Eight have now become four in the Europa League and if you had been asked to predict which sides would make the 2020-21 semi-finals ahead of these ties, the four names of Manchester United, AS Roma, Arsenal and Villarreal would surely have cropped up with the majority.
However, as we reflect on another Thursday night of Europa League highlights, none of these second leg contests were truly over.
Yes, United, Roma, and Villarreal were in good positions but an early goal against them had the potential to change things.
United had the best lead going following a 2-0 success at Granada last week and within five minutes they all but made it safe.
That’s how long it took Edinson Cavani to open the scoring.
A cross from Alex Telles was headed towards the danger zone by the captain for the night, Paul Pogba, and there was the Uruguayan to expertly rifle home a left-foot volley into the bottom corner.
Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had revealed this week that the colour of the banners covering the seats at Old Trafford were being changed from red to black in a bid to help them win more home games. A lucky omen?
Certainly, that early goal ensured they had a comfortable aggregate lead and were largely able to keep Granada at bay.
Fast forward to the final minute and, following a superb David de Gea stop, a Telles cross evaded sub Juan Mata but was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Jesus Vallejo to complete a 4-0 aggregate triumph.
It was just as comfortable in the Estadio de la Cermaica where Villarreal were entertaining Dinamo Zagreb, even if it took the hosts a little longer than United to turn the screw.
Zagreb had caused the shock of the last 16, overturning a 2-0 deficit to send Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur crashing out.
There was never likely to be a repeat once seasoned scorer Paco Alcacer doubled the Yellow Submarine’s advantage nine minutes before the break from a Samuel Chukwueze pass.
When Gerard Moreno fired home a second seven minutes later, Zagreb’s brave and dynamic run in the competition was over, although not before, fittingly, Mislav Orsic – hat-trick hero in the last round – had their final say, pulling one back from a difficult angle.
If events at Old Trafford and in Spain were proving fairly predictable. the same could not be said in Rome.
Ajax – beaten finalists in 2017 – had not read the script and were not going down without a battle, despite losing the first leg 2-1 in Amsterdam.
Four minutes into the second half and two substitutes combined to put them ahead on the night as Brian Brobbey (only on the pitch a matter of minutes) showed a turn of pace to get between two defenders and dink the ball home from a Perr Schuurs pass.
Level on aggregate but behind on away goals, Ajax were enjoying long spells of possession and the next goal seemed crucial.
But for VAR, it would have gone to Ajax only for Dusan Tadic to be adjudged offside as he tucked home a rebound after Brobbey’s shot was parried by Pau Lopez.
When the next legitimate goal arrived, it came from a source familiar to English football as Roma frontman Edin Dzeko (once of Manchester City) netted from close range.
Bryan Cristante and Jordan Veretout were involved and, from Riccardo Calafiori’s deflected cross, the ball landed nicely for Dzeko to tap in the equaliser.
That edged Roma back in front and they will now meet United, evoking memories of some famous clashes in 2007 and 2008 when the Premier League club held the upper hand.
Arsenal celebrate after Nicolas Pepe scored their first goal of the match
The remaining tie that was really up for grabs involved the other English side although, despite being favoured by the SBOTOP Europa League betting odds, Arsenal had somehow made it harder for themselves.
Indeed, there was pressure on the Gunners and boss Mikel Arteta after failing to beat underdogs Slavia Prague at home.
They put that right emphatically with three goals in the opening 24 minutes killing off any hopes Prague had of adding Arsenal to their earlier scalps of Leicester City and Rangers.
A season out of European competition was not something Arteta was willing to countenance ahead of this trip and they earned a last four date with Villarreal (containing two ex-Spurs men and former Gunner Francis Coquelin) in double quick time.
Nicolas Pepe squeezed home at the near post to open the scoring before Alexandre Lacazette converted a penalty following a foul on young Bukayo Saka. The same player then swept in the third as the Czech side were torn apart and the outcome was clear long before Lacazette added his second and Arsenal’s fourth in the closing stages.
And then there were four.
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The post Four Favourites Reach Last Four in Europa League appeared first on SBOTOP.