Europa League 2017: Qualified Teams After Thursday's Quarter-Final Leg 2 Results
Manchester United became one of four teams to advance to the semi-finals of this season's UEFA Europa League on Thursday, where they'll be joined by fellow quarter-final victors Ajax, Celta Vigo and Lyon.
The Red Devils defeated RSC Anderlecht 2-1 in extra time to advance with a 3-2 aggregate win, while 10-man Ajax scored late in extra time to draw 3-3 against FC Schalke 04 and advance on away goals despite losing 3-1 in Germany.
Celta drew 1-1 in their trip to KRC Genk and sealed a 4-3 aggregate win, meaning they've qualified for a European semi-final for the first time in their history, and Lyon beat Besiktas on penalties after losing 2-1 in Turkey to draw 3-3 on aggregate.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
United manager Jose Mourinho will still consider his United outfit a favourite for this year's European crown, although the competition remaining has been reduced to the Europa League's elite.
Read on for a breakdown of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second-leg results, complete with a preview of two teams you'll want to keep an eye on in the competition's next phase.
| Manchester United | 2-1 (3-2) | RSC Anderlecht |
| FC Schalke 04 | 3-1 (3-3, Ajax advance on away goals) | Ajax |
| KRC Genk | 1-1 (3-4) | Celta Vigo |
| Besiktas | 2-1 (Lyon win on penalties) | Lyon |
| Premier League | Manchester United |
| Ligue 1 | Lyon |
| Eredivisie | Ajax |
| La Liga | Celta Vigo |
Manchester United
It was far from pretty, but United booked a berth in the Europa League semis on Thursday thanks largely to the perseverance of Rashford, who was a deserved match-winner for the Red Devils in extra time.
BT Sport provided footage of the 107th-minute strike that sent Mourinho's side into the last four of the tournament in his maiden season at Old Trafford, with the potential for more silverware this term after their EFL Cup triumph in February:
The goal was a timely one for Rashford, too, after he had struggled to find the same amount of playing time and add to his European goal tally this season, per Sky Sports Statto:
In spite of the win, the Red Devils continue to show weakness when playing on home soil and the lack of a killer touch, while a 90th-minute knee injury suffered by Zlatan Ibrahimovic won't help the team in that regard.
Those travelling to Old Trafford in future will do so knowing they won't be the first to test the Premier League powerhouse in front of their own crowd, although Mourinho will revel in the fruit of Thursday's labours for now.
Celta Vigo
A historic Europa League campaign for Celta Vigo was ensured on Thursday after a 1-1 draw at Genk put the finishing touches on their 4-3 win over two legs.
Having won their home leg 3-2 last week, it suited the Spaniards to go in scoreless at the break, although they knew scoring an away goal—as Genk had two to their name—would be critical to their chances of advancing.
Pione Sisto was on hand to snatch just that for the visitors after 63 minutes, and Chris Henson of Football Radar hailed the magnitude of his opener from just outside the Genk area:
Leandro Trossard responded with a neat finish into the bottom corner to level on the night, but that strike was only enough to worsen the Belgian outfit's frustrations at missing out on a semi-final berth.
Celta have progressed to a major European semi-final for the first time in their history and will hope to continue La Liga's reign in the competition after Sevilla won the last three titles in succession.
