With heavy hearts and minds, Manchester United defeated Ajax 2-0 in the 2017 Europa League Final in Stockholm, winning their first ever Europa League/UEFA Cup and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
The Final was played amidst the backdrop of the horrific attacks at the Manchester Arena on Monday, and it certainly looked as if Manchester United was inspired to play for them despite the tough Premier League season they had endured. Jose Mourinho had put all of United’s eggs in the Europa League basket for Champions League qualification, knowing their odds of finishing in the top four were slim to none by April, and his gamble paid off big.
United’s first goal was scored in the 18th minute by Paul Pogba after his shot took a major deflection off Ajax defender Davinson Sanchez:
POGBA! Man United's record signing gives them the early lead in the #UELfinal. https://t.co/Ii4k6FcV2M
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 24, 2017
Their lead doubled not three minutes into the second half with a great bit of skill from Henrikh Mkhitaryan off a corner.
Mkhitaryan doubles United's lead with an overhead flick Zlatan would be proud of. Ajax are in trouble! #UELfinal https://t.co/496O6UqorI
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 24, 2017
Ajax held the majority of the possession, but were very slow with the ball at their feet which allowed Manchester United to easily soak up whatever pressure Ajax threw at them, and for a team that had the second most goals in the Eredivisie, their attack never showed much of anything, which meant they never had the ability to chase the game when trailing over even give a very defensive United side much to fear.
There she is! Manchester United hoist the Europa League trophy for the first time. #UELfinal https://t.co/hSKM8qial0
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 24, 2017
Manchester United becomes just the fifth team in the history of UEFA competition to win all three of the major trophies: the Champions League, Europa League/UEFA Cup and the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup, joining Ajax, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Juventus in that exclusive rank. United also becomes the first English club in four years to win a European trophy.
For Ajax, it does mean they are denied their first European trophy since 1995, however as runners-up in the Eredivisie, they have still qualified for the Champions League, though they will enter in the third qualifying round as opposed to the group stage.
Despite Manchester United’s relatively dismal league form at times this season, they do end Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge at Old Trafford with two trophies: the League Cup and the Europa League. And for all of the hand-wringing about league form and the struggles Mourinho and United had playing some of their best soccer in the league, they will be returning to the Champions League for the first time in two years next fall and have two more trophies to put in Old Trafford’s extensive trophy case.
And say what you will about Jose Mourinho’s strategy to punt the Premier League and focus on the Europa League; the strategy worked and Mourinho, for better or for worse, was right.
And for the city of Manchester, which has been through hell since Monday night, there is something, albeit small, to celebrate and enjoy to help begin the healing process.
