MANCHESTER, England: For Manchester United or Tottenham, a miserable campaign will end in Europa League glory.
Despite both teams languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, the Champions League is now just one game away.
That’s the reward on offer after the two troubled English clubs advanced to the final of Europe’s second tier competition on Thursday.
United beat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the semifinal second leg at Old Trafford and won 7-1 on aggregate. Tottenham won 2-0 away at Bodø/Glimt to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory.
It sets up an all-English Europa League final for the second time in six years after Chelsea beat Arsenal to lift the trophy in 2019.
United came back from 1-0 down against Bilbao, with Mason Mount coming off the bench to score twice in the second half. Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund were also on target.
Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro struck for Tottenham against Bodø/Glimt in Norway.
A major title, alone, would be enough to salvage what has otherwise been a season to forget for both United and Spurs. But the added prize of a place in the lucrative Champions League would put the winner back among Europe’s elite next term.
That hasn’t looked likely for either team for most of the campaign as they have languished closer to the relegation zone than the top five.
Man United and Tottenham reach Europa League final and are one win away from Champions League
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Man United and Tottenham reach Europa League final and are one win away from Champions League
Last-gasp penalty sends Atalanta past Dortmund and into last 16
- Dortmund’s Bensebaini was sent off after his studs caught the head of Atalanta’s Krstovic in the penalty area
- The hosts had to fight back following last week’s 2-0 loss in Germany
BERGAMO, Italy: Lazar Samardzic slotted home a stoppage-time penalty to complete a dramatic 4-1 victory for Atalanta over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, sending the Italian side into the Champions League’s last 16 with a comeback 4-3 aggregate triumph.
Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini was sent off after his studs caught the head of Atalanta’s Nikola Krstovic in the penalty area and Samardzic converted the spot kick in the 98th minute to send the Italians through. Atalanta will now face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the round of 16 with the draw on Friday.
The hosts had to fight back following last week’s 2-0 loss in Germany, and Gianluca Scamacca tapped in at the far post to give them a fifth-minute lead as they got off to a dream start.
Dortmund had their share of chances but it was their keeper, Gregor Kobel, who was busiest in the first half, twice denying Nicola Zalewski. He was beaten, however, on the stroke of halftime when Davide Zappacosta’s shot was deflected into the net off Bensebaini to make it 2-0.
Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi made the save of the match when he tipped Serhou Guirassy’s low drive wide in the 49th minute, to protect their two-goal advantage. Dortmund went even closer in the 53rd with Maximilian Beier’s shot bouncing off the post.
Instead it was the hosts who scored again thanks to Mario Pasalic’s header at the far post to go 3-0 up and take control of the tie.
Dortmund, however, bounced back with substitute Karim Adeyemi adding instant pace to their game and curling his 75th-minute shot into the top corner as the visitors hoped to take the contest into extra-time.
Yet Bensebaini then tried to clear a cross in the box with a backheel but caught the head of Krstovic, who went down bleeding. The hosts were awarded a penalty following a lengthy VAR review and Samardzic beat Kobel to send his team through with the last kick of the game.
