Man Utd 5
Lyon 4
In the words of Rio Ferdinand, we needed more than a miracle after Lyon had basically not only overturned the 0-2 deficit but had just score a penalty and made 4-2 in their favour in extra time with 10 minutes to play (despite playing with a player less). Surely, this was the end of our Europa League campaign. Some supporters starting exiting OT to make their way home.
But let’s start from the very beginning. A great first half with goals from Ugarte and Dalot just before HT had put us firmly ahead in this tie. Perfect timing for the second goal just before HT – we needed that goal, I said to myself – now we can manage the second half. Once again, this United team proved me wrong. After missing a couple of good chances to close the tie with the 3rd goal, we incredibly allowed Lyon to crawl back with 2 goals in 8 minutes!
Despite some attempts to win it, the match dragged inevitably towards extra time but on 89 minutes, a Lyon player was sent off (harshly, if I may add being objective). Surely we can win this in extra time against 10 men now!
Incredibly, Lyon scored 2 goals with 10 men and at that point, some of the United ‘supporters’ inside OT had started going out. But wait, Casemiro was fouled in the penalty box – VAR confirmed it was a pen and 4 minutes after conceding the 4th Lyon goal from a penalty, we were given a lifeline. As Bruno mad it 4-3 (as usual, I could not look!) some supporters started coming back into OT. From desperation at the MUSC Malta, we started hoping, maybe against hope, but one goal within the next 6 minutes would take us to penalties. With our hopes diminishing with every minute that passes, the 120th minute started and we were in added time and then it happened. It seemed, for a few magical minutes, the spirit of days gone by, incredible comebacks, goals in Fergie time – all of this came alive. Mainoo, served by Casemiro, made it 4-4 with a goal which resembled vaguely his debit goal vs Wolves and our supporters club was bouncing and while the jubilation had not even started to subside, Casemiro floated in a cross and Maguire headed in – OT erupted and our club went totally crazy!
3 goals in the last 6 minutes of extra time would have been a big ask even from the great United teams of the past but somehow, somehow, this team that sometimes struggles to get 3 shots on target in 90 minutes scored 3 in 6 minutes! The Europa League dream is still alive and we now face Bilbao in the semi final.
Some will argue that unless we go on and win it, this incredible night will be useless. I beg to disagree. It is nights like these that supporters will remember for decades to come. In possibly the worst season I can remember, this was a night where the spirit of Manchester United came alive and the players out there on the pitch will know that it was something special. The next day I was still trying to get to grips with what happened. It all seemed like a dream, but it was not. It happened, and our Europa League dream is still alive – we have two more matches to look forward to this season…Numquam Moribimur!
