Maybe Manchester United cannot save his season, but he can still have a silver lining after a fairly breathtaking evening in Bilbao.
United produced its best performance still under Ruben Amorim to calm the cauldron of the San Mames Estadio and take a big step towards the final of the Europa League final before the second stage next week in Old Trafford.
Two other goals from Captain Bruno Fernandes after Casemiro scored the first of the three inside a sensational spell of 16 minutes in the first half, clear favorites to move forward.
The final of May 21 will also take place here in Bilbao, where Amorim and his players would not have to face the same Basque pride in hot blood against Tottenham or Bodo / Glimt as they did Thursday evening.
Sports fans are always fervent. But fed by the enticing perspective of seeing their team play for a first European trophy in the history of the club on their own field, a day of celebration of a national holiday in May, and a feeling of Purri injustice
United resisted the storm with incredible composure, especially for a team that regularly does the hard thing.
Bruno Fernandes scored twice – including a penalty – to put Man United at the controls of the tie
The United Captain led from the front during a dream evening for the Red Devils in Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao failed to recover after Vivian was returned before Fernandes’ penalty
The side of Amorim has remained undefeated in Europe in a fairly categorical way. In doing so, they can always put an end to this most confusing season with a trophy and a jackpot of 100 million pounds sterling to qualify automatically for the Champions League.
Having admitted on the eve of this game that “nothing could save our season”, Amorim approached the next stage of a competition which could at least facilitate part of the pain by bringing two changes to his departure XI.
He brought Manuel Ugarte back in the midfield and Victor Lindelof in the back-three, which allowed ussir Mazraoui to go to the right wing and Mark Dangeman Nico Williams.
The best defensive team in La Liga had only conceded twice on the way to win the six home games in the Europa League, which did what happened in the first 45 minutes all the more amazing.
The place they call the cathedral – although they are not so respectful that they stopped singing for a minute of silence for the deceased pope – calmed down in the fifth minute when Alejandro Garnacho scored, but the reruns showed that he was half the offside.
United had two lucky escapes when Inaki Williams went to the thumbs of the crossroads of Alex Berenguer, then Lindelof somehow slipped the effort linked to the goals of berenguing with the outside of his knee after the Swedish has sunk the low cross of the right inaki to athletics n ° 7.
At this point, it seemed that United would be happy to get out of this place with a draw. But the game turned their heads in the space of 16 dramatic minutes while United scored twice and athletics was reduced to 10 men.
He started over half an hour when Harry Maguire, the goal against Lyon in the quarter-finals two weeks ago, became an unlikely supplier. Fernandes deceived a free kick on the left, sending him deriving on the other side of the field.
Casemiro put United on the way to victory by marking over half an hour
The Brazilian midfielder came back at close range after a fine game on the wing of Harry Maguire
United refused to be discouraged after excluding a first goal from Alejandro Garnacho for a marginal offside
Maguire recovered the ball under pressure from Mikel Jaucreguizar and it seemed to take the easy option and would return it to Garnacho. Instead, the great central back twisted this way and that ends up cutting a cross in the box.
Ugarte met him with a header that found Casemiro not marked at the rear post to nod the head from a tight angle. The San Mames were amazed and he turned into disbelief and fury two minutes later.
Ugarte again played a role, flying inigo Ruiz of Galarreta in the midfield. Mazraoui crossed paths with the right and Rasmus Hojlund said he was retained by Vivian while he was extending to reach the ball.
Italian Var Aleandro di Paolo advised ESKAS to go to the Pitch goalkeeper where he was begged by players and replacements.
The decision was a penalty and a right red card for Vivian, which was dismayed by the decision. The fury of athletic fans would have been even worse if they had seen what looked like Garnacho handball in construction.
Five minutes after the initial offense, Fernandes faced the ultras behind the goal of Julen Agirrerezabala and sent the Bilbao goalkeeper in the wrong direction.
It was his 17th goal of the season and an 18th was not far behind. Casemiro played the ball towards Fernandes and it was a bit disorderly while Hojlund obtained a touch and Ugarte bathed the ball.
United is now closed on securing a place in the Europa League final
It was a dream night for Ruben Amorim while his team dominated the first step
There was nothing disorder in the finish while Fernandes drew before actingrererereseabala and led a blow to him.
Surprisingly, Mazraoui almost made four when he rocked the bar in time, and the cacophony of the huts for Norwegian officials while the teams go out at half-time could not hide the feeling of shock inside the stadium.
If they hoped for a response from their team in the second half, it did not come. United was held comfortably and got closer to the most of another goal when Casemiro went against the outside of the pole in the corner of Fernandes after Garrezabala overturned the shot of 20 yards from the Brazilian.
You never know with this team, but United can surely start planning a return to Bilbao in three weeks.
