Defense "Lyon" decided to arrange a day off - and chose for this semi-final of the Europa League. Looking at the ease with which Ajax scores, how easily they create moment after moment, it was hard to believe that these teams are of the same class and level. The collective clouding of the mind of their defenders could only partly compensate for the goalkeeper of the guests Anthony Lopes - he would have claimed the title of player of the match if his team had not missed four goals. And Lyon started the match well and even had a full-fledged scoring chance when Cornet didn't score after a great combination involving Jallet and Tousart. However, the remainder of the first half, the guests frankly failed - "Ajax" did not create any particular difficulties for the French, and yet was able to score two goals, taking advantage of the blunders of the Lyons. First, a completely unforgivable foul at this level was committed near his penalty area by Morel - Ziyech performed a sharp serve, and Traore only slightly touched the ball, which would have fallen into the far corner of Lopes' goal without him. And soon the Lyon goalkeeper, together with the defender Diakaby, "brought" the second ball - an unsuccessful removal of the goalkeeper, the loss of Diakaby's position - and now Dolberg already has a one-on-one exit, which he realizes. Guests could get in the first half and the third goal – but Lopes then saved the “Lyon”, reflecting the impact of Younes at close range. In the second half of the game, the defense of the guests began to play even worse, although it was hard to imagine that this was possible. Tusar made a mistake, losing the ball in his own half of the field, and the “Ajaxids” fled three in two – Younes hit from the goalkeeper's border, and Lopes did everything he could, but the ball still crossed his goal line. The only attacking Lyon player who played the match at his level - Mathieu Valbuena - was able to score a "goal of prestige" when the Ajax defense failed, but Traore soon restored the devastating score by closing the transfer of Ziyech - with the complete connivance of the visitors' centerdefs, and just replaced by Rafael. The rest of the match was some kind of insane festival of missed chances and disregard for the game in defense - and already on the part of both teams. More moments had “Ajax”, with their counterattacks over and over again breaking the slurred construction of the guests. It's a miracle that Lyon hasn't conceded yet, and the name of this miracle is Lopes. The goalkeeper of the French team kept the score of the match more or less decent, but the chances of the Lyons in the second leg did not get any better from this.
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 this day is celebrated one of the most important national holidays - Remembrance Day, dedicated to the memory of those who died in military conflicts of the 20th century. The road "Ajax" to the semi-finals turned out to be very difficult. In the 1/16 finals, the Ajaxids 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 Virgever. On next step of the tournament, the team of Peter Bos was opposed by Copenhagen, and again everything was decided by a one-goal advantage - after losing away with a score of 1:2, Ajax won at home (2:0), and winning goal forward Kasper Dolberg scored from the penalty spot. The quarterfinal 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 Ajaxids were forced to play in the minority due to removal Veltman. In extra time, the opponents scored as many as three goals for two, but two of them were scored by the Dutch. In the national championship, Ajax continue the battle for the title, four points behind leaders Feyenoord. last game Amsterdam spent April 23, losing to PSV with a score of 0: 1, and did not play last weekend due to a break associated with the Dutch Cup. In today's match, Peter Bos 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 brighter manner than "Ajax". In the 1/16 finals, the team of Bruno Genesio did not leave a stone unturned from another Dutch club - AZ Alkmaar, a two-legged 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 bounced back, losing 1:2, and achieved a score of 4:2 in their favor, and in the second leg they resisted the "Olympico" (1:2). As in the case of Ajax, the quarter-final match between Lyon and Besiktas was not limited to normal time - a penalty shoot-out decided its outcome. The French club has hitherto been unlucky in the post-match penalties - the club thus lost in 2005 in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in the match with PSV, as well as the APOEL club in 2012 in the 1/8 finals of the Champions League. Nevertheless, this time luck was on the side of Genesio's wards. However, in a duel with Besiktas, Lyon also suffered a significant loss - the team's main scorer, Alexandre Lacazette, who scored 30 goals this season, was injured and could not 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 the chance to get into the Champions League, as it lags behind Nice, which is in 3rd place by as much as 20 (!) points.
Match progress.
