Manchester United secured a commanding 3-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal held on Thursday night. The decisive win not only positions United well to advance to the final, but marks a return to dominance on the field. They have now done so to become the only unbeaten team remaining across all European competitions this season.
Casemiro opened the scoring for Manchester United, netting in the 30th minute. He deftly made his way to the back post and finished off a beautifully timed cross. His early goal opened the flood gates, loosening the match and giving his side a vital early lead away from home.
Bruno Fernandes extended Manchester United’s lead from the penalty spot after Rasmus Hojlund was fouled in the area by Athletic Bilbao’s Daniel Vivian. Norwegian referee Espen Eskas couldn’t have been swifter. He ruled that Vivian had denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, which meant the defender was shown a straight red card. Fernandes coolly slotted home the resulting penalty to score his first of two goals on the evening.
Fernandes added a third shortly after, further illustrating just how crucial the Portuguese is to United’s attack. The Portuguese midfielder’s performance on Tuesday reminded us all just how well he dominates the most important moments of the biggest matches.
Even with such strong possession stats, United started to look a little shaky defensively at times. As Athletic Bilbao broke, Victor Lindelof scampered back to make a crucial block on the line to deny an Athletic Bilbao equaliser. In the second half, only a superb save from Maignan prevented Casemiro from doubling the lead with a towering header. It rattled the crossbar, an indication of the visitors’ almost unmatched attacking menace.
Harry Maguire, Manchester United’s captain, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance post-match.
“Of course it’s a great start, to get a victory here and score three goals and with a clean sheet,” – Harry Maguire
He admitted the weight of expectation as favorites in the second leg. He was adamant about the need for preparation.
“All the pressure will be on us, everyone will be expecting us to go through. We need to prepare properly, and if we do that, we’ll give ourselves a great chance,” – Harry Maguire
As they go into the second leg, Manchester United’s priority will be on keeping up the momentum. That’s compounded by a difficult Premier League start to the season. That makes the Europa League the best route to silverware this term.
“One foot in the final, but it’s not done.” – Harry Maguire
As they head into the second leg, Manchester United’s focus will remain on maintaining momentum. While they navigate a challenging Premier League campaign, the Europa League has emerged as a promising opportunity for silverware this season.
