Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have said his prayers to the Gods, even sacrificed blood such is his desperation to break his cup semi-final hoodoo.
Fours times, across three competitions, the Norwegian has fallen at the last four stage in the cup as Manchester United boss, and for long periods last night, it appeared a fifth final would elude him in less than 18 months.
But 14 years on from a 7-1 mauling of the same opponents – a match Sir Alex Ferguson described as the greatest ever night of European football at Old Trafford – United’s attackers, namely the irrepressible Edinson Cavani, stepped up to hit a hapless Roma for six, putting the hosts on the brink of the Europa League final, and in a great position to end the longest trophy drought at the club since the late 1980s.
Breaking that curse, however, was anything but an easy ride.
Not famed for their fast starts, more their self-implosions defensively, United raced into an early lead thanks to a goal of real beauty, one you would like to wine and dine, before taking for a romantic stroll, hand-in-hand, down the river.
The pass into Cavani was pinpoint, the weight of the through ball into Bruno Fernandes glorious, while the clipped finish from United’s top goalscorer – for his 25th goal of the season in all competitions – was equally as sublime.
It seemed, however, the spell was still lingering, as Paul Pogba conceded a penalty just six minutes later, for a handball that some would say was unfortunate, others careless. Of the last six penalties United have conceded at home, Pogba has conceded four of them. Lorenzo Pellegrini emphatically converted from 12 yards, past the returning David de Gea, regardless to level.
Pogba then thundered a strike for goal, hit so hard that it injured Roma goalkeeper Pau Lopez’s shoulder and he could not continue. Remarkably, Roma lost three players through injury in the opening period alone, but that did not stem their flow, as a familiar foe continued his remarkable record at Old Trafford to turn the match on its head.
United old boy Henrikh Mkhitaryan created the opening, Pellegrini squared the ball across, and a man who, since his first appearance against United in 2009 has scored more goals against the Red Devils at Old Trafford than any other player – for three different teams, from three different countries, in three different competitions – tapped home. Edin Dzeko is not welcome on the red half of Manchester again.
United looked stunned. Having scored such a perfect opener, they were in control, but the semi-final yips were proving hard to shift. In his programme notes Solskjaer was keen to point out how his side’s last continental semi-final loss – to Sevilla in the last four of last season’s Europa League – was a real learning curve for his side, with the players determined to avoid another sinking feeling. Not on this evidence.
Even when presented with a gift-wrapped chance to level proceedings, Cavani was denied by a smart block from stand-in stopper Mirante.
Form is temporary, however, and class very much permanent where Cavani is concerned, and even when presented with a rare bad, bouncing Fernandes pass, after great work from Pogba to create the opening, the Uruguayan controlled a superb strike into the top corner to level less than three minutes after the break.
United were all over Roma at this point, and the Serie A side looked like a team whose season has fallen apart in recent weeks, with one league win on their last seven seeing their empire come crashing down, as they sit seventh, and seemingly out of the running for a top-four finish.
You felt another United goal was coming, with Pogba’s influence on the game growing more with everything pinged pass or smooth sashay past his man.
Sensing the best approach to defending was to attack, Roma continued to flood bodies forward on the counter, and a palpably nervous United looked vulnerable.
The only thing Roma were lacking was an Edinson Cavani, as he showed those unteachable predatory instincts never desert you as he pounced to fire United in front for the second time in the 64th minute.
The old boy narrative was not done there, but Smalling can count himself unlucky to have been penalised for a foul on Cavani in the penalty area. It was another curious decision from a bizarre referee, who every time he blew for a foul, immediately just turned his back on play. Fernandes, of course, did the rest.
There was still time for full redemption for Pogba 15 minutes from time, as he headed home a fifth. Every player raced to the Frenchman to celebrate – his transition from villain back into hero was a rapid one.
An example of United’s frightening strength in depth in attack put the icing on the cake, as substitute Mason Greenwood continued his recent purple patch to add a late sixth put the finish on an enthralling encounter, that almost gave that famous night 14 years ago a run for its money.
It was exhausting, but at long last, the curse has been lifted.
Follow i sport on Facebook for more Man Utd news, interviews and features
More on Man Utd
- Big players need to step up or Ole will go the same way as McGuinness
- The making of the Man Utd star who never forgot his roots
- New signing ‘plays like Messi’ – and could be perfect fit for Solskjaer’s system
- Why United are prepared to play the long-game in pursuit of Sancho
- Kevin Garside: Well done to Chadwick for reminding us all to be kind
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3xCxMAe
Post a Comment