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 scared each other with high pressure in the narrow half, not allowing each other to relax. The Ajax fans busily 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 Tusar on the right flank played a "wall" with Christophe Jallet and shot from the front line into the center of the goalkeeper - Maxwell Cornet managed to get there faster than anyone else, and his toe kick was only a will Fortune was able to reflect and transfer to the corner goalkeeper "Ajax" Andre Onana. The hosts responded mainly with counterattacks - so, in the 12th minute after breaking through to the gates of Lyon, 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 guests were able to win a rebound in someone else's half of the field - Nabil Fekir picked up the ball, advanced to the penalty area and fired a long-range shot - but it turned out too weak. Morel broke the rules on Dolberg in the 24th minute - "Ajax" got the right to a potentially dangerous standard near the right corner of the penalty area. Aminu Ziyech performed an excellent twisted serve from the left foot to the goalkeeper, where Bertrand Traore only slightly touched the ball, but still sent it to the far corner. 1:0! At the 27th minute Kenny Tete hung into the penalty area from the depths - Dolberg jumped high, but his header missed the target. In the 30th minute, Ziyech found a free space on the left - he beat Jalle beautifully and crossed, but Nkulu was reliable and cleared the ball. Soon de Ligt was awarded a yellow card for a rough foul in midfield. In the 34th minute, the guests made a childish mistake - Lopes, having received a pass from a defender, knocked the ball out, but not far - Traore won the top fight and gave a pass to Dolberg - Diakaby lost position, and the Ajax forward went one on one and easily realized your chance. 2:0! In the 39th minute, the guests were able to earn a free kick dangerously close to the gate, but Valbuena played it so badly 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 broke the fast attack of Ajax. In the 42nd minute, Morel sent a touch to Fekir, who entered the penalty area at an acute angle and shot into the bottom corner – but Onana was reliable, correctly chose the position and took the ball in his hands. A minute later, Younes almost used the failure of “Lyon” in the center of defense – the striker, after an excellent perepasovka with Klassen, jumped one on one with Lopes, but the guest goalkeeper saved his team.
At the beginning of the second half, Genesio's team missed again. Tusar lost the ball in his own half, Ziyech immediately made a pass to the left edge of the penalty area, from where Younes struck into the near corner - Lopes seemed to drag, but the ball still bounced over the line from his hands. Defender of “Lyon” took the ball into the field, but the side referee still recorded a goal. 3:0! At the 52nd minute good moment was at Fekir - he removed de Ligt on the backswing and shot from outside the penalty area, but Onana was in place, pulling the ball out of the far corner. "Lyon" rushed to attack after the third missed ball - especially zealous on the right flank, Christophe Jallet. But his own zone became especially vulnerable to counterattacks - Dolberg broke through the curb, reached the penalty area and struck a strong beat- Lopes hit the ball hard. In the 58th minute, Lucas Tousart left the field - the football player spent not best match and was responsible for Ajax's third goal. He was replaced by Rashid Ghezzal. At the 62nd minute, Bertrand Traore was awarded a yellow card - he was punished for a rough foul against Tolisso. A couple of minutes later, Traore scored again - this time in a constructive way - moved to the right into the penalty area and hit on goal - Lopes deftly folded and made a save. In the 66th minute, Valbuena returned one goal for Lyon. Zhalle completed another cross from the right flank, Schöne unsuccessfully repelled the projectile with his head to the edge of the penalty area, where Valbuena processed it, met no resistance and shot into the left nine, with no chance for Onana. 3:1! In the 69th minute, Fekir got another scoring chance - Gonalon and Gezzal played a combination in the center, Ajax's centre-back unsuccessfully rushed to intercept the pass, and Fekir went one on one, but Onana was able to stop his pass. Soon the second replacement took place at Lyon - instead of Jallet, Raffael came out. And in a moment he became the indirect culprit of another goal - Klassen threw the ball to the left flank, from where Ziyech performed a cross without much resistance from Rafael - Lyon again had a gaping void in the center of the goalkeeper's area, and Traore scored a double from close range. 4:1! Soon, some kind of madness began on the field - the teams completely spat on defense. At one point, Gezzal succeeds in another exit to the opponent's goal, and Onan saves after his blow, and then after Rafael's shot. A second later, Ajax answers - 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 blow. At the 77th minute, Klassen struck from the penalty area - Lopes jumped the ball flying into the right top corner. In the 79th minute, Kluivert came out instead of Younes, and Schöne left the field a little earlier - he was replaced by Donny van de Beek. Lacazette appeared on the field at Lyon, replacing Cornet. Another counterattack, “Ajax” three in three took place in the 81st minute – Traore, Dolberg and Ziyech could not bring it to mind and earned only a corner. At the end of the match, Ajax often began to break the rules in their own half of the field, and the guests got the opportunity to break through several standards, but they never got anything from them. In the 88th minute Kasper Dolberg left the field and was replaced by David Neres. In the 2nd added minute, Neres, after a penetrating pass from Klassen, jumped to the gate, but Lopes saved, and a few moments later he made a save after hitting Ziyech from a lethal position. At the last minute, Lyon took a corner, and Lacazette, forgotten by the defenders of Ajax at the far post, hit, but could not get into the goal.
Best player match - Bertrand Traore.
