Ajax 0 vs 2 Manchester United
-
85′Ajax take their time to put the ball into the box and, when they do, Smalling is caught as he heads clear. United free-kick.
-
84′SubstitutionMarcus RashfordAnthony Martial
SUB! Rashford has worked so hard for the United cause and he’s now replaced by Anthony Martial. -
83′After seeing his centre back partner have a go, Sanchez strides forward. He, too, shoots high and wide.
-
82′Sanchez is slightly fortunate to see De Jong quickly in the action to tackle Fellaini after an optimistic piece of skill sees the United man pinch possession on the right.
-
82′SubstitutionJaïro RiedewaldFrenkie de Jong
SUB! Ajax’s final change sees Frenkie de Jong on for Riedewald. -
81′De Ligt, who has stood out in defence for Ajax, steps forward to let fly from distance. His effort never looked like troubling Romero.
-
80′Darmian pokes the ball behind for an Ajax corner, but the box is again too crowded. Van de Beek’s shot is charged down by Smalling.
-
79′Ajax, still, are overplaying the ball in key areas. Riedewald tries a backheel in to Traore and United clear once more.
-
78′Yellow Card Jaïro Riedewald
Yellow card Jaïro Riedewald -
78′Yellow Card Juan Manuel Mata García
YELLOW! Mata is late into a challenge on De Ligt, prompting a clash between the two sets of players and a booking for the Spaniard. -
76′Valencia’s energy on the United right has been key to their attacking play, but his latest centre is poor and hits Riedewald.
-
75′Excellent defending again from Sanchez, who shows his strength to shut down Pogba. The France international had played a wonderful one-two with Rashford, but cannot get a shot off.
-
74′SubstitutionHenrikh MkhitaryanJesse Lingard
SUB! Mkhitaryan, United’s second goal scorer, makes way for Lingard. -
72′With Ajax players joining the United wall, Ziyech strikes the free-kick straight at one of his team-mates. Disappointment for those Dutch supporters clinging to the hope of a comeback.
-
70′Ajax have a free-kick right on the edge of the United box after Mkhitaryan’s handball…
-
70′SubstitutionLasse SchöneDonny van de Beek
SUB! Donny van de Beek replaces Schone as Ajax roll the dice again. -
69′Ziyech’s corner is cleared and Ajax struggle to keep the pressure on. Their passing, again, seems to lead nowhere and United can break through Rashford. He trips and away go Ajax once more.
-
68′Traore bundles his way through a series of challenge, eventually poked in by Klaassen, but Smalling nudges the ball behind for a corner.
-
66′High and wide from Hakim Ziyech! Traore had seen his own shot closed down moments earlier, with Ajax camped on the edge of the United box. Their play simply hasn’t been incisive enough.
-
65′SAVE! Fellaini has won everything in the air and he does again! Meeting Pogba’s cross from the right, he nods straight at Onana. That was a big chance to kill the game.
-
64′Yellow Card Amin Younes
YELLOW! Valencia dances by Younes, who can only tug him back and go into the book.
-
62′SubstitutionKasper DolbergDavid Neres Campos
Substitution Kasper Dolberg David Neres Campos -
60′Onana shows his composure as he picks out a fine pass under pressure from Rashford 20 yards from goal. Ajax’s attack ends with Romero easily catching a right-wing cross, though.
-
59′Mata looks to win another foul, this time in the penalty area, but De Ligt does well and eases the United man off the ball.
-
58′Yellow Card Joël Veltman
Yellow card Joël Veltman -
57′Pogba concedes a cheap corner, but, from the delivery, De Ligt cannot nod the ball down to a team-mate. United’s counter breaks down, but Ajax cannot profit.
-
56′Younes makes a fine run in behind the United defence, but Valencia is quickly on the scene to force him wide. Traore pounces but fails in his attempts to win a penalty with a speculative fall.
-
55′Ajax are looking to build again, but there’s no way through the United blockade. The Eredivisie side are starting to get a little desperate, pushing more and more men forward.
-
52′Yellow Card Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui
YELLOW! Fellaini clips Schone’s heels and accepts the booking. -
51′Now United press. Mata closes down Onana, then Rashford harries Sanchez. Ajax are rocking.
-
49′United smell blood here! Rashford accelerates away from Sanchez momentarily, but the Ajax defender recovers to slide in superbly.
-
48′Assist Chris Smalling
It was Smalling who rose to meet the corner and nodded down towards Mkhitaryan. A huge goal!
