MAN UTD 3, SOUTHAMPTON 2
Jose Mourinho created history by becoming the first Manchester United manager to win a piece of silverware in his first season…but only just.
The final of the EFL Cup final was, however, far from the stroll many had predicted for United as they overcame spirited Southampton at Wembley to win this knockout for a fifth time.
The Reds certainly rode their luck – Saints scored twice through new Italian hero Manolo Gabbiadini, had a perfectly good goal ruled out from the same player, struck the upright and forced keeper David De Gea to make two splendid saves.
You only had to look at the stats to reinforce that as Saints had 52-per-cent possession, 12 goals attempts to United’s 10 and the corner count was 12-3 in their favour.
While United’s defending was uncharacteristically shambolic, the saving grace was their attacking play as they triumphed against the odds.
Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic was their talisman scoring twice, including a late winner, while Jesse Lingard also found the net.
And it was then left to unused Reds’ substitute Wayne Rooney, the club captain, to lift the cup as he was again a peripheral figure in the game as he has been in so much of the current campaign.
Mourinho, whose first trophy in English football was the League Cup with Chelsea, will be hoping this triumph will be followed by a period of success similar to that achieved while at Stamford Bridge.
After maintaining his perfect record from four League Cup finals, Mourinho said: “I am happy with the victory and to do it four times, the same number of times as Mr Clough and for United to win it for a fifth time.
“I don’t like these tricky finals when we are favourites and afraid of them and prefer it when two big clubs are involved.”
Mourinho began his press conference by paying tribute to Saints and manager Claude Puel saying: “They have every reason to be sad and disappointed as they were fantastic and deserved extra time.
“To lose in the 87th minute, and have no time to react like they did in the first half, was unfair.
“To Claude, his Southampton players and fans, they gave us a beautiful final for the neutral and it was a beautiful match.”
Mourinho added his side was lucky to be 2-0 ahead adding Saints’ opening goal in first half stoppage time completely changed the direction of the game.
The United manager also felt Saints, without a game for a fortnight, were fresher while his side had played four times in the last 11 days.
But he praised his players adding: “We coped and were humble and the boys stuck together and we had a bit of luck.
“It was important to win for the fans, the club and the players and I am secondary to that, though I put pressure on myself as I want to win a major trophy at every club I have been at.”
Saints’ manager Puel, who was proud of his players, said: “It’s hard and disappointing to lose, but that’s football.
“It was said before the game we were underdogs, but now we can say it was a good thing as we had a possibility to win.
“It was difficult to accept we were 2-0 down as we created many chances, but we came back and showed quality and spirit in a great game, a fantastic game.”
Apart from the injured Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Phil Jones, it was a full-strength United side with Mourinho’s only dilemma which players to leave out.
There six changes from the side that won at St Etienne in the Europa League on Wednesday as De Gea, Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial returned.
There was also a rare start for Jesse Lingard who was given the Mkhitaryan role making darting runs from midfield.
The fit-again Michael Carrick and Rooney were named among the substitutes who also included Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini.
United had the first goal attempt in the fourth minute when a fierce 30-yard drive from Paul Pogba was fisted out by keeper Fraser Forster.
Saints’ opening chance fell to Nathan Redmond whose shot was deflected off Herrera for a corner.
There was an almighty let off for United when Saints wrongly had a goal chalked out for offside in the 11th minute.
Cedric Soares breezed past Rojo and his low cross was converted by Gabbiadini who was clearly on side while Ryan Bertrand, stood behind him was offside, but not interfering so the goal ought to have stood.
United made the most of that stroke of good fortune to take a 19th minute lead after Oriol Romeu was booked for a foul on Herrara more than 30 yards from goal.
Ibrahimovic bent an exquisite free kick around the defensive wall low to Forster’s right for his 19th goal in the last 22 games and 25th of the season.
The Swede, who has scored in each of his last five domestic cup finals – the other four at Paris St Germain – was also the second oldest player to score in the League Cup final behind Stoke City’s George Eastham in 1972.
Saints came close to drawing level in the 28th minute when Gabbiadini laid off the ball to James Ward-Prowse whose 25-yard drive forced a great save from De Gea diving low to his right.
And they went close again in the 32nd minute when Dusan Tadic was left unmarked on the edge of the box and his shot was scrambled away by the legs of De Gea.
Again United rode their luck and in the 38th minute went 2-0 ahead after a neat passing move down the left.
Rojo played a short ball to Lingard who, from just inside the box, fired low to the left of Forster.
It completed a hat trick of goals at Wembley in the last nine months after strikes in the final of the FA Cup and also in the Community Shield.
Saints halved the deficit in first half stoppage time with a goal their first-half display richly deserved.
Ward-Prowse’s low cross from the right was converted by Gabbiadini who nicked the ball through the legs of De Gea from three yards.
United made a change at the break as Carrick replaced Mata as they desperately needed a holding midfielder as all their other men in the middle were attack minded.
It failed to pay immediate dividends as Saints drew level after the break when Gabbiadini found the net again.
Redmond’s volley was turned behind for a corner from which United failed to clear the danger as the Italian turned sharply to hook a shot low to the left of Dea Gea. It was his fifth goal in three games since his £14million January move from Napoli.
United were lucky not to fall behind in the 63rd minute when Romeu headed against the upright from Ward-Prowse’s corner as their defensive play remained a major worry.
Lingard shot narrowly over and moments later was replaced by Rashford who had 13 minutes to make his mark, assuming the game didn’t go to extra time that was looking increasingly likely.
But there was one final twist as United regained the lead with three minutes left after a break by Ibrahimovic.
The ball was eventually played wide right to Herrera whose cross was headed home by Ibrahimovic from six yards for his 26th goal of the campaign.
Martial made way for Fellaini as Mourinho looked to shut up shop for the remaining minutes, including four for stoppages as they held on for a victory that was certainly hard earned.