Harry Maguire secured one of the most jaw-dropping European wins in Old Trafford’s long history as Manchester United came back to secure a scarcely believable 5-4 extra-time win against 10-man Lyon and reach the Europa League semi-finals.
There was no room for error as the Red Devils’ 14th place in the Premier League standings meant a first European defeat of the campaign would end their hopes of saving a miserable season with silverware and continental qualification.
Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico cancelled out Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot goals to take the match to extra-time on Thursday night, when United were staring down the barrel of a humiliating quarter-final exit.
Lyon made light work of Tolisso’s sending off as Rayan Cherki saw his strike followed by Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty as the hosts faced the prospect of a first season without European football since 2014-15.
Despite their flaws in recent years, United have frequently shown they can fight until the end.
Bruno Fernandes’ 114th minute spot-kick brought hope, substitute Kobbie Mainoo’s 120th-minute goal sparked bedlam and moments later Maguire’s header sent the home faithful into dreamland, sealing a 7-6 aggregate win and semi-final date with Athletic Bilbao.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke described his team’s 1-0 victory at Gary Rowett’s Oxford as “the best type of win”.Manor Solomon’s 33rd-minute goal from a superb attacking move was enough to take Leeds back to the top of the Championship with three games to go.Farke said: “It was a massive win for us at this stage of the season against a team fighting against relegation...
Manor Solomon’s first-half goal fired Leeds back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 win at Oxford.The Israel international arrived at the far post in the 33rd minute to smash Jayden Bogle’s right-wing cross high into the net from five yards at the end of a fast attacking move.It meant Daniel Farke’s men returned to the summit after Burnley’s 2-1 comeback vict...
Stephen Kelly struck two first-half goals as second-placed Livingston swept aside fellow Scottish Championship high-fliers Ayr 5-0.Kelly grabbed an early opener when he slotted home from the edge of the penalty area after six minutes and Robbie Muirhead made it two from the penalty spot after a foul on Cristian Montano.Ayr capitulated again moments before the interval, Kelly latching on to a long ...
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder said it had been an emotionally draining week after his side beat Cardiff 2-0 at Bramall Lane to end a run of three straight defeats.Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz kept the Blades in the hunt for automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, while the Bluebirds remain in deep relegation trouble.Wilder said: “It was a nervy start for us ...
Alan Sheehan’s audition for the vacant managerial job at Swansea received further approval as he steered his side to a fourth successive victory with a 1-0 win over Hull.A controversial second-half penalty from Slovenianstriker Zan Vipotnik sealed the deal for the home side as they also notched a fourth successive clean sheet – the first time since 2008 they have won four in a row with...
Burnley boss Scott Parker praised his side’s defiance and cool heads as they moved to within one victory of an immediate return to the Premier League with a raucous 2-1 win over nine-man Watford at Vicarage Road.Within an extraordinary 11 minutes midway through the second half, Josh Brownhill scored what proved to be the winning goal before Watford pair Moussa Sissoko and Edo Kayembe were bo...
Sheffield United kept up the pressure on Burnley and Leeds as they beat Cardiff 2-0 at Bramall Lane on Good Friday.Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz kept the Blades in the hunt for automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, while the Bluebirds remain in deep relegation trouble.The visitors had their first sight of goal when captain Callum O’Dowda’s cross was met by...
Barnet’s wobble in pursuit of the National League title continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Eastleigh.After nine victories in a row up to the end of March, Dean Brennan’s side are now winless in their last three games and had to come from behind to take a point from the visitors.Eastleigh took a 36th-minute lead through Paul McCallum after a poor back pass left the Bee...
Walsall boss Mat Sadler insists his stuttering Saddlers will not let heads drop despite slipping out of League Two’s top three for the first time in five months after a 2-2 draw with Harrogate.Liam Gordon’s 88th-minute equaliser rescued Walsall a point but they have gone 11 games without a win to drop from first to fourth.Just three points separate the top four, though, and Sadler rema...
Valerien Ismael described Blackburn’s 4-1 hammering of Millwall as the best his side has played since his arrival as head coach.Rovers maintained their slim play-off hopes by putting their in-form visitors to the sword.Dominic Hyam’s 42nd-minute header put Rovers ahead – the first of three goals in five minutes – as Mihailo Ivanovic equalised before Sondre Tronstad register...
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