The Lyon defense decided to have a day off - and chose the Europa League semi-finals for this. Looking at how easily Ajax scored, how effortlessly they created moment after moment, it was hard to believe that these teams were of the same class and level. Only visiting goalkeeper Anthony Lopes could partially compensate for the collective clouding of the minds of his defenders - he would have claimed the title of man of the match if his team had not conceded four goals. And Lyon started the match well and even had a full-fledged scoring chance when Cornet did not score after an excellent combination with the participation of Jallet and Tousart. However, the guests frankly failed the rest of the first half - Ajax did not create any particular difficulties for the French, and nevertheless managed to score two goals, taking advantage of the Lyon team's blunders. First, Morel committed a completely unforgivable foul at this level near his penalty area - Ziyech made a sharp pass, and Traore only slightly touched the ball, which without him would have fallen into the far corner of Lopes' goal. And soon the Lyon goalkeeper, together with defender Diakhaby, “brought” the second ball - an unsuccessful clearance by the goalkeeper, Diakhaby losing his position - and now Dolberg already has a one-on-one opportunity, which he converts. The guests could have gotten a third goal in the first half, but Lopes saved Lyon by parrying Younes' shot from close range. In the second half of the game, the visiting defense began to play even worse, although it was difficult to imagine that this was possible. Tusar made a mistake, losing the ball in his own half of the field, and the Ajaxes ran away three on two - Younes shot from the edge of the goalkeeper's area, and Lopes did everything he could, but the ball still crossed his goal line. The only player in Lyon's attack who played the match at his level - Mathieu Valbuena - was able to score a "prestige goal" when the Ajax defense played poorly, but Traore soon restored the devastating score by finishing off Ziyech's pass - with the complete connivance of both the visiting center-defs and Rafael, who had just come on as a substitute. The rest of the match was some kind of crazy festival of missed chances and disregard for defensive play - on the part of both teams. Ajax had more chances, with their counterattacks repeatedly tearing apart the guests' unclear formations. It’s a miracle that Lyon haven’t conceded yet, and the name of this miracle is Lopes. The French team's goalkeeper kept the match score more or less decent, but this did not improve the Lyon team's chances in the return match.
Background.
The semi-final match of the Europa League between Ajax and Lyon took place on Wednesday - an unusual day for the calendar of the second most important European Cup tournament. This change in the schedule was due to the fact that in Holland on this day one of the most important national holidays is celebrated - Remembrance Day, dedicated to the memory of those who died in military conflicts of the 20th century. Ajax's road to the semi-finals was very difficult. In the 1/16 finals, the Ajaxes with great difficulty overcame the resistance of the Polish Legia - after an away draw (0:0), the Dutch were still able to snatch victory in the home match thanks to the only goal scored by defender Nick Wiergever. On next stage tournament, Peter Bosz's team was opposed by Copenhagen, and again everything was decided by a one-goal advantage - after an away defeat with a score of 1:2, Ajax won at home (2:0), and winning goal striker Kasper Dolberg scored from the penalty spot. The quarter-final with Schalke became a real thriller - after a home victory (2:0), in the return game, Ajax conceded two unanswered goals in regular time and the teams went into overtime, and the Ajaxes were forced to play in the minority due to sending off Veltman. In extra time, the opponents scored as many as three goals between them, but two of them were scored by the Dutch. In the national championship, Ajax continues to fight for the title, four points behind leader Feyenoord. Last game The Amsterdam team played on April 23, losing to PSV with a score of 0:1, and did not play last weekend due to the break associated with the Dutch Cup. In today's match, Peter Bosz could not count on two key defenders - Joel Veltman and Nick Virgever earned suspensions following the game with Schalke. Lyon made it to the semi-finals in an even more impressive manner than Ajax. In the 1/16 finals, Bruno Genesio's team left no stone unturned against another Dutch club - AZ Alkmaar, the two-game confrontation with which ended with a total score of 11:2. At the next stage, Lyon played with the formidable Roma - in the first game, the French fought back, losing 1:2, and achieved a 4:2 score in their favor, and in the return match they held out at the Olimpico (1:2). As in the case with Ajax, Lyon's quarterfinal match with Besiktas was not limited to regular time - its outcome was decided by a penalty shootout. The French club has so far been unlucky in penalty kicks - the club lost in the 2005 Champions League quarter-finals against PSV, as well as to the APOEL club in 2012 in the 1/8 finals of the Champions League. However, this time luck was on the side of Genesio’s team. However, in the match with Besiktas, Lyon also suffered a significant loss - the team's main scorer, Alexandre Lacazette, who scored 30 goals this season, was injured and was unable to start today's game. It is also worth noting that the Europa League for Lyon is important not only as a trophy, but also as a way to qualify for the Champions League - in the French Championship, Genesio's team lost its chances of getting into the Champions League, as it lags behind Nice, which is in 3rd place. by as much as 20 (!) points.
