Report as Manchester United earn Europa League semi-final first-leg victory at Athletic Club; Casemiro heads in opener after Harry Maguire’s magic; Bruno Fernandes nets penalty after Dani Vivian is sent off; Fernandes scored a third before half-time; Second leg on Thursday May 8
Bruno Fernandes scored twice as Manchester United earned a commanding lead in their Europa League semi-final with a shock 3-0 first-leg victory at 10-player Athletic Club.
United were three up at half-time after breaching Europe’s tightest home defence at the Estadio de San Mames, where the LaLiga side hadn’t lost since August.
It took something special to unlock Athletic Club when Harry Maguire momentarily turned into a winger, showing quick feet on the right before crossing into the near post for Manuel Ugarte, who flicked the ball on for Casemiro to head home the opener in the 30th minute.
The entire tie changed within seven minutes after Rasmus Hojlund was pulled back by Dani Vivian when he tried to reach a low cross in the six-yard box. The referee sent the Athletic Club centre-back off and awarded United a penalty, which Fernandes cooly dispatched, after consulting the pitchside monitor.
Athletic Club made two substitutions to try and halt United’s momentum, but Fernandes added a third before the half was finished, slotting home from Ugarte’s clever backheel to put the visitors in dreamland.
United eased off in the second half with a controlled performance to prevent the hosts from finding anyway back into the tie.
Casemiro went close to his second of the night, hitting a post with a header at a corner before Fernandes and Garnacho both had shots parried by goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.
There was a further positive for United as Amad Diallo came off the bench to make his first appearance since early February ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford next Thursday.