Villarreal 1, Manchester United 1 (Europa League final: Villarreal win 11-10 on penalties)
Villarreal won the Europa League after beating Manchester United on penalties – when David De Gea’s spot kick was saved by Geronimo Rulli.
Embed from Getty ImagesA dull rainswept game in Gdansk had come down to a remarkable shootout which went through every player on both teams until, with Villarreal leading 11-10 on spot kicks after holding United 1-1 after extra time, De Gea’s spot kick was finally saved after 23 previous penalties had gone in.
Wily Unai Emery, who had won the Europa League three times previously, had set up to frustrate United and it worked, taking the Reds to Extra Time in Gdansk for the first time since Emery’s Sevilla beat Benfica on penalties in 2014 and ultimately leaving United still without a trophy after four years after the longest penalty shootout in UEFA history.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was reluctant to make changes as the game went into Extra Time and the Reds looked increasingly unlikely to score again after they hit the equaliser – there was a total of three shots on target in the entire game including the two goals on the night as Gerard Moreno’s opener was cancelled out by Edinson Cavani.
And the spot kicks, when they came, were in front of the Villarreal fans and they went right to the wire with Rulli’s save from De Gea sending the 2,000 Villarreal fans into ecstasy after a long night in Poland to win their first major trophy in their 98 year history.
United’s passing was poor all night and they struggled to find a way past a highly defensive Villarreal side who were relying on set pieces until they committed more to attack and grabbed a second half equaliser before fatigue at the end of a long season diluted the attacking prowess of the Reds.
Only Eric Bailly retained his place in the side after United’s win at Wolves on Sunday but Harry Maguire failed in his bid to be involved from the start in the Europa League final.
David De Gea was preferred to Dean Henderson in goal as the Reds’ big hitters were all recalled with Paul Pogba partnering Scott McTominay in midfield while Marcus Rashford got the nod up front in an attack heavy side.
United were poor in the first half and could not find their rhythm against a stubborn Villarreal defence who were hard to breach after being give plenty of time to set themselves against United’s slow build-up.
Juan Foyth, on loan from Spurs, had to have some running repairs after a cut on the head and nosebleed as he collided with an otherwise anonymous Pogba early on.
Chances were few for both sides but United regretted missing Maguire when the Reds fell asleep yet again during a routine set piece.
In-form Gerard Moreno, set to be the starting striker for Spain at the Euros this summer, went round Eric Bailly and evaded Victor Lindelof to get on the end of a Dani Parejo free kick to stab home the half volley past De Gea after 29 minutes.
It was the 30th goal of a productive season for Moreno – the most for Villarreal since former Manchester United forward Guiseppe Rossi in 2010-11 – and the 100th goal scored this season by the prolific Spanish side who finally scored the first goal between the two sides in 389 minutes of action after previously sharing two goalless Champions League encounters.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross was headed away by veteran defender Raul Albiol while Rashford was denied by Pedraza and Mason Greenwood’s cross was deflected into the arms of goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli by Albiol.
United could have been 2-0 down after the break when they failed to clear Alfonso Pedraza’s ball into the area and Carlos Bacca almost doubled their lead.
Pedraza appeared to catch Greenwood while challenging for the ball – an invitation for a VAR check which saw the Spanish side somehow avoid a penalty.
Etienne Capoue gave away a free kick in a similar position to the one Villarreal scored from and Luke Shaw won a corner.
Edinson Cavani levels up the game for Manchester United against a stubborn Villarreal side
Cavani rifled home the equaliser fro that corner after 55 minutes after Shaw’s corner was only cleared as far as Rashford whose shot pinballed around the area before McTominay rolled it to Cavani for a predatory finish from 7 yards – his 17th goal of the season.
The Uruguayan had worked hard to get back onside and a VAR check ratified the goal to the relief of United, and he became the third player aged 34 or above to score in a major European final for an English club after Gary McAllister (36, for Liverpool in the UEFA Cup final in 2000-01), and Didier Drogba (34, for Chelsea in the Champions League final in 2011-12).
Fernandes dragged a shot wide as United sensed a chance to get into the lead.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin replaced veteran striker Bacca on the hour as Emery refreshed his side who looked short of ideas as United upped a gear.
Pau Torres had tucked his arms behind his back when United claims for a penalty for a handball were waved away by the referee.
Rashford rolled the ball wide after he got on the end of a Bruno Fernandes cross from the right – and with the goal wide open for him he somehow contrived to miss.
Cavani’s header was blocked by Torres after Shaw’s improvised shot ended up flying perfectly onto the Uruguayan’s head.
Emery made his second and third changes after 77 minutes, bringing on striker Paco Alcacer for Yeremi Pino while Manu Trigueros was replaced by Moi Gomez.
Cavani missed a back heel after good work by McTominay after Rashford missed an another chance as the game drifted towards full time.
The final two normal time changes for Villarreal saw Foyth and Pedraza depart for ex-Liverpool defender Alberto Moreno and Mario Gaspar with two minutes to go.
Pogba headed over from Shaw’s routine cross with normal time running out while Torres drifted an injury time shot lazily wide as United looked to be resigned to Extra Time.
Despite Rashford and Pogba looking below par during the game, Solskjaer continued to keep faith with his starting line-up even in Extra Time – reflecting the paucity of attacking quality on the bench.
Alberto Moreno sliced a shot wide and Alcacer was also wayward.
Fred replaced Greenwood after 100 minutes as United finally re-organised, releasing Pogba to push forward but taking a possible penalty taker out of the side.
