Brave Roma.
Roma hosted Manchester United in the second leg of their Europa League tie after being hammered by 6-2 on their visit to Old Trafford. Roma knew they have to give in their best and show bravery which was exactly what they did and thanks to the bravery of De Gea who kept the host at bay. Their bravery wasn't enough for them to overturn the huge deficit from the first leg.
De Gea produced a stunning save in the 3rd minute when Mancini's close-range effort was distinctly saved by De Gea.
Pellegrini had a shot at goal at the edge of the box but it was wide. If it had gone in, it would have raised a desire in them to dig in. In the 12th minute, Bruno tried picking out Greenwood at the edge of the box but it was a little too much for him. Roma started brightly and hoped to cause a massive upset but it wasn't working at this point. Pedro also had a shot fly over the bar from the edge of the box.
In the 19th minute, Cavani was found in the box and his looping effort could only drop on the net despite beating the goalkeeper. In the 25th minute, Cavani was guilty of another glaring miss when he was played through. He went for power rather than placement and he blasted his shot but was saved by the hands of the goalkeeper to his face.
In the 33rd minute, Dzeko tried to find an opening inside the box. He hit his shot and it trickled into the path of Pellegrini. He blasted his shot too but De Gea was on hand to save yet again.
In the 39th minute, Cavani rights his missed chances when he was played through. He went for a shot again and this time, he blasted the ball into the back of the net to give United the lead. Greenwood also had another chance in the 40th minute at the edge of the box but he was unable to connect to the other end of the post and his shot went out for a goal kick. Shortly after, Mkhitaryan was given a pass in the box, he tried to get the right footing on it and he tried but De Gea saved yet again.
Before the half time whistle went, Fernandes missed two chances to extend the lead for United - when he was found by Greenwood in the box and he tried to connect with the ball with his backheel but missed and when Cavani laid a pass to him in the box but his curling effort went wide.
In the 57th minute, Dzeko drew his side level when Pedro's bounced pass was nodded home from close range by him. It stirred a belief in their hearts and shortly, the second goal came in, in quick succession in the 60th minute when Fred lost possession and Cristante drilled home his brilliant shot to make it 2-1. They almost grabbed a third in the 62nd minute when Mkhitaryan's flick was saved by the feet of De Gea. The ball rolled close to the line but was eventually cleared off. Shortly after again, De Gea produced a double save from Dzeko and Pedro in quick succession.
Shortly after Greenwood's shocking miss from close range in the box, Bruno Fernandes found Cavani who timed his run perfectly in the box. He buried his effort to perfection in the 68th minute with a brilliant header to make it 2-2. Roma needed a morale-boosting performance and they did in the 83rd minute when Alex Telles produced an own goal from a brilliant effort from the 19-year-old Nicola Zalewski inside the box.
The game ended 3-2 in favour of Roma but was not enough to get them into the final. It was a great effort from Roma. United got through to the final where they will meet Unai Emery's Villareal after they played a goalless game against Arsenal. This would be Emery's fifth Europa League final.
Thank you for your time.
My pen doesn't bleed, it speaks, with speed and ease.
Still me,
My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.
Olawalium; (Love's chemical content, in human form). Take a dose today: doctor's order.