Europa League Final 2021.

Villarreal 1 Manchester United 1 (11-10 on penalties).

Villarreal have won their first European trophy and major honour last night in the Europa League final 2021 after a penalty shootout win against Manchester United in Gdansk.

The first half was mostly controlled by United, but no clear cut chances were created in the first half. Villarreal took the lead in the 29th minute with a goal from Gerard Moreno. Dani Parejo sent in a very good free-kick, Moreno got on the end of the cross and had enough accuracy and force on the ball to put it in. Villarreal defended compactly for the rest of the first half.

The second half was an improved performance from United. Manchester United equalised in the 54th minute, with a goal from Edison Cavani, who got on a couple of deflections from Marcus Rashford’s shot, and tapped into an empty net.

Manchester United had a few half chances, but didn’t get a second, against a well organised Villarreal team.

A refreshed Villarreal who had made five substitutions, played better then Manchester United in extra-time. There was a VAR check for a penalty in the 114th minute for handball, but wasn’t given.

After a non-event of extra time, we saw a exhibition of penalty taking from Manchester United and Villarreal, with all ten out field players converting their penalties, many of them expertly. The final penalty comes down to the goalkeepers, with Villarreal goalkeeper, Gerónimo Rulli scoring his penalty, and then saving David De Gea’s penalty. This match could be De Gea’s final match for Manchester United.

Villarreal: (4-4-2).

Gerónimo Rulli.

Juan Foyth, Raul Albiol, Pau Torres, Alfonso Pedraza.

Yeremi Pino, Étienne Capoue, Dani Parejo, Manu Trigueros.

Gerard Moreno, Carlos Bacca.

Substitutions.

Francis Coquelin for Bacca 60th minute, Moi Gómez for Trigueros 77th minute, Paco Alcácer for Pino 77th minute, Alberto Moreno for Pedraza 88th minute, Mario Gaspar for Foyth 88th minute, Dani Raba for Capoeu 123rd minute.

Manchester United: (4-2-3-1)

David De Gea.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Luke Shaw.

Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay.

Mason Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford.

Edison Cavani.

Substitutions.

Fred for Greenwood 100th minute, Daniel James for Pogba 116th minute, Axel Tuanzebe for Bailly 116th minute, Alex Telles for McTominay 123rd minute, Juan Mata for Wan-Bissaka 123rd minute.

Penalties in order.

Gerard Moreno 1-0

1-1 Juan Mata

Dani Raba 2-1

2-2 Alex Telles

Paco Alcácer 3-2

3-3 Bruno Fernandes

Alberto Moreno 4-3

4-4 Marcus Rashford

Dani Parejo 5-4

5-5 Edison Cavani

Moi Gómez 6-5

6-6 Fred

Raul Albiol 7-6

7-7 Daniel James

Francis Coquelin 8-7

8-8 Luke Shaw

Mario Gaspar 9-8

9-9 Axel Tuanzabe

Pau Torres 10-9

10-10 Victor Lindelof

Gerónimo Rulli 11-10

11-10 David De Gea miss

(c) Ferdia O’Mahony 2021