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Europa League final: Manchester United win trophy after 0-2 victory over Ajax, earn Champions League place:

Europa League final: Manchester United win trophy after 0-2 victory over Ajax, earn Champions League place:


Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored as Manchester United earned their place in next season’s Champions League with a commanding performance

Manchester United claimed their second major trophy of the season and secured Champions League football as they overcame Ajax to win the Europa League final in Stockholm.

The Red Devils also completed a clean sweep of major trophies as goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan won an emotional final in Stockholm.

Manchester United will be playing Champions League football again next season after winning the Europa League with the 2-0 victory against Ajax.

It’s Mourinho’s fourth European trophy. It isn’t his biggest - it can’t match a Champions League with Porto - but there’s no debating its significance for United.

Paul Pogba's deflected shot put them ahead in the 18th minute and Henrikh Mkhitaryan's sixth Europa League goal of the campaign, flicked in from Chris Smalling's header at a corner, confirmed they would add to the EFL Cup won against Southampton earlier this season.

Paul Pogba made an emotional comments after the match regarding the Manchester blast; “We know things like this are very sad all over the world, not only in Manchester but also in Paris,” Pogba says. “We won for them. We played for the country. We won for them. We played for them, the people who died.”

“Thank you to my team-mates because without them I could not have scored so many goals,” says Henrikh Mkhitaryan. “Everyone said I was going to score in the final and I did thanks to my team-mates. Now we are playing in the Champions League next year.”

Manchester United undoubtedly deserved this - they outplayed and out-thought Ajax with a streetwise, experienced performance - and they feel like fitting winners too. After everything that’s happened, this is a welcome moment of positivity for the city of Manchester.

On an emotional night following the attack which killed 22 people at Ariana Grande's concert at the Manchester Arena on Monday, United's fans were allowed a measure of celebration as Jose Mourinho's side won in comfort.

Wayne Rooney made a brief appearance as a substitute with a minute left and the game won, being handed the captain's armband by Antonio Valencia on what could well be his farewell appearance for United.

And as the final whistle sounded and United's celebrations began, chants of "Manchester" rang around the Friends Arena in tribute to those who died and were injured in the attack which cast a shadow over this showpiece occasion.

Man Utd & Ajax paid tribute to Manchester victims before the match commenced.

Mourinho - who has so often looked so unhappy this season - ran on to the field to celebrate with his players and was thrown in the air by his coaching staff and hugged by his son.


It means United are now the fifth team to claim the full quota of European trophies, joining an illustrious list with Ajax, Chelsea, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

MAN-U PLAYERS RATINGS:

Sergio Romero (goalkeeper) - 6

Had one simple shot to field in the first half but otherwise an untroubled night.

Antonio Valencia (right-back) - 7

Valencia
Valencia passed the captain's armband to Wayne Rooney when the striker came on late in the game
Solid defensively and an attacking threat from the man who started the night as captain.

Chris Smalling (centre-back) - 6

Got the nod over Phil Jones and did what he had to do.

Daley Blind (centre-back) - 6

One of two crucial clearances but not a testing 90 minutes.

Matteo Darmian (left-back) - 7

Solid, dependable and never in any difficulty.

Marouane Fellaini (midfield) - 6

Usual threat in the air helped create United's second goal and also ensured they overpowered Ajax in midfield.

Ander Herrera (midfield) - 7

Excellent display from United's player of the season but marred by some unnecessary play-acting near the end.

Paul Pogba (midfield) - 8

Manchester United beat Ajax to win the Europa League
Pogba's deflected effort gave Manchester United the lead
Showed signs of why he is so highly regarded - helped United dominate midfield and scored with a deflected shot.

Juan Mata (attacking midfield) - 7

Busy, inventive and a threat. Now one of Mourinho's trusted men after he was sold by the Portuguese at Chelsea.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (attacking midfield) - 6

Mkhitaryan doubled United's lead in the second half
Tough first half when committed silly fouls and got booked but demonstrated once more he can be relied upon to score a crucial goal.

Marcus Rashford (striker) - 6

Hard night's work for the youngster, who got little joy but never stopped running for a second.

Substitutes

Jesse Lingard (for Mkhitaryan 74 minutes): Looked like he might add to his tally of goals in major finals when he ran clear but was denied by a late tackle.

Anthony Martial (for Rashford 82 minutes): No rating.

Wayne Rooney (for Mata 89 minutes): No rating.


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