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‘We didn’t turn up’, admits Solskjaer after United lose Europa League final

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Manchester United’s players look dejected as they wait to receive their runner up medals from UEFA president on May 26, 2021.PHOTO: REUTERS

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said “one kick” was the difference after his side slumped to a surprise Europa League final defeat by Villarreal on Wednesday (May 26).

The English Premier League giants remain without a major trophy in four years after losing 11-10 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Gdansk, with goalkeeper David de Gea missing the final spot-kick.

“It’s quiet, a disappointed dressing room. That’s football for you. Sometimes it’s decided on one kick – and that’s the difference between winning and losing,” Solskjaer told BT Sport.

“We didn’t turn up. We didn’t play as well as we know we can. We started alright and they got the goal, their only shot on target. We were disappointed to concede a goal on a set play.

“We pushed, we pressed, we got a goal. After we scored, we didn’t control the game or dominate as we wanted.”

United gave themselves hope of a second Europa League title, after the one they won under Jose Mourinho in 2017, when Edinson Cavani equalised 10 minutes after half-time following Gerard Moreno’s 29th-minute opener.

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But they struggled to turn possession into chances and looked visibly tired in extra time.

“The feeling inside is difficult to explain,” admitted forward Marcus Rashford. “We came here to win. We’ve been working so hard all season and this was the opportunity to win a trophy and it didn’t happen for whatever reason.”

-AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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