Progress of the match.
The teams started the match at a calm, “exploratory” pace - the Ajax players had more possession of the ball, but rolled it mainly in their own half of the field. However, on occasion, the opponents frightened each other with high pressure in the narrow half, not allowing each other to relax. Ajax fans diligently booed the Lyon players as soon as they tried to build their own attack. In the 10th minute, the guests still managed to create a full-fledged scoring chance - Lucas Tousart played a one-on-one with Christophe Jallet on the right flank and shot from the front line into the center of the goalkeeper's goal - Maxwell Cornet got there the fastest, and his toe kick was only by will Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana was able to deflect and turn the chance into a corner. The hosts responded mainly with counterattacks - for example, in the 12th minute after breaking through to the Lyon goal, Matthijs de Ligt decided to shoot from afar - Anthony Lopes took his strong shot into his gloves. In the 21st minute, after a goal kick, the visitors were able to win a rebound in the opposing half of the field - Nabil Fekir picked up the ball, advanced towards the penalty area and fired a long-range shot - but it was too weak. Morel fouled Dolberg in the 24th minute - Ajax was entitled to a potentially dangerous set-piece near the right corner of the penalty area. Aminu Ziyech delivered an excellent left-footed cross into the goalkeeper's area, where Bertrand Traore barely touched the ball, but still sent it into the far corner. 1:0! In the 27th minute, Kenny Tete crossed into the penalty area from deep - Dolberg jumped high, but his header missed the target. In the 30th minute, Ziyech found space on the left - he beat Jalle beautifully and crossed, but Nkoulou was reliable and cleared the ball. Soon de Ligt received a yellow card for a flagrant foul in the center of the field. In the 34th minute, the guests made a childish mistake - Lopes, having received a pass from a defender, knocked the ball away, but not far - Traore won the uphill battle and passed the pass to Dolberg - Diakhaby lost his position, and the Ajax forward went one on one and easily converted your chance. 2:0! In the 39th minute, the visitors were able to earn a free kick dangerously close to the goal, but Valbuena played it so poorly that it became clear that Lyon needed a break to recover emotionally and psychologically after an unsuccessful first half. Soon Gonalon earned a yellow card for a foul that disrupted Ajax's quick attack. In the 42nd minute, Morel made a touch pass to Fekir, who entered the penalty area at an acute angle and fired into the bottom corner - however, Onana was reliable, chose his position wisely and took the ball into his hands. A minute later, Younes almost took advantage of Lyon's failure in the center of defense - the striker, after an excellent pass with Klassen, jumped out one on one with Lopes, but the visiting goalkeeper saved his team.
