FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2025
All-English Europa League final, Chelsea and Betis to vie for Conference League
Published on May 9, 2025
By IANS
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- LONDON — There will be an all-English final in the UEFA Europa League on May 21 after Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both won their respective semifinals on Thursday.
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- Three late goals gave Manchester United a 4-1 win at home to Athletic Bilbao, who had the home side on the ropes for a long time despite missing players such as Nico and Inaki Williams and Oihan Sancet. United won 7-1 on aggregate after having triumphed 3-0 in last week's first leg in Bilbao.
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- Mikel Jauregizar gave the Basque side hope in the 31st minute when he curled in an excellent shot from outside the area to reward his team's control in the first half, in which United looked to sit deep and play on the break, reports Xinhua.
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- Athletic was the better side for the first 25 minutes of the second half, but failed to create enough chances in the absence of key strikers, and when Mason Mount made it 1-1 in the 72nd minute, the tie was all but over.
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- Casemiro flicked in a free kick in the 80th minute, with Rasmus Hojlund making it 3-1 five minutes from time and Mount scoring his second from distance with goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala off his line.
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- Elsewhere, Tottenham won 2-0 away to Bodo/Glimt for a 5-1 aggregate win.
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- Dominic Solanke opened the scoring in the 63rd minute from a corner, and Pedro Porro's long range effort six minutes later made Spurs' final place secure.
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- In the Conference League, Chelsea will face Real Betis in the final, with Chelsea winning 5-1 on aggregate and Betis scraping through 4-3 after extra time against Fiorentina.
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- Chelsea had few problems in ensuring its place in the final after last week's 4-1 win away to Swedish side Djurgarden.
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- The result was never in doubt, with Chelsea extending its lead in the 38th minute when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored the game's only goal.
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- Betis traveled to Florence defending a 2-1 first leg win at home to Fiorentina, and in an exciting first half, Antony gave the Spanish side a two-goal cushion on aggregate with a stunning free kick that went in off the post in the 30th minute.
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- However, the Italian side hit back with Robin Gosens scoring two headers from corners on 34 and 42 minutes.
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- With no goals in the second half, the tie went into extra time where Ez Abde's far-post finish made it 2-2 on the night and 4-3 to Betis on aggregate.
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