BILBAO: Bruno Fernandes struck twice as Manchester United put one foot in the Europa League final with a clinical away performance to beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on Thursday.
The fervent home fans were enraged when Athletic defender Daniel Vivian was sent off for pulling back Rasmus Hojlund and Fernandes slotted home the resulting penalty, after Casemiro had opened the scoring against the run of play in the semi-final first leg.
Fernandes rolled in a third before half-time as Ruben Amorim’s side moved a step closer to the final, to be held at Athletic’s San Mames stadium.
The hosts have been dreaming of winning a first European trophy on their own soil but their hopes were demolished by United’s professional display in the north of Spain — and Athletic’s supporters argued, the refereeing.
“I think it’s the best result (of my tenure) because nobody expected this result — but you saw two games today,“ Amorim told reporters.
“The first 25 mins, then (another one) after the goal and the sending-off.”
Languishing in 14th in the Premier League, Champions League qualification for United is only possible with a Europa League triumph, as is access to the £100 million ($133 million) honeypot it entails.
Despite regularly crumbling under pressure this season, the Red Devils — who produced a stunning comeback against Lyon in the quarter-finals — first survived and then thrived in a hostile environment.
“We looked a little bit nervous at times in the first 20 minutes… we weathered the storm and we knew we’d get our chance,“ Man United’s Harry Maguire told TNT Sports.
“It was a clinical first half, professional second half… It’s a great victory in the end but there’s another big game next week.”
With May 1 a bank holiday in Spain the streets of Bilbao were filled with red-and-white striped shirts from the morning onwards, in party mode.
The San Mames was rocking as fans greeted their heroes, all of them born or raised in the Basque country, as per the club’s century-long policy.
Beyond an Alejandro Garnacho goal ruled out for offside, the early stages for United were about gritting their teeth and holding off the hosts.
– Red card rocks hosts –
Alex Berenguer forced a smart low save from Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, and Inaki Williams headed narrowly over.
Victor Lindelof made a vital block to thwart Berenguer after Nico Williams fed his brother Inaki, who was given too much space on the right wing.
The hosts were ascendant and when former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro opened the scoring for United it came as a shock.
Just as much of a surprise was the way United created the goal, with centre-back Maguire dribbling down the right flank as Mikel Jaureguizar floundered in his wake.
The defender fizzed a cross into the area, which Manuel Ugarte flicked on for Casemiro to nod home from close range.
It seemed like a smash-and-grab but soon United had a second, when Vivian was penalised for pulling back Hojlund as he tried to connect with a cross.
The defender was sent off to add insult to injury and Fernandes stroked home from the spot.
“The penalty and the red card… conditioned the game. At 11 against 11, we were doing well,“ said Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde.
United made it three before half-time. Ugarte’s clever backheel played Fernandes through and he stroked home.
Noussair Mazraoui crashed a shot off the crossbar from distance as United almost grabbed a fourth before the break.
Athletic fans were further enraged in the second half, waving anything white to show their disgust, when Maroan Sannadi tumbled under pressure from Maguire as he ran towards goal but no foul was awarded.
United largely controlled the game in the second half but they could not add a fourth despite probing.
The second leg takes place next Thursday at Old Trafford, ahead of the final on May 21 against Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt.
“At the slightest contact (Hojlund) let himself fall and the bad luck is that the penalty was given,“ said Inaki Williams.
“We weren’t particularly great, so we shouldn’t make excuses — we’re three goals down but we’re capable of mounting a comeback.”
