Manchester United unveiled a first ever tifo that declared, “Never Gonna Stop”, then did precisely this by knocking out 10-man Lyon in an electrifying close to extra-time.
In the first period Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette had put the French two ahead. But, now, drama: Casemiro went down and Sandro Schärer, ordered to the monitor, awarded a penalty Bruno Fernandes scored.
Then, in the last minute of extra-time Kobbie Mainoo made it 6-6 on aggregate before Harry Maguire headed the winner. Cue utter bedlam as Old Trafford erupted, and so United head to Spain for a semi-final with Athletic Bilbao: after this, will anyone wager against them reaching the showpiece at the same venue in May?
With the host broadcaster’s cameras fixed on him before kick-off André Onana hoped to quieten the scrutiny via a far quieter night than last week’s personal fiasco. The wish was granted, in the early phases, as bursts from Leny Yoro plus slick back-to-front football from Patrick Dorgu, Noussair Mazraoui, Maguire and Manuel Ugarte kept the ball away from his zone.
Clever interplay, too, between Diogo Dalot and Fernandes claimed a corner United’s captain swung in: the delivery disappointed but the Portuguese soon improved as he was instrumental in Ugarte’s opener. Here, Mazraoui flipped the ball to Fernandes as he cruised along the right. The ball was relayed for Garnacho as the winger, moving over from his left-sided berth, ran in a near-post area. His pass to Ugarte was as precise as the No 25’s left-foot finish that sent the home congregation into raptures.
Lyon, as rattled as Onana was at their stadium, vied with further disaster when Corentin Tolisso dawdled and Casemiro took over. The captain tried to recover, failed, and was grateful to Lucas Perri for the goalkeeper’s save from Casemiro.
United were in a smart and fast mode that put Lyon under siege. But they failed to capitalise and so the Frenchmen breathed easier and, then, thrust at their host. A series of raids were launched into United’s area which had Amorim’s men buckling. Cherki saw a shot ping off Maguire for a corner. Georges Mikautadze slipped in towards the spot, Maguire hoofed clear. Nicolas Tagliafico’s effort was deflected out for another corner. At this, taken by Cherki, Paul Akouokou rose and headed and Onana saved. Then came the clearest opening: Tagliaficao crossed, Yoro miskicked, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, roving in behind, snatched at the chance to equalise.
Lyon had United in a chokehold. When Cherki danced through and unloaded a goal seemed certain but Onana flew low and right and pushed out the ball and his side survived.
Now, United roared back in a moment which thrilled. Dalot fashioned a long parabola from his half and Fernandes, running forward, stretched to power a spectacular volley that left Perri a spectator and crashed off the bar, drawing “oohs” from the crowd. More followed when Rasmus Højlund swivelled and fed the irrepressible Fernandes: again the attempt beat Perri, but this time the attempt spiralled wide.
United hurtled into the break like a train, as the period finished perfectly for them with a second. This was route-one stuff, in high-class fashion. Maguire, deep in his territory, dropped a 70-yard pass supremely into Dalot. The wing-back shrugged off Tagliafico, then coolly rolled home, off Perri’s right post.
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Mazraoui, perhaps injured, was replaced by Luke Shaw as the second-half whistle blew, as Garnacho continued to be a dagger in Lyon, claiming a free-kick via a lightning thrust. The Argentinian can lack composure but he was uber-calm when sprinting in after a Højlund defence-splitter. Entering the area, an amateur was made of his marker, he steadied, and blazed at goal, only Perri’s acrobatics stopping a certain third.
Soon, he nearly rued this, as Tolisso stole an inch in United’s area, and the score would have been 2-1 but for excellent Onana reflexes. If Lyon could pull one back, a grandstand finish would be in store. Mikautadze might have done the trick but the No 69 slashed the ball wide in a moment as panicked as Dalot’s was slick when, moments later, he again bested Tagliafico. Suddenly he was in Lyon’s area and crossing but no teammate could prosper.
From the Stretford End came the “Ruben Amorim, he’ll bring the glory days again” song and, as Lyon fans lit red flares, the continental dream remained firmly on.
But, now, a Lyon roar as Lacazette beat Onana with a header and Tolisso nodded in.
United were in disarray: a Maitland-Niles laser was repelled by a desperate Onana leg but he could do nothing to stop Tagliafico’s equaliser, the No 1 exposed by shoddy defending.