims they will “never stop”.Then there was an electric finish against 10-man Lyon in extra time, late in the club’s pantheon.Lyon, who have been second in continental finishes of late, have done just that.
Those who were here will never forget the 114-120 minute (+34 seconds) drama.United went 4-2 up in the match, thanks to Rayan Cherki’s goal and Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty in the 104th and 109th minutes to give France a 6-4 lead and Ruben Amorim’s men were clearly eliminated from Europe.
However, First, Casemiro drew Nicolas Tagliafico on him and had a spot-kick disallowed, then referee Sandro Schärer awarded him a watch.Bruno Fernandes stepped up to coolly beat Lucas Parise to the keeper’s left.
Although United were still in the opening 5 of the opening 60 seconds.Now their reserve No. 9, Kobe Mino, steered through the crowd area to secure a 6-6 win that would surely send Old Trafford to a penalty shoot-out.
United then travel to Spain for the first leg of their semi-final at Athletic Bilbao in a night of redemption for Andre Onana, who will also be playing against them in the same venue.
No. 1 set up the presenter’s cameras before kick-off and returned to a show far more complete than last week’s personal fiasco.For parts of the contest, United registered 10 minutes in charge.Noussair Mazraoui flicked the ball to Fernandes on the right, who sent the ball to Alejandro Ganacho, who raced to the near post: the pass to Manuel Ugarte was as precise as the No. 25’s shot to the left.
United beat Lyon back, smart.It was in fast mode.But the French failed to capitalize on United’s chances, allowing them to breathe easy.Cherki saw Maguire cross from a corner.Georges Mikautadze slipped into place and Maguire cleared.
Then the clearest opening Tagliaficao crossed, Leny Yoro miscued a free-kick and Ainsley Maitland-Niles grabbed the chance to turn and equalise.
Now United roared back in a moment of rapture.Diogo Dalot drew a long parabola from his own half and Fernandes raced in, leaving the Paris crowd to fall over the bar and “pots” from the crowd.Another follow-up when Rasmus Højlund fed the irrepressible Fernandes beat Perri again, but this time it went wide.
United wound up like a train at the break and finished with seconds to spare.It’s a trend in high-class fashion.Maguire crossed to Dalot deep in his own territory from 70 yards and the wing-back shrugged off Tagliafico and coolly rolled home past Perri’s right post.
The injured Mazraoui was replaced by Luke Shaw in the second half and Garnacho quickly converted the free kick with a powerful strike. The Argentine flyer may have lacked composure, but he remained calm when running after Højlund defence-splitting.Entering the area, marking for fun, steadying and blazing towards goal, only Perri’s acrobats stopped a third.
When Corentin Tolisso stole an inch inside United’s area, he was almost foolhardy the score would have been 2-1 but for the excellent Onana response.If they could pull Lyon back, The grandstand finish proved to be the store.
Mikautadze was able to work the trick, but the No. 69 was horrified by Dalot’s cleverness and moments later he again bested Tagliafico.Suddenly he crosses in Lyon’s area, but neither team-mate can finish.
Chants of “Ruben Amorim, he’ll bring back the glory days” rang out from the Stretford End and the continental dream remained firmly in place as the Lyon fans turned on the red flames.
Now,Coming into Lyon’s attack Tolisso, after Moussa Niakhaté and Lacazette headed in United’s chaos, was dealt a laser by Onana’s leg, but the No.1 could do nothing to stop Tagliafico’s equaliser.
Tolisso’s dismissal in the 89th minute was the precursor to a heart-stopping and box office ending to the evening.
