Manchester United faced off against Sevilla in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. The match was held at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany. The game promised to be a tough encounter, as both teams had shown their quality throughout the competition.
21 APRIL 2023
TIME: 03:00 PM ET
Manchester United face Sevilla tonight hoping to book their spot in the Europa League semi-finals.
While the Red Devils had looked to be heading towards the last eight already, their first-leg lead evaporated in unfortunate circumstances a week ago to send the teams to Spain level on aggregate at 2-2.
Erik ten Hag’s United warmed up for the return fixture with a comfortable win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday but have been contending with a major injury crisis that is now starting to ease.
The match started off evenly, with both teams having their fair share of possession and chances. Manchester United started the game brightly and created a few half-chances early on. However, Sevilla’s defense held firm, and they gradually grew into the game.
Date, kick-off time and venue:-
Sevilla vs Manchester United is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off tonight on Thursday April 20, 2023.
The match will take place at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville.
Sevilla took the lead in the 26th minute, through a Suso goal. The goal came after some good work down the right-hand side, which resulted in a cross into the box. Suso was in the right place at the right time and slotted the ball past the Manchester United goalkeeper.
Manchester United responded well to going behind and created a few good chances to equalize. However, they were unable to convert their chances, and the first half ended with Sevilla leading 1-0.
The second half started much like the first, with both teams having their fair share of possession and chances. Manchester United continued to push forward, looking for the equalizer, while Sevilla looked to hit them on the counter-attack.
Sevilla doubled their lead in the 78th minute, through a De Jong goal. The goal came after some good work down the left-hand side, which resulted in a cross into the box. De Jong rose highest and headed the ball past the Manchester United goalkeeper.
Manchester United continued to push forward, looking for a way back into the game. However, Sevilla’s defense held firm, and they were unable to create any clear-cut chances.
The match ended 2-0 in favor of Sevilla, which meant that they had booked their place in the final of the Europa League. It was a disappointing result for Manchester United, who had been hoping to win the competition.
There were a few reasons why Manchester United lost the match. Firstly, they were not clinical enough in front of goal. They created a few good chances but were unable to convert them. Secondly, their defense was not solid enough, and they conceded two goals that could have been avoided. Lastly, they were unable to match Sevilla’s intensity and were outplayed in the midfield.
Overall, it was a disappointing end to the season for Manchester United. However, they can take some positives from the game and the season as a whole. They had shown that they had the quality to compete with the best teams in Europe and had made progress under their manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Sevilla, on the other hand, had shown their pedigree in the Europa League once again. They had played some excellent football throughout the competition and deserved to reach the final. They would go on to beat Inter Milan in the final and win the Europa League for the fourth time in seven years.