The Red Devils picked up a 6-2 victory in the first leg at Old Trafford, with the Uruguayan frontman leading their charge
Manchester United and Edinson Cavani both made history on Thursday as the Red Devils hammered Roma in their Europa League semi-final.
United ran out 6-2 winners in the first leg of the tie at Old Trafford, leaving Roma with a mountain to climb in the reverse fixture at Stadio Olimpico next week.
Cavani and Bruno Fernandes bagged a brace each, while Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood also got in the act as the Red Devils equalled an impressive mark in European competition dating back 57 years.
United join Madrid in history books
United have become the first team since Real Madrid to score six goals in a continental semi-final, with the Blancos having achieved the same feat during their run to European Cup glory in 1964.
The Manchester outfit also netted six times in Europe for the first time since beating Roma 7-1 in the Champions League back in 2007, and can now start dreaming of winning their first major trophy in four years.
6 – @ManUtd have scored six goals in a single match in European competition for the first time since netting seven against Roma in April 2007; they are the first side to net as many in a major European semi-final since Real Madrid in the European Cup in May 1964. Fun. #UEL pic.twitter.com/xpRgCbl2Rd
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 29, 2021
Record-breaking Cavani
Cavani’s latest double saw him increase his haul of goals in a United shirt to 12 from 33 games in all competitions, and he is also now the oldest player to score twice in the semi-finals of a European competition since 2005.
Philip Cocu scored that double for PSV against AC Milan in the Champions League, but he was 113 days older than Cavani, who turned 34 in February.
34 – At 34 years and 74 days, Edinson Cavani is the oldest player to score a brace at the semi-final stage or beyond in major European competition since Philip Cocu (34y 187d) for PSV vs Milan in the Champions League semi-finals in 2004-05. Wily. #UEL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 29, 2021
What’s next?
The Red Devils will now have to refocus ahead of a Premier League meeting with Liverpool on Sunday, which they must win to stay in sight of runaway leaders Manchester City.
Solskjaer’s men will travel to Rome for the second leg of their Europa League encounter four days later, before preparations begin for a trip to Aston Villa on May 9.
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