At the beginning of the second half, Genesio's team conceded again. Tusar lost the ball in his own half, Ziyech immediately passed to the left edge of the penalty area, from where Younes shot into the near corner - Lopes seemed to drag it, but the ball still bounced off the line from his hands. The Lyon defender carried the ball into the field, but the side referee still recorded a goal. 3:0! At the 52nd minute good point Fekir had it - he took off De Ligt on a swing and shot from outside the penalty area, but Onana was there, pulling the ball from the far corner. Lyon rushed to attack after the third goal conceded - Christophe Jallet was especially zealous on the right flank. But his zone also became especially vulnerable to counterattacks - Dolberg broke through on the edge, reached the penalty area and struck powerful blow- Lopes hit the ball with difficulty. In the 58th minute, Luca Tousart left the field - the footballer spent no time best match and was responsible for Ajax's third goal. He was replaced by Rashid Ghezzal. In the 62nd minute, Bertrand Traore received a yellow card - he was punished for a flagrant foul against Tolisso. A couple of minutes later, Traore scored again - this time in a constructive manner - he moved from the right into the penalty area and hit the goal - Lopes deftly formed and made a save. In the 66th minute, Valbuena scored one goal for Lyon. Jallet executed another cross from the right flank, Schone unsuccessfully headed the ball to the edge of the penalty area, where Valbuena handled it, met no resistance and fired into the left corner, with no chance for Onana. 3:1! In the 69th minute, Fekir received another scoring chance - Gonalon and Ghezzal played a combination in the center, the Ajax center def unsuccessfully rushed to intercept the pass, and Fekir went one on one, but Onana was able to stop his pass. Soon, Lyon made a second substitution - Raffael came on instead of Jallet. And a moment later he became the indirect culprit of another goal - Klassen threw the ball to the left flank, from where Ziyech crossed without much resistance from Rafael - in the center of the Lyon goalkeeper there was again a gaping void, and Traore scored a double from close range. 4:1! Soon, some kind of madness began on the field - the teams completely gave up on defense. At one point, Ghezzal manages to reach the opponent’s goal again, and Onana is saved after his shot, and then after Rafael’s shot. A second later, Ajax responds - Ziyech breaks through from the left, beats the goalkeeper, but his cross does not find a partner, and in the next attack, Dolberg and Younes go two on one, but the latter spoils everything with a bad shot. In the 77th minute, Klassen shot from the edge of the penalty area - Lopes jumped the ball flying into the right corner. In the 79th minute, Kluivert came on instead of Younes, and a little earlier Schöne left the field - he was replaced by Donny van de Beek. Lacazette appeared on the Lyon field, replacing Cornet. Another three-on-three counterattack by Ajax took place in the 81st minute - Traore, Dolberg and Ziyech were unable to bring it to fruition and only earned a corner. At the end of the match, Ajax began to often break the rules in their own half of the field, and the guests had the opportunity to break through several set pieces, but they never got anything out of them. In the 88th minute, Kasper Dolberg left the field and was replaced by David Neres. In the 2nd minute of added time, Neres, after a penetrating pass from Klassen, rushed towards the goal, but Lopes saved, and a few moments later he made a save after Ziyech’s shot from a lethal position. On last minute Lyon took a corner, and Lacazette, forgotten by the Ajax defenders at the far post, took a shot but failed to hit the goal.
Best Player match - Bertrand Traore.
The Ajax striker scored a double - but he could have scored more if he had been more careful in his execution. In the first half, Traore sent the ball into the net with a barely perceptible touch after Ziyech's free kick, and in the second forty-five minutes he closed in the cross from the same Ziyech, competently avoiding guarding in the goalkeeper's area.
Manchester United achieved a home victory over Anderlecht in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals.
In regular time, the teams repeated the result of a week ago in Brussels: Sofyan Anni responded to the goal with an accurate shot. The winner was determined only in extra time. The decisive blow is on the scoresheet.
Let us note that two Manchester United players were unable to complete the match at Old Trafford due to injuries: he left the field in the first half and was injured at the end of the second half.
It came to extra time in the match between Schalke and Ajax. The Dutch club won a week earlier confident victory(2:0), but in Gelsenkirchen the Dutch champions failed to maintain a solid advantage. In regular time, Goretzka and Burgstaller leveled the score in the confrontation, and in extra time, Daniel Caligiuri scored a goal that took Schalke to the semi-finals. However, Ajax, which remained in the minority after Joel Veltman was sent off, managed to avoid defeat after two meetings in the second extra time. Thanks to the goal scored away, the club from Amsterdam advanced. Amin Younes finally cleared up all questions about the outcome of the confrontation in the last minute of extra time.
