Manchester United

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Manchester United win the Europa League and earn a Champions League spot after beating Ajax 2-0 (May 24 2017)


Manchester United pulled together in their city's time of darkness, showing no little skill and spirit to overcome Ajax 2-0 and win the Europa League.

Less than 48 hours after a terror attack killed 22 people and injured many more at Manchester Arena, the club's fans, players and staff stood unbowed in Stockholm.

Football seems trivial at a time of such pain but United embraced the spirit shown in spades by the city they represent, with Jose Mourinho's men winning the Europa League as goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan secured a 2-0 triumph against Ajax.

United's first continental trophy in nine years brings with it the welcome boon of Champions League qualification after a disappointing Premier League campaign, but more crucially a cathartic, if temporary, release for some.

Nerves were settled at the Friends Arena when Pogba - playing in his second match since his father Fassou Antoine died aged 79 - opened the scoring with a low shot that deflected in off Davinson Sanchez.

United's goal was just reward for a bright start that soon tapered off, only for Mourinho's men to return impressively from the break as Mkhitaryan directed home acrobatically.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ajax's callow side - the youngest ever in a major European final - were unable to find a way back as United added to this season's EFL Cup and Community Shield triumphs.

Europa League glory means United join Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus as the only clubs to have won all three major UEFA trophies, including the now-defunct European Cup Winners' Cup, as well as the Club World Cup or the Intercontinental Cup.

But after a tragic few days for their city, most important was their victorious show of defiance that all connected to the club can be proud of.

Mourinho's men stepped away from the brouhaha that normally surrounds the build-up and wore black armbands in Stockholm, where a minute's silence quickly turned into applause.

Stockholm knows all too well the impact of such an attack as just last month five people were killed by a hijacked truck in the city centre, meaning security around the game had already been beefed up.

Armed police patrolled the perimeter of a ground that witnessed United's 64th match of a draining campaign, with the Europa League taking them more than 15,000 miles.

There were surprisingly few signs of lethargy early on, though.

Pogba's volley wide after 24 seconds was a shot across the bows for an Ajax defence dragged all over by Marcus Rashford.

The Dutch giants were relieved to see Juan Mata's fizzing cross evade Marouane Fellaini before they flickered into life, with Sergio Romero, selected ahead of David De Gea, denying Bertrand Traore.

Yet hope was soon dampened as within minutes Ajax's first major European final in 21 years became an uphill battle.

Neat play down the right ended with Pogba collecting the ball on the edge of the box. The Frenchman opened up his body and took a low 20-yard shot that deflected off Sanchez, wrong-footing goalkeeper Andre Onana and rippling the back of the net.

United's travelling hordes erupted as Pogba punched his chest, celebrating a goal that captain Antonio Valencia soon attempted to add to with a driving run and shot.

That was the last chance of note United would muster as Ajax began to settle, although dawdling Sanchez was fortunate not to be picked off by Rashford.

Daley Blind brought a timely end to a slaloming run by Traore as the Dutch side were afforded too much time in possession, but a lack of cutting edge meant they were unable to take advantage.

United re-grouped at the break and capitalised three minutes after the restart.

Chris Smalling rose to meet a corner from the right, heading on for Mkhitaryan to smartly lift into the roof of the net in front of United's raucous support.

Any building tension was released and Ajax struggled to respond to the second-half sucker punch, with Fellaini trying to compound matters with a header saved by Onana.

Tempers began to fray on the touchline after a late Mata challenge, while substitute Jesse Lingard was denied a late goal by Sanchez's recovery challenge.

Donny van de Beek was unable to truly test Romero as Ajax looked to claw back a consolation, but it was not to be for Amsterdam side.

Wayne Rooney came on for the dying embers and was handed the captain's armband by Valencia, celebrating wildly with his team-mates at the final whistle.
Champions League 2017/18 odds

Manchester United are a Price Boosted 16/1 with Sky Bet to win next season's Champions League after earning a spot in the competition via their Europa League triumph.

Barcelona are the 9/2 favourites ahead of Real Madrid (11/2), who are preparing for this year's final with Juventus (9/1), and Bayern Munich (11/2).

Behind the Turin giants are two of the Premier League quintet - Manchester City (11/1) and Chelsea (12/1) - while Tottenham and Liverpool can be backed at 20/1 and 25/1 respectively.

Ajax 0-2 Manchester United: Player reaction

Paul Pogba dedicated Manchester United's Europa League triumph in Stockholm to the victims of Manchester terror attack. He said: "We know that things like this are very sad, all over the world: in Manchester, in London and in Paris, too. We had to focus because it was a very important game and we won for them and for the country.

"We played for England, we played for Manchester, and we played for the people who died."

On earning a spot in the Champions League: "We knew we were going to play in the Europa League and the goal was to win the Europa League. We did it, so we're very proud. Some say we had a bad season but the prize is here. We worked hard and we'll enjoy it now."

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who scored five European goals this term, said: "Thank you to my team-mates because without them I couldn't score so many goals. I'm happy that I scored here today in the final because everyone was saying, 'You're going to score in the final' and after the last game against Celta Vigo I was dreaming about scoring in the final and I did.

"We were fighting in two races: the Premier League and the Europa League. In the Premier League we couldn't hit the target to go to the Champions League but tonight we gave all our effort and now we're playing in the Champions League."

Juan Mata added: "It's massive for us. We came here with one option - to win the trophy that the club had never won and we did it so we are happy. It was a great final and my first European final with United, hopefully the first of many. Especially after what happened (in Manchester) we wanted to win this and we'll bring the trophy back.

"It was a very difficult week for a lot of us and for the city of Manchester and we tried to win for all the people who have suffered. This trophy is for them."