Manchester United 1 Sevilla 2: Wissam Ben Yedder sends Jose Mourinho crashing out of the Champions League

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Tom Doyle13 March 2018

Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League as Sevilla secured a shock 2-1 win at Old Trafford to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Jose Mourinho's Red Devils were abject over the two legs of the last-16 tie, and two second-half goals from substitute Wissam Ben Yedder ensured United exited the Champions League in front of their shocked home crowd.

Romelu Lukaku struck a volley with six minutes remaining, but it was not enough for United as their European hopes came to an abrupt halt at the Theatre of Dreams.

David De Gea rescued a goalless draw from the first leg in Seville, but United showed none of the urgency expected of a team who knew they had to win on the night to progress.

REUTERS

A midfield two of Marouane Fellaini and Nemanja Matic failed to set the tempo as a disjointed United side struggled to create anything of note in a dour first half, with Fellaini's fierce drive drawing a decent save from Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico in one of the few chances of the opening 45 minutