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Manchester United snatched a dramatic 5-4 win from the jaws of defeat, leaving Olympique Lyonnais shell-shocked in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals.
On Thursday night, United became the first team in history to score two goals in the 120th minute of a major European match. However, the way the Red Devils started the game and played for the first hour, not many expected the clash to even head into extra time, let alone unfold the way it did.
Many Lyon stars, including the scintillating Rayan Cherki, have received plenty of plaudits for pushing United to the brink of an embarrassing exit. But one Les Gones prodigy deserves a special mention for changing the tide of the game.
Introduced in the 64th minute, when the visitors were trailing by two goals, Malick Fofana took little time to find his feet at the Theatre of Dreams, and his aggressive style instantly lifted Lyon.
In just 14 minutes, the Ligue 1 outfit were level on aggregate, owing to goals from Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico. It was Fofana’s exquisite delivery from the left flank that Ainsley Maitland-Niles volleyed back across the face of goal for the Argentine to make it 2-2.
Despite going down to 10 men, Lyon kept attacking and eventually took the lead through Cherki in the 104th minute. The Frenchman’s strike was simply brilliant but it was Fofana’s bursting run, leaving two United defenders looking clueless, that created the crucial chance for Cherki.
The Belgian’s decisiveness and pace were nearly impossible for the hosts to deal with. Just a few minutes later, Fofana was brought down in the box, leading to a penalty for Lyon. Fortunately, United players somehow picked themselves up to engineer a remarkable comeback.
It must be noted that for the better part of his reign, Ruben Amorim’s men have lacked cutting edge in attack and are in desperate need of reinforcements to deliver such performances on a consistent basis.
If United intend to explore the market for a new attacker this summer, technical director Jason Wilcox, who was in the attendance, should definitely consider Fofana, who must have attracted his attention with his electric display.
The 20-year-old is very good with both feet, making him a nightmare to defend against, as seen tonight. The Belgium international’s relentless approach and unpredictability allows him to either glide past the defender or win fouls in dangerous areas. The very composed forward has scored 10 goals and registered five assists in all competitions this term.
Financially troubled Lyon committed to paying €17 million plus €5 million in add-ons to sign him from Gent in 2024, underlining just how highly they rate his potential.
United should show the same level of decisiveness and do everything in their power to sign the explosive winger before Europe’s biggest clubs join the queue for his signature.
Featured image Ahmad Mora via Getty Images
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