Manchester United have booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Europa League after recording a 2-1 victory over Anderlecht in the second leg of their quarter-final at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Extra time was needed to separate the two teams after Sofiane Hanni had cancelled out a Henrikh Mkhitaryan effort to leave the pair level at the end of 180 minutes of the last-eight tie.
Man United were the stronger team in the additional 30 minutes, however, and Marcus Rashford scored the vital goal in the second half of extra time as the 20-time English champions progressed to the final four of the competition.
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Man United boss Jose Mourinho made five changes to the side that started against Chelsea at the weekend, with Sergio Romero, Luke Shaw, Michael Carrick, Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all coming into the team. Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, returned to the bench for the Red Devils.
As for Anderlecht, the visitors had leading scorer Lukasz Teodorczyk, who was only deemed fit enough for the bench last week, back in their XI. Hanni, Uros Spajic and Alexandru Chipciu were also given starting roles as head coach Rene Weiler shuffled his pack from the first leg in Brussels.
The away side came close to taking a shock lead at Old Trafford inside three minutes when Leander Dendoncker, who netted in the first leg, struck a brilliant effort towards the top corner, but the ball just missed Romero's crossbar.
It was Man United that made the breakthrough in the 10th minute of action, however, when Mkhitaryan smashed the ball past Ruben Martinez after Rashford, who had been released by a sensational Paul Pogba pass, set up the Armenian with a smart cross.
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Pogba came close to scoring a second for the home side two minutes later, but the Frenchman's goal-bound header was kept out by a flying save from Ruben, before the Anderlecht goalkeeper made an even better stop to keep out a curling Jesse Lingard effort moments later.
Anderlecht should have levelled the scores in the 21st minute when Frank Acheampong broke through on the Man United goal after beating Marcos Rojo, who went off injured moments later, to a loose ball, but the attacker's low effort just missed Romero's near post.
Dendoncker was next to come close for the Belgian outfit in the 26th minute after some nervy defending from Man United, but the midfielder could only send his effort wide of the post from a dangerous position.
Anderlecht were purring, however, and the visitors deservedly levelled the scores in the 32nd minute when Hanni smashed home from close range after Man United had failed to clear their lines, with Youri Tielemans's deflected effort hitting the crossbar and dropping into the home side's box.
Rashford threatened to score a second for the Red Devils five minutes before the break when he skipped past Dennis Appiah before attempting to beat Ruben, but the away side's goalkeeper made a smart save, before the Spaniard kept out a low effort from Shaw as the tie remained level at the interval.
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Anderlecht had a super chance to take the lead early in the second period when a wonderful crossfield pass from Tielemans released Teodorczyk, but the Pole's strike was deflected just wide of Romero's post.
Less than one minute later, Man United had an opportunity of their own when Shaw delivered an excellent cross into a dangerous position after breaking into the Anderlecht box, but Lingard somehow turned wide of the post from close range.
The visitors were always dangerous on the counter-attack, with Teodorczyk's header testing Romero in the 54th minute, but Man United were also causing problems down the other end when Rashford had space to exploit in wide positions.
Marouane Fellaini for Lingard was Man United's second change of the match on the hour mark, and the Belgian made an impact as the home side started to go long in search of the goal that would see them take the lead in the tie.
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Rashford should have netted for the home side in the 65rd minute after finding all sorts of space inside the Anderlecht box, but the England international missed the post with his low strike as the Belgians survived a dangerous moment.
Rashford had an even better chance 20 minutes from time after rounding Ruben in the Anderlecht goal following a mistake from Appiah, but the England international was forced too wide, and the visitors managed to clear their lines. Moments later, Ibrahimovic had a wonderful chance from barely six yards out, only to be denied by the away side's stopper.
Pogba was next to come close for Man United after meeting a corner from Rashford, but the France international somehow blazed over the crossbar from close range as the aggregate score remained 2-2 at Old Trafford.
Ibrahimovic had yet another wonderful chance in the 82nd minute after super work from Carrick, but the Swede got his effort horribly wrong on another night of missed opportunities for the Red Devils.
Rashford was next to come close for Mourinho's side after being released by Ibrahimovic in the 89th minute, but the forward hit the side-netting as the quarter-final headed for extra time following a 1-1 draw in the second leg.
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Ibrahimovic landed awkwardly in the final act of the 90 minutes, and the Swede had to be replaced by Anthony Martial after suffering an injury that could well end the experienced forward's season.
A rabona from Rashford provided Pogba with the chance to score a spectacular overhead kick in the first opportunity of the additional 30 minutes, but Spajic was on hand to make yet another brilliant block, before Ivan Obradovic had one narrowly deflected wide of the post down the other end.
Man United continued to look the more likely to register in the first half of extra time, but some sensational defending from Anderlecht's two centre-backs, and a Pogba goal disallowed for offside, kept the score level at the break.
The pressure was absolutely relentless, however, and Man United took the lead in the 107th minute when Rashford created some space inside the Anderlecht box with a wonderful turn before rolling the ball into the corner of the net.
Acheampong almost spoiled the party in the latter stages with a close-range header, but Romero made the save as Man United booked their spot in the final four of the competition with an extra-time success.
Matt Law
