Man Unt close to Europa League final.

[bennythedip2]

Celta Vigo 0-1 Manchester United: Report and reaction (May 04 2017)

Marcus Rashford's splendid free-kick secured Manchester United a hard-fought 1-0 win at Celta Vigo to edge Jose Mourinho's men closer to the Europa League final.

England's last European representatives have travelled far and wide in their bid to win the only major continental trophy to have eluded them in their success-laden history.

Europa League glory also offers a route back to the Champions League - an increasingly important option given their Premier League struggles - and Mourinho's men are in the driving seat of this semi-final after Rashford's fine free-kick secured a first-leg win at Celta.

The away goal could prove crucial ahead of next week's return fixture at Old Trafford, where the Spanish side face an uphill battle to progress from their first major European semi-final.

Daniel Wass had given United an early scare but the visitors edged the first half, with Celta goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez staying strong to thwart Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard.

Sergio Romero did well to deny Pione Sisto as Celta threatened to punish United's all too familiar lack of killer instinct, only for Rashford to step up to the plate yet again.

Having sent United through to semi-final with his extra-time strike against Anderlecht, the 19-year-old settled the first leg with a second-half free-kick that sent the away support - and Mourinho - wild.

The importance of this occasion to Vigo was palpable as monuments were draped in sky blue, ribbons tied to taxis and streets lined with posters reading 'This is Afouteza' - the Galician word for bravery.

Local pride was clear and the din remarkable as the sides stepped out at Balaidos, where Wass wasted the chance to make himself a hero by nodding Nemanja Radoja's fine early cross wide.

It was a let off for a United side that restricted Celta to long-range efforts for the remainder of a first half in which goalkeeper Alvarez was key.

United's first shot did not arrive until the 20th minute but when it did the hosts' goalkeeper had to be at his best, producing a save just as superb as Rashford's 20-yard effort to keep it scoreless.

Lingard just failed to get a telling touch on a Mkhitaryan cross as the visitors looked to take the advantage in an entertaining first half.

The latter has been so key in this run and could - and perhaps should - have struck on a fifth successive European trip, only for a poor finish from Paul Pogba's side-splitting pass to be denied smartly by Alvarez.

Celta fans chanted their goalkeeper's name and were thankful to him again as half-time approached after denying Lingard.

Pogba struck over early and Iago Aspas directed wide early in the second half, with the superb reactions of United goalkeeper Romero preventing Sisto's deflected effort finding the net.

Tensions were growing as the wait for a breakthrough continued, with the relief clear from Mourinho's celebrations in the 67th minute.

Rashford and Daley Blind stood over a free-kick just over 20 yards from goal.

The latter ran over it and Rashford punished wrong-footed Alvarez by fizzing home a right-footed strike home.

Mourinho headed towards the away fans punching the air at a goal that former Liverpool forward Aspas tried to cancel out, before Lingard lashed wide at the other end.

Tempers frayed as Rashford took his time leaving the field after being substituted and Marouane Fellaini avoided a second booking, with issues continuing on the touchline as the match entered the final minutes.

Celta pushed for a late leveller but, try as they might, it did not arrive.
Match reaction


Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho hailed the quality and maturity of Marcus Rashford.

"He's a 19-year-old kid in love with football," United boss Mourinho told BT Sport.

"A kid that finishes a training session, who stays half an hour more to take free-kicks. He waits for the opportunity so it's his mentality. He works, he works, he works.

"He's very mature and let's forget the age because it's not the age, it's the quality."

Mourinho thinks the Red Devils can progress to the May 24 final at the Friends Arena in Stockholm.

"I'm very pleased with the performance, not so pleased with the result," he said.

"At half-time it should be, I don't want to say three but two (goals) and the result is open and I think we played enough to have the result closed.

"I think we played really well. It was a good performance.

"That match at Old Trafford, let's hope that Old Trafford wants us to win because when Old Trafford wants, we win. So let's hope they want."
Sky Bet update


Manchester United are now the odds-on favourites at 1/2 with Sky Bet to win the Europa League after taking control of their semi-final tie against Celta Vigo.

Ajax follow in the outright odds at 9/4 ahead of Celta (16/1) and Lyon (16/1), who lost 4-1 to Ajax in the first leg of their tie on Wednesday night.

[Part-Timer]

Will Rushford get a medal for his diving. Penalty last week, free kick this. If he was foreign the British press would have his life