Coach Solskjaer hoping for semi-final success on third attempt

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes his team can make it third time lucky and reach their first final of the season after steering United to the Europa League last four after a 1-0 extra-time win over FC Copenhagen on Monday.

United laboured to dispose of the Danish side in 90 minutes, with their 21st penalty kick of the season, converted by Bruno Fernandes in the 95th minute, enough to book a semi-final clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers or Sevilla, who play on Tuesday. In sweltering heat, United’s young team controlled the lion’s share of possession but had a hard time creating clear chances until Andreas Bjelland brought down Anthony Martial in the penalty area.

Norwegian Solskjaer, chasing his first silverware as United boss, is hoping a repeat of their League Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester City and FA Cup last-four loss to Chelsea will not be repeated in Cologne on Sunday.

“We need to be more clinical in knockout games,” Solskjaer said. “I am delighted we are through to another semi-final for this team and the next challenge is to go one step further, and then hopefully win the last one (the final), too.

“We have worked hard throughout the season, and come quite a distance from where we were in terms of fitness, but mentally that is where they (the semi-finals) are decided.”

United’s performance, however, will not give Solskjaer too much hope of going a stage further.

While United had plenty of chances, their finishing left much to be desired, as the Premier League side struggled to cope with the energy-sapping conditions.

“We’re used to having the best facilities around in the world for recovery and preparation,” Solskjaer added.

“But not this time. We just have to make the most out of a difficult situation in conditions that are really hot, humid. We’ve got six days to prepare. There’s not many times that we have six days to prepare for a game.”

The Portugal international notched his competition-best seventh goal of the season as United set up a semi-final clash against Sevilla or Wolves, joining Inter Milan in the last four following the Italian side’s 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Dusseldorf.

All games from the quarter-finals onwards in this season’s Europa League are being played behind closed doors as one-off ties across four venues -- Cologne, Duisburg, Dusseldorf and Gelsenkirchen -- in a unique format following a five-month interruption.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recalled Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial after rotating his side for last week’s second leg of their last-16 tie against Austrian club LASK Linz.

Until the semi-final on Sunday, United will be staying within the UEFA “bubble” in western Germany.

Solskjaer said that meant conditions wouldn’t be optimal for recovery, compared to being in Manchester, and he wouldn’t be allowed to visit the Sevilla-Wolverhampton game. “We just have to make the most out of a difficult situation in conditions which are really hot, humid,” he said.

Meanwhile, United manager Solskjaer declined to respond to the announcement by Dortmund. “I can’t comment on other teams’ players,” he said.

Sancho was one of Dortmund’s stand-out performers last season. The 20-year-old forward scored 17 goals and set up 17 more in 32 Bundesliga appearances. Due to circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the transfer period will run to Oct. 5.  The next day is the closing date for clubs to register players for the group stages of the new season’s UEFA competitions.

Agencies



UEFA Europa League results on Monday:

Quarter-finals

Inter Milan (ITA) 2 (Barella 15, Lukaku 21) Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 1 (Havertz 25)

Manchester United (ENG) 1 (Fernandes 95-pen) FC Copenhagen (DEN) 0 -- after extra time

Semi-finals

Sunday, Aug.16

Wolves/Sevilla vs Man Utd

Monday, Aug.17

Inter vs Shakhtar/Basel

Final on Aug.21 in Cologne