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April 29, 2021
Bruno Fernandes
, The Canadian Press
MANCHESTER, England – Manchester United gave Roma another heavy blow at Old Trafford and won 6-2 on Thursday thanks to Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes doubles to the Europa League final in Fourteen years after the 7-1 victory in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the Roma imploded again in the home stadium of the English team after leading 2-1 at half-time in the first leg of the semi-finals.
Cavani scored two of United’s five goals in the second half. Fernandes added a penalty to his brilliant first half opener before Paul Pogba and substitute Mason Greenwood also scored.United are now expected to end their bouts in the semi-finals of the major competitions under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after scoring in has lost four times in the last 16 months alone – including against Sevilla in last season’s Europa League.
The other semifinals are more finely prepared and Villarreal lead Arsenal 2-1 into next week’s second legs. Both teams finished the game with 10 men.
The Roma lament their misfortune with injuries. Midfielder Jordan Veretout, goalkeeper Pau Lopez and full-back Leonardo Spinazzola were sent off in the first 37 minutes. That meant pressured manager Paulo Fonseca couldn’t make a move after half-time.
Solskjaer was a member of the United team that defeated Roma in 2007 and is now the manager of the first United team to Has scored at least five goals in a semi-final match in European competition.
« I don’t think the job is done, » he said, « but it was a good job. »
As a former striker, he was impressed of the performance of Cavani, the 34-year-old Uruguayan who gave a clinic to lead the line – albeit against a binding defense with former United player Chris Smalling.
It was Cavani who slipped in Fernandes to to score United’s first goal against Lopez in the ninth minute. And the striker scored an even better pass – with the outside of his right foot – to free Greenwood for the sixth goal in the 86th minute.
In between, Cavani steered a shot into the top shortly after half-time 2-2 Corner to equalize and hit from close range in the 64th minute to give United the lead after Lopez’s successor, 37-year-old Antonio Mirante, fumbled a shot from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
It was Cavani, fouled from behind by Smalling after the striker attempted a shot from Marcus Rashford’s cross to give Fernandes a chance to make it 4-2. The Portuguese playmaker made no mistake and has now received 20 of the 21 penalties he has imposed on United since joining in January 2020 made the first half, really ruined it. «
Indeed, Roma were able to defend themselves against an early goal. Lorenzo Pellegrini converted his own penalty after a handball from Pogba before assisting Edin Dzeko for his usual goal at Old Trafford.
That’s six of five appearances at United’s stadium, after scoring there for Wolfsburg and Manchester City Has.
Ref: https://www.tsn.ca
