De Jong sends gritty Sevilla past Man Utd into Europa League final
Europa League thoroughbreds Sevilla reached another final as substitute Luuk de Jong struck in the 78th minute to earn them a gritty 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
United, already beaten in two domestic semi-finals this year, looked on course to create it third time lucky when Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot in the ninth minute.
But former Liverpool player Suso levelled in the 26th minute, and the Spaniards showed almost all their European know-how to weather a United storm on a humid night in Cologne.
Inspired goalkeeper Yassine Bono found Sevilla's rescue on several occasions, and when United's energy levels dipped, De Jong stole directly into snatch victory.
Sevilla will meet either Inter Milan or Shakhtar Donetsk in the ultimate in Cologne on Friday, when they will be going for their sixth title in your competition since 2006.
"I feel like I am hugged by joy. We really know what this side has experienced, today included, and we have such a resilience against such intensity," said Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui, whose side are now unbeaten in 20 games in every competitions.
While Sevilla have an opportunity to restore Spanish pride after Barcelona's horror show in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday, United's defeat underlined an unhealthy European season for English clubs, who provided all finalists in last season's Europa and Champions League competitions.
United were the only English club to reach a continental semi-final this season after Manchester City were dumped from the Champions League by Lyon on Saturday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side may ask themselves how they allowed that one to slip through their fingers though.
"The keeper's had an excellent game. Of course it's disappointing that people don't score. We know we have players who have the product quality to score, but that is the game," Solskjaer said.
"You could see how tired these were towards the finish. Tired legs, tired minds."
United made a dream start when Diego Carlos brought down Marcus Rashford in the area soon after the striker fired across goal. The referee belatedly pointed to the spot, handing United their 22nd penalty of the growing season in all competitions, and Bruno Fernandes, who almost turned in Rashford's shot, smashed his spot kick past Bono.
Fred had an opportunity to make it 2-0 for United on the counter-attack however in a wildly open first half, Sevilla levelled when Suso swept in Sergio Reguilon's low cross.
United should have led by halftime with Anthony Martial side-footing an excellent chance over the bar, Rashford stinging the palms of Bono, and Fernandes's improvised volley forcing another fine save from the Moroccan.
Bono made another instinctive stop from Mason Greenwood soon after halftime as United laid siege to the Sevilla goal.
Martial was also denied by Bono as Sevilla's goal led a charmed life, however they battened down the hatches and regained a foothold as United's intensity inevitably waned.
United had 20 attempts at goal weighed against Sevilla's nine, but all the spurned gilt-edged chances came back to bite them as their hopes of an initial trophy since winning the Europa League under Jose Mourinho three years ago evaporated.
To create matters worse it had been former Manchester City player Jesus Navas's cross from the proper that caught Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka sleeping and De Jong drifted in behind the pair of them to slot home.
United's frustration was in a way that Lindelof and Fernandes had a heated row.
"I believe it's normal (to be frustrated) when you concede a goal in the last ten minutes. What happened between me and Victor was nothing," Fernandes said afterwards.