-
48′Assist Chris Smalling
It was Smalling who rose to meet the corner and nodded down towards Mkhitaryan. A huge goal! -
48′Goal Henrikh Mkhitaryan
GOAL! Brilliant ingenuity from Mkhitaryan to double United’s lead! He stretches to turn a volley over his own head from close range and beyond Onana. 0-2. -
47′Good defending from Sanchez! Fellaini is again the target for United, but he is held off the ball in the box and can only force a corner.
-
47′Both sides are now shooting towards their own supporters, with smoke billowing across Romero’s penalty area as Ajax attack, courtesy of a flare lit among the Dutch fans.
-
46′KICK-OFF: Away we go again as Ajax kick off.
-
Ajax have passed the ball well at times, but have struggled to get in behind United. Mourinho’s spoiling tactics have worked a treat.
-
Pogba’s deflected strike has proved the difference so far in Stockholm! United are halfway to the Europa League title.
-
45’+2′HALF-TIME: Ajax 0-1 United.
-
45’+1′Valencia follows suit by shielding the ball out of play under pressure from Younes. United are good value for their half-time lea
-
45’+1′There will be just the one minute of added time in this first half.
-
45′Superb defending from Matteo Darmian! He stays with Traore after a smart one-two and gets in front of the winger, winning a free-kick.
-
43′United are letting Sanchez have the ball on halfway, but the defender repeatedly fails to pick out a team-mate. Klaassen has struggled to have an impact in this first half.
-
41′More worries at the back for Ajax! Sanchez is a little too cool in trying to nudge the ball back to Onana, with Rashford so close to nipping in.
-
41′More worries at the back for Ajax! Sanchez is a little too cool in trying to nudge the ball back to Onana, with Rashford so close to nipping in.
-
39′United’s approach has not been pretty, but it hasn’t needed to be. Ajax have opted for a patient, passing game, as you’d expect, but one too many stray pass has prevented them from threatening Romero.
39′
United’s approach has not been pretty, but it hasn’t needed to be. Ajax have opted for a patient, passing game, as you’d expect, but one too many stray pass has prevented them from threatening Romero.
-
37′Fine run by Traore! He makes progress down the Ajax right, skipping past a couple of challenges, but, inside the area, he cannot work room for a shot as Blind dives in.
-
36′The midfield is very congested right now, but United’s only out ball is long to Rashford. As Mkhitaryan again fails with that approach, the Ajax fans roar their support and their team start again
34′
Kasper Dolberg, for the first time, sniffs a half-chance, but he cannot reach a cross from the left that flashes across the face of Romero’s goal.
-
33′Younes looks to shoot early with Romero out of his goal, but, after his effort is blocked, United get men behind the ball to slow Ajax’s momentum.
-
32′The Ajax fans are furious with Rashford. De Ligt brilliantly halts the United man in his tracks in the penalty area, emerging with the ball, only to see Rashford stay down. He’s soon back on his feet after the ball is kicked out.
31′
Yellow Card Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Yellow card Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Yellow card Henrikh Mkhitaryan
29′
It’s not just from set-pieces that United are going direct. Blind continues to pump long balls towards Fellaini, perhaps looking to pile pressure on an inexperienced defence.
28′
Rashford wins a free-kick on halfway and Blind again looks for Smalling from the set-piece. This time, Ajax crowd out the England international and he fails to pick out a team-mate.
-
26′Mata brilliantly pinches the ball in midfield, passing the ball on to Mkhitaryan and looking to go again. The former Borussia Dortmund man instead searches for Rashford in behind, though, and Onana collects easily.
-
25′Mkhitaryan has given away a number of fouls on Joel Veltman. He escapes the latest challenge unpunished, but he can’t be too far away from a yellow card.
24′
SAVE! Onana does well to deny Valencia! Fellaini switched a wonderful pass into his captain’s path, the full-back burning past his man to fire at goal.
22′
Another Ajax corner as they pile on the pressure, but again United survive! Lasse Schone delivers a fine free-kick and De Ligt’s flicked header is knocked behind by Mkhitaryan. The set-piece breaks for Traore, but he’s closed down.
-
20′Ajax seek an instant response. They win a corner on the left, but Sanchez, rising highest, cannot make amends for the United goal and nods over.
-
18′Assist Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui
Fellaini teed up Pogba after an awful Riedewald throw-in had needlessly gifted the ball to Mata in a dangerous position.
-
18′Goal Paul Pogba
Goal Paul Pogba -
18′Assist Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui
Assist Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui -
15′SAVE! And the first effort of note comes from Ajax! Amin Younes threads the ball inside from the left to Bertrand Traore, who blasts at goal and – unfortunately for Ajax – straight at Sergio Romero.
14′
Fellaini is doing a lot of work in the United midfield as he’s currently the only player looking to close Ajax down.
12′
Ajax have just been able to settle a little now, pushing United back the other way.
-
10′And almost a first chance for United! Mata gets to the byline on the left and crosses towards Fellaini, who cannot quite stretch onto the cross.
-
9′Now Rashford takes on Sanchez on the left, creating space with a lovely piece of skill but then firing a cross in too low.
8′
Rashford gets into a foot race with Davinson Sanchez on the right and wins it, but then barges the Ajax defender to the floor as he looks to burst into the box. That will surely be a key battle in this one.
7′
Mkhitaryan is getting some early joy on the United left, just about kept at bay on a couple of occasions. Rashford, as you’d expect, is always on the move in front of the wide man.
6′
Ajax finally enjoy some possession, but their passes are a little nervy and United are soon back on the attack.
5′
Pogba and Marouane Fellaini are hustling and bustling, winning balls in the midfield so far. Ajax need to settle.
-
3′Almost a first sight of goal for Marcus Rashford, spinning from Mkhitaryan’s pass into the box but quickly closed down. United have started well.
-
3′Onana claims well this time, meeting Smalling’s header from a Blind free-kick with a comfortable catch.
1′
A nervy start for Ajax! Andre Onana clatters into a defender as he comes to meet Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s cross, the ball breaking for Pogba to shoot wide.
1′
KICK-OFF: United get us started!
Ahead of kick-off, the two teams will now observe a moment of silence following Monday’s terror attack in Manchester.
-
And, after the trophy is presented to the watching crowd by former Sweden international Patrik Andersson, here come the players! The sides are led out by captains Davy Klaassen and Valencia, with United in their change blue strip.
-
There’s great noise coming from both sets of supporters as they await the players, encouraged by a tailored playlist in the stadium.
-
Their last meetings, in 2012, saw United progress 3-2 on aggregate; in the starting line-up today, only Antonio Valencia and Smalling remain from Alex Ferguson’s team in that tie. Pogba made the bench for the first leg, though, while Daley Blind featured for Ajax.
-
Historically, these teams have been evenly matched. Ajax and United have met four times before – all in this competition – with each side winning on two occasions.
-
Remember: while Ajax have already secured entry to next season’s Champions League – at the third qualifying round again – Mourinho’s men must win here if they are to dine at Europe’s top table in the coming campaign.
-
Matthijs de Ligt, incidentally, becomes the youngest player to appear in a major European final at 17 years old; the baby of a youthful Ajax side.
-
Eric Bailly is suspended, too, for United. Chris Smalling comes in and Juan Mata replaces Jesse Lingard. Only Paul Pogba keeps his place from Sunday’s Premier League triumph over Crystal Palace, where Mourinho experimented with his team.
-
Ajax name the youngest starting line-up ever in a major European final. They make five changes from the side that beat Willem II, with Jairo Riedewald playing his way into the final team following Nick Viergiver’s suspension in the semi-finals.
-
Subs: De Gea, Jones, Fosu-Mensah, Carrick, Rooney, Lingard, Martial.
-
United: Romero, Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Darmian, Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Mata, Rashford, Mkhitaryan.
-
Subs: Boer, Westermann, Tete, Van de Beek, De Jong, Kluivert, David Neres.
-
Ajax: Onana, Veltman, Sanchez, De Ligt, Riedewald, Klaassen, Schone, Ziyech, Traore, Dolberg, Younes.
-
Let’s get the team news in Stockholm…
-
United, too, beat Celta – in the semi-finals – having previously beaten Zorya Luhansk, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Saint-Etienne, Rostov and Anderlecht.
-
After falling short in the Champions League play-off round, Ajax have seen off Panathinaikos, Standard Liege, Celta Vigo, Legia Warsaw, Copenhagen, Schalke and Lyon – although they’ve won only once in the competition away from the Amsterdam Arena.
-
“It’s the only competition that Manchester United have never won and it would be great to close that circle and say we are a club that won every single competition in the football world,” Jose Mourinho has said.
-
This is, of course, a huge clash between two giants of the game. Ajax have won the UEFA Cup – this competition’s forerunner – once before, but United have never reached this stage, despite a rich European history.
-
Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of the UEFA Europa League final between Ajax and Manchester United from the Friends Arena!