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MATCH REPORT: VILLARREAL 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (11-10 ON PENS)

Photo credit: Maja Hitji (Reuters)


Villarreal won their first ever major trophy, defeating Manchester United on penalties in the UEFA Europa League Final.

A dramatic penalty shoot-out, won 11-10 by the Spanish side, followed 120 minutes of football which finished 1-1 with Edinson Cavani cancelling out Gerard Moreno’s first-half opener.

It is the first ever major honour for the Yellow Submarine and the fourth time their manager Unai Emery has won the competition in his managerial career.

The success guarantees Villarreal a spot in next season’s Champions League after a disappointing league campaign had seen them finish nineteen points adrift of the qualifying spots in 7th.

Meanwhile for Manchester United, their four-year hunt for a trophy goes on with Solskjaer yet to deliver on the big stage whilst at the helm.

His side started the stronger of the two, however it was their opponents who took the lead against the run of the play as their prolific frontman Gerard Moreno got on the end of a free kick, grabbing his 30th goal of the campaign on 29 minutes.

The Red Devils hit back ten minutes into the second half through their own frontman Edinson Cavani’s close-range strike.

Marcus Rashford had a golden opportunity to wrap up the tie for the English side but dragged his shot wide and the match eventually went to penalties.

After 120 minutes of little quality on show, the penalty shoot-out more than made up for it as 21 penalties were successfully converted before David de Gea saw his spot-kick saved, securing a historic win for the Yellow Submarine.

It was an outcome that went against the odds and an inquest will almost certainly be taking place at Old Trafford as United round off their fourth consecutive trophyless campaign.

Meanwhile for Villarreal, a team representing their city that boasts just over 50,000 inhabitants, it will no doubt go down as the greatest night in the club’s history as they lift aloft the first major honour in their 98 years of existence.