Oh What A Night! Unforgettable Drama as Manchester United Conquer Lyon in Nine-Goal Europa League Thriller

Football fans witnessed a truly extraordinary spectacle at Old Trafford as Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League semi-finals with a breathtaking 5-4 extra-time victory over Lyon. In a match that will be etched into Europa League folklore as the first ever nine-goal encounter, the Red Devils displayed incredible resilience to overcome a spirited ten-man Lyon side, eventually sealing a 7-6 aggregate triumph.

The hosts began brightly, seizing the initiative early on. In the 10th minute, a slick attacking move saw Alejandro Garnacho cleverly cut the ball back to Manuel Ugarte inside the penalty area. The Uruguayan midfielder made no mistake, unleashing a powerful shot that flew past Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri, sending the Old Trafford faithful into raptures.

Manchester United looked to build on their lead, and Bruno Fernandes was unlucky not to double their advantage in the 36th minute, his spectacular volley crashing against the crossbar. However, just before the half-time whistle, the home side found their second goal. Harry Maguire’s long ball forward was expertly controlled by Diogo Dalot, who calmly slotted a low shot into the far corner, giving United a seemingly comfortable cushion.

The second half saw both goalkeepers called into action early. Perri made a crucial save to deny a lively Garnacho on the run, while André Onana was equally alert to keep out a bouncing close-range effort from Corentin Tolisso.

With just under 20 minutes remaining, Lyon began a remarkable comeback. A series of headers inside the Manchester United box eventually found Tolisso, who nodded the ball past Onana to pull a goal back for the French side. Momentum had shifted, and just eight minutes later, Lyon found an equaliser. Substitute Malick Fofana delivered a cross that eventually reached Nicolás Tagliafico, whose angled effort squeezed past Onana and over the line.

The drama intensified further in the 89th minute when Tolisso received his second yellow card, reducing Lyon to ten men. 1 Despite the numerical disadvantage, the visitors stunned Old Trafford by taking the lead in the first period of extra time. Following a Fofana run, the ball was intercepted but fell kindly to Cherki, who produced a quick and accurate finish to put Lyon ahead for the first time.

The rollercoaster of emotions continued as Alexandre Lacazette extended Lyon’s lead from the penalty spot. However, Manchester United responded almost immediately, with Fernandes converting a spot kick of his own to keep their hopes alive.

The clock ticked towards the end of extra time, but the drama was far from over. In the 120th minute, Kobbie Mainoo, a shining light for United throughout the match, curled a beautiful strike into the net, levelling the aggregate score at 6-6.

Incredibly, there was still time for one final twist. With the clock ticking into added time at the end of extra time, Harry Maguire, who had moved into a centre-forward role in a desperate throw of the dice, rose highest to meet a cross and headed home a sensational last-gasp winner. The roar inside Old Trafford was deafening as Manchester United completed an unforgettable comeback to secure their place in the Europa League semi-finals, where they will face Athletic Club. This truly was an oh what a night for the Red Devils and their supporters.