Manchester United progressed to the Europa League final with a 3-2 defeat to Roma on Thursday.
The Red Devils had beaten the Serie A club 6-2 in the semi-final first leg – and ensured there was no miraculous comeback from their opponents.
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David de Gea’s superb saves stopped Roma from increasing their 2-1 lead during a few nervy second-half minutes as Edinson Cavani’s brace ended Roma’s hopes of rescuing the tie.
However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side lost the second leg tie thanks to a late Nicola Zalewski goal.
United will now play Villarreal, who knocked out Arsenal, in the Europa League final in Gdansk on May 26.
De Gea reminded the world of his quality with 10 saves during the contest.
The first came in the fourth minute when he denied Gianluca Mancini as former Red Devils midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan headed the resulting corner wide.
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Barring a Cavani shot that was well saved by Roma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante, United did not get going in the opening half hour.
United had to call on De Gea once more when he saved Lorenzo Pellegrini’s near-post effort in the 34th minute.
Despite Roma’s pressure, United broke the deadlock five minutes later with Fred playing in Cavani, who clinically finished past Mirante.
Bruno Fernandes could have doubled United’s lead in first-half stoppage time, but he directed a curling shot just wide.
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After a quiet start to the second-half, Roma drew level when Edin Dzeko headed in Pedro’s wayward shot in the 57th minute.
Roma then took the lead on the hour mark when Fred was robbed of possession on the edge of his box as Bryan Cristante’s powerful strike flew past De Gea.
While the goalkeeper could do nothing about that shot, he came to his side’s rescue in a blitz on United’s goal.
De Gea made an excellent double save to stop Dzeko and Pedro from making it 3-1, before making a point-blank save to deny Mkhitaryan.
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Cavani eased the pressure on his side by scoring his seventh goal in six games when he headed in Fernandes’ cross in the 68th minute.
With United most likely thinking about the final, Zalewski’s shot took a wicked deflection off Alex Telles to win the second leg tie for Roma.
It is the first final United have reached under Solskjaer, who will look to end the club’s four-year trophy drought later this month.
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