Schalke - Ajax. 3:1. Nick Virgever
Europa League. ¼ finals. Return matches
(1:1, 0:0, 0:0)
Goals: Mkhitaryan, 10 (). Rashford, 107 (). – Annie, 32 ().
The UEFA Europa League final 2017-2018 will be the 47th edition of this tournament and the 9th in a row since the UEFA Cup was renamed the Europa League. The competition is considered the second most prestigious club competition football tournament“Old World” after the Champions League, and teams from European championships take part in it, taking corresponding places at the end of last season in their national leagues, as well as cup winners and clubs that lost in the 3rd and playoff round of the Champions League.
The winner of the UEFA Champions League will receive the right to play against the winner of the Champions League in the match for the UEFA Super Cup, and will also become the owner of a direct ticket to group stage Champions League for next season.
LE 2018 final: when, where and at what stadium will it be held
On December 9, 2016, at a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in Nyon (Switzerland), it was decided to give the right to host the 2018 UEFA Europa League final to the Parc Olympique Lyonne stadium in France (another name is Lumiere). The arena has a capacity of 59,186 spectators, making it the third largest stadium in France after the Parc des Princes and the Vélodrome.
The local club Lyon plays its home matches at the stadium. In addition, the EURO 2016 final was played here, and it is also planned to host the semi-finals and final women's championship FIFA World Cup 2019 and some summer matches Olympic Games 2024. Rugby and hockey matches are also sometimes held there.
The date for the final match was chosen as May 16, 2018. As is the tradition of past years, the start of the match is scheduled for 20:45 (Moscow time). In just 10 days, the decisive Champions League game will be played, and the participants in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup will finally be known.
Winners of previous years
In the last LE draw in final game English "Manchester United" and Dutch "Ajax" met. As a result, the Manchester club turned out to be the strongest, beating the Amsterdam team with a score of 2:0.
This is what the list of the last 10 Europa League finals looks like:
- 2016/17 - Manchester United - Ajax 2:0;
- 2015/16 - Sevilla - Liverpool 3:1;
- 2014/15 - Sevilla - Dnepr 3:2;
- 2013/14 - Sevilla - Benfica 0:0 p.p. 4:2;
- 2012/13 - Chelsea - Benfica 2:1;
- 2011/12 - Atlético - Athletic 3:0;
- 2010/11 – Porto – Braga 1:0;
- 2009/10 – Atlético – Fulham 2:1;
- 2008/09 – Shakhtar – Werder 2:1;
Very soon, the winners of all the leading European football championships will be determined and everyone will go on vacation. But the main matches of this year will take place at the end of May and beginning of June. These, as you probably already guessed, are the finals of the Europa League and the Champions League. Nowadays, football fans are increasingly asking the question, where will the Europa League final be held in 2017? We have all the information on this issue, which we will be happy to share with you.
The UEFA Europa League 2016/2017 final is the climactic match between the two the best teams, who have come a long way as the second strongest club tournament in Europe. This year the Europa League final will be held at the Swedish Friends Arena on May 24. There is very little left, namely, to find out the names of the lucky ones who will be able to get to the main match of the tournament. Fame and big prize money are at stake. Therefore, the fight for tickets to the finals promises to be hot.
A little about the main arena
Friends Arena in Solna was opened on November 14, 2012 friendly match national teams of Sweden and England. After this, the Swedish national team began to play all their games at this stadium.
The stadium can accommodate 50,000 spectators at a time. In addition, thanks to the retractable roof, the arena can be transformed into an indoor concert hall with a capacity of up to 70,000 people.
Who has a better chance of winning the 2016/2017 Europa League final?
The winner's name will be announced on May 24, 2017. However, bookmakers, fans and football experts have already made their predictions, revealing the clear favorites of the tournament. The best chances to win the Europa League are Manchester United, Roma and Lyon. But as history shows, anything can happen in football, and the clear favorites are often left behind.
It is worth noting that in this LE draw, the Spanish Sevilla will definitely not win the tournament, as they did in the last three seasons. Let us remind you that this year the Andalusians are playing in a more prestigious tournament called the UEFA Champions League.