Forward “Ajax” has issued a double – but could have distinguished himself and more, if he was more accurate in the implementation. In the first half, Traore, with a barely perceptible touch, sent the ball into the net after a free-kick from Ziyech, and in the second forty-five minutes he closed the cross of the same Ziyech, competently avoiding custody in the goalkeeper's area.
Manchester United won at home against Anderlecht in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final.
In regular time, the teams repeated the result of a week ago in Brussels: Sofyan Anni answered the goal with an accurate shot. The winner was determined only in extra time. Decisive blow on the account.
Note that two Manchester United players could not finish the meeting at Old Trafford due to injuries: he left the field in the first half, and received damage at the end of the second half.
It came to extra time in the match between Schalke and Ajax. The Dutch club a week earlier scored confident victory(2:0), but in Gelsenkirchen the champions of the Netherlands failed to maintain a solid advantage. In regular time, Goretzka and Burgstaller equalized in the confrontation, and in extra time, Daniel Caligiuri scored the goal that took Schalke to the semi-finals. However, Ajax, who remained in the minority after the removal of Yoel Veltman, managed to avoid defeat in the second extra time following the results of two meetings. Due to the ball scored away, the club from Amsterdam went further. Finally, all questions about the outcome of the confrontation in the last minute of extra time were removed by Amin Younes.
Schalke - Ajax. 3:1. Nick Virgever
Europa League. ¼ final. Return matches
(1:1, 0:0, 0:0)
Goals: Mkhitaryan, 10 (). Rashford, 107 (). - Annie, 32 ().
The 2017-2018 UEFA Europa League Final will be the 47th edition of the UEFA Europa League and the ninth since the UEFA Cup was renamed the Europa League. The competition is considered the second most prestigious club football tournament"Old World" after the Champions League, and teams from European championships take part in it, having taken the 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 round of the playoffs of the Champions League.
The Champion of the League will get 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 next season.
Final LE 2018: when, where and in which stadium will 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). With a capacity of 59,186 spectators, the arena is the third largest stadium in France after the Parc des Princes and the Velodrome.
The stadium hosts its home matches of the local club Lyon. In addition, the final of EURO 2016 was played here, as well as the semi-finals and finals are planned. women's championship world cup 2019 and some summer matches Olympic Games 2024. It also sometimes hosts rugby and hockey matches.
May 16, 2018 was chosen as the date for the final match. As in the tradition of past years, the match is scheduled to start at 20:45 (Moscow time). Within 10 days, the decisive game of the Champions League will be played, and the participants of the UEFA Super Cup 2018 will finally become known.
Past Years Winners
In the last draw of the LE in final game met the English "Manchester United" and the Dutch "Ajax". As a result, the Manchester club turned out to be the strongest, having beaten the Amsterdam team with a score of 2:0.
And here is the list of the last 10 Europa League finals
- 2016/17 - Manchester United - Ajax 2: 0;
- 2015/16 - Sevilla - Liverpool 3: 1;
- 2014/15 - Sevilla - Dnipro 3: 2;
- 2013/14 - Sevilla 0-0 Benfica p.s.p. 4:2;
- 2012/13 - Chelsea - Benfica 2: 1;
- 2011/12 - Atlético - Athletic 3:0;
- 2010/11 - Porto - Braga 1:0;
- 2009/10 - Atlético 2-1 Fulham;
- 2008/09 - Shakhtar - Werder Bremen 2: 1;
Very soon, the winners will be determined in all the leading European football championships and everyone will go on vacation. But the main matches of this year will be held in late May and early June. These are, as you probably already guessed, the finals of the Europa League and the Champions League. Now more and more football fans are wondering where the Europa League final will be held in 2017? We have all the information on this issue, which we are happy to share with you.
The 2016/2017 LE Final is the climactic duel between the two the best teams, who have come a long way as the second most powerful club tournament in Europe. This year's Europa League final will take place at Sweden's Friends Arena on 24 May. 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. Glory and big prizes are at stake. Therefore, the fight for tickets to the final promises to be hot.
A little about the main arena
The Friends Arena in Solna was opened on November 14, 2012. friendly match national teams of Sweden and England. After that, the Swedish national team began to play all their games at this stadium.
The stadium can simultaneously accommodate 50,000 spectators. In addition, thanks to the retractable roof, the arena can be converted 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 name of the winner 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. Manchester United, Roma, Lyon have the best chances to win the Europa League. But as history shows, everything happens in football, and the clear favorites are very often left behind.
It is worth noting that in this LE draw, the Spanish Sevilla will definitely not win the tournament, as it has done in the last three seasons. Recall that this year the Andalusians play in a more prestigious tournament called the UEFA Champions League.
