Sevilla 2-1 Man Utd report & highlights: Luuk de Jong's late goal puts Spanish side in Europa League final

A Bruno Fernandes penalty gave United an early lead but a Suso equaliser and late Luuk de Jong strike made the Red Devils pay for missing a host of chances during a dominant period at the start of the second half.

Europa League specialists Sevilla now go through to Friday's final to face either Inter Milan or Shakhtar Donetsk.

• Inter Milan v Shakhtar Donetsk preview

It was third time unlucky for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they lost a cup semi-final for the third time this season, following their Carabao Cup and FA Cup defeats with this stinging loss in Germany, where they made more than enough chances to win the game.

It also sealed a third straight season without collecting silverware for the first time in over 30 years for United.

The Red Devils made the perfect start when they got their now customary penalty inside ten minutes - Fernandes expertly disapatching their 22nd spot-kick of the season.

In a wide open game, United had a multitude of chances to double their lead before former Liverpool forward Suso equalised for the five-time Europa League winners after 26 minutes.

The crucial period came just after the break, when United were camped out in the Sevilla third of the pitch and firing in shot after shot and carving out chance after chance.

Sevilla keeper Bono had a stunning spell of saves and blocks while Sevilla bodies were being thrown at balls to block and into tackles to fend off the waves of United attacks.

It felt inevitable that Man Utd would be made to pay for their wasteful finishing, and sure enough Sevilla punished them 12 minutes from time as De Jong tapped in from close range after a fine cross from Jesus Navas.

Questions will be raised about the United defending for the winner, with De Jong the only Sevilla player anywhere near the box but Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all failing to get near him.

Goal highlights

Sevilla 2-1 Manchester United - Opta stats

• Sevilla have reached their sixth UEFA Cup/Europa League final, at least two more times than any other side in the history of the competition.
• Manchester United have now been eliminated from European competition by Spanish opposition for the third consecutive campaign, also losing to Sevilla in the Champions League Last 16 in 2017-18 and Barcelona in the 2018-19 Champions League quarter-finals.
• Sevilla are now unbeaten in their last 20 games in all competitions since a 1-2 defeat to Celta Vigo in February (W11 D9), just the fourth different side within Europe’s top five leagues this season to enjoy such a run (also Bayern Munich, PSG & Real Madrid).
• Including both their quarter-final victory over FC København and their match with Sevilla tonight, Manchester United had 46 shots, with 21 hitting the target; however, the Red Devils have managed just two goals from the penalty spot in those matches with a conversion rate of 4.4%.
• Manchester United have been awarded 22 penalties in all competitions this season, the most by a side in a single campaign within Europe’s top five leagues since Barcelona in 2015-16 (24).
• Since his Manchester United debut on February 1st 2020, only Robert Lewandowski (28) and Lionel Messi (27) have had a direct hand in more goals in all competitions than Bruno Fernandes (20 - 12 goals, 8 assists) within Europe’s top five leagues.
• Bruno Fernandes has scored 100% of the 14 penalties he has taken in all competitions this season, scoring six for Sporting CP before his move to current club Manchester United, where he has netted eight spot-kicks.

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