Bailly was penalised for a foul on Coquelin close to the edge of the area in line with the 18 yard box and Parejo’s free kick was tipped away by De Gea for a corner.
Gerard Moreno’s cross was collected by De Gea as United continued to dominate in Extra Time but still couldn’t make the breakthrough.
The Reds looked tired as the second period of Extra Time got started, and while Villarreal might have been weaker after their changes they certainly had fresher legs.
Rulli dived on a forward ball from United before Rashford could reach it and the England man broke down shortly after the restart as fatigue was becoming obvious in the United players.
Fred handed the ball accidentally after it was launched at him from close range – a VAR check let him off – and then Solskjaer made two more changes.
Pogba – another potential penalty taker – was withdrawn alongside Bailly in favour of Daniel James and Axel Tuanzebe with 4 minutes to go while the tired Rashford was kept on despite limping away after trying to beat Rulli to the ball earlier.
Juan Mata and Alex Telles came on in added time at the end of the game with penalties in mind, replacing Wan-Bissaka and McTominay in the final minute of added time.
Dani Raba replaced Etienne Capoue immediately afterwards as Villarreal made their sixth and final Extra Time bonus substitution.
It finally came down to the lottery of penalties and despite De Gea having a poor recent record of saving penalties – it was his penalty taking that came under the spotlight as Rulli, a former City signing, stopped his weak effort to send the Villarreal fans into tears of joy after an epic finish.
PENALTIES – Villarreal 1, Manchester United 1 (Europa League final: Villarreal win 11-10 on penalties)
Villarreal 1, Man Utd 0: Gerard Moreno scored to the left side past David De Gea.
Villarreal 1, Man Utd 1: Juan Mata scored into the left side with his first touch of the ball after coming on.
Villarreal 2, Man Utd 1: Dani Raba scored into the left side close to the middle but after David De Gea had gone the wrong way.
Villarreal 2, Man Utd 2: Alex Telles scored into the left side of the goal with Geronimo Rulli going the other way
Villarreal 3, Man Utd 2: Paco Alcacer squeezed the ball past David De Gea into the left side
Villarreal 3, Man Utd 3: Bruno Fernandes found the same left corner with Rulli getting a hand to it but unable to stop it.
Villarreal 4, Man Utd 3: Alberto Moreno stroked one into the right side.
Villarreal 4, Man Utd 4: Marcus Rashford scored coolly into the left side.
Villarreal 5, Man Utd 4: Dani Parejo powered the ball into the bottom let corner past De Gea.
Villarreal 5, Man Utd 5: Edinson Cavani sent the penalties into sudden death with a confident finish into the left side.
Villarreal 6, Man Utd 5: Moi Gomez sent a shot down the middle with De Gea going early to his left.
Villarreal 6, Man Utd 6: Fred stepped up and thrashed the ball into the bottom right before Rulli could reach it.
Villarreal 7, Man Utd 6: Raul Albiol rolled the ball into the bottom right hand corner with David De Gea going the wrong way.
Villarreal 7, Man Utd 7: Daniel James sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with a shot into the right side past Rulli.
Villarreal 8, Man Utd 7: Francis Coquelin hit a high shot into the roof of the net on the right hand side with David De Gea going the wrong way
Villarreal 8, Man Utd 8: Luke Shaw had to replace the ball on the spot and only just shot past Rulli with a weak shot that squirmed out his grasp.
Villarreal 9, Man Utd 8: Mario Gaspar hammered the ball at a good height centrally past De Gea’s dive.
Villarreal 9, Man Utd 9: Axel Tuanzebe hit the ball into the right hand corner.
Villarreal 10, Man Utd 9: Pau Torres scored with a rising shot into the left top corner.
Villarreal 10, Man Utd 10: Victor Lindelof powered the ball in past Rulli who got one hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.
Villarreal 11, Man Utd 10: Geronimo Rulli hammered te ball past De Gea into the top right corner.
Villarreal 11, Man Utd 10: David De Gea’s final spot kick was kept out by Geronimo Rulli – and he was buried by his team mates as the Spaniard walked away disconsolate!
GOALS – Villarreal 1, Manchester United 1 (Europa League final: Villarreal win 11-10 on penalties)
Villarreal 1, Man Utd 0: 29. Gerard Moreno darted between Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof to get on the end of a free kick by Dani Parejo and stab home past David De Gea.
Villarreal 1, Man Utd 1: 55. Edison Cavani reacted first to get on the end of Scott McTominay’s lay off after Marcus Rashford’s initial shot was blocked to beat Geronimo Rulli from 7 yards out.
MATCH STATS – Villarreal 1, Manchester United 1 (Europa League final: Villarreal win 11-10 on penalties)
Villarreal: Rulli, Foyth (Gaspar 88), Albiol, Torres, Pedraza (Alberto Moreno 87), Pino (Alcacer 77), Capoue (Raba 120+3), Parejo, Trigueros (Gomez 78), Gerard Moreno, Bacca (Coquelin 60)
Villarreal subs not used: Asenjo, Funes Mori, Estupinan, Pena, Costa, Nino
Bookings: Capoue (foul on Bruno Fernandes 54); Foyth 84 (foul on Luke Shaw)
Goal: Gerard Moreno 29
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka (Mata 120+3), Bally (Tuanzebe 116), Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay (Telles 120+3), Pogba (James 116), Greenwood (Fred 100), Fernandes, Rashford, Cavani
Man Utd subs not used: Henderson, Grant, Maguire, Diallo, Matic, Williams, van de Beek
Bookings: Bailly 82 (foul on Paco Alcacer); Cavani 113
Goal: Cavani 55
Referee: Clement Turpin