Marcus Rashford lay off Manchester United to victory Real Betis With a rocket attack, Erik ten Hag’s side was advancing rapidly. Europa League quarterfinals.
The Red Devils, who won the first game played in icy conditions at Old Trafford last Thursday 4-1, went to Spain after this last 16 draw.
Betis swept United in the opening stages of the comeback fixture, but Rashford’s phenomenal shot stifled the bouncing Estadio Benito Villamarin, leading them to a 1-0 win overnight.
An impressive 5-1 win on aggregate led them to the quarterfinals, while Friday’s draw outlines their potential path to the Europa League final in Budapest.
The second game in Sevilla had started off unbelievably against Manuel Pellegrini’s Verdiblancos and Juanmi wasted a magnificent chance before Joaquin hit the post from afar.
Making his first United debut, Facundo Pellistri hit the post at the end of a bad first half, followed by a much improved second-period performance by Ten Hag’s team.
Rashford looked sharp and followed up a previously unexplained miss, unleashing a stunning 25-yard hit that secured United’s first away trip since their victory over Anfield.
Betis’ more than 50,000 fans were always here with more hope than expectation given their three-goal deficit and wasted a fantastic eighth-minute chance as their side bounced off the blocks.
United were caught out of position and Ayoze Perez sent Juanmi out, but Harry Maguire gasped down his neck to drag his shot into the face of the goal.
Joaquin, 41, rewinds the years to unleash a stunning 30-yard effort that hit the post after a slight deflection from Casemiro.
Betis was making life uncomfortable for a strong-looking United side, but Ten Hag’s men eventually managed to slow the pace and disappoint the hosts with no hesitation in control.
The sharp start was weak, but David De Gea had to be on the alert to stop Juanmi, who was racing between the visitors’ matchups of defenders to face a good middle ball.
Maguire thwarted the live forward’s next attempt, as the noisy home support continued to support their team, whose weak hopes were nearly dashed in the downtime.
Casemiro fell to the left after a foul by Joaquin, and in the resulting free kick Bruno Fernandes swung and the ball landed on Pellistri, who hit the post for a field goal.
Wout Weghorst threw himself at him to go home, but did not back down to meet him, as Casemiro failed to reach the header at the start of the match.
As the second half began, the sides exchanged their rebel efforts, and Rashford was among those who missed out with a little play between his teeth.
Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva refuted the 25-year-old after Fernandes played him, and he was angry with himself after the striker flashed for an unusually bright chance.
Rashford blew this frustration out with striking speed.
After being found by a comprehensive Casemiro pass, he made a few taps and then let it rip with a 25-yard gushing shot that flew home to silence loyal Betis in the 55th minute.
De Gea had a nice response to turn Perez off a corner shortly before a brilliant goal that ended hopes for Betis’s always unlikely comeback.
Maguire sped off target as United searched for a second in Seville while substitutes Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer were both trying.
Walking on a sling with Casemiro, Fernandes backed out and saved an attempt as Weghorst exerted the kind of control United had desired from the start of Ten Hag.
Further changes took the pain out of a tie that ended when United’s touring fans called on the Glazer family to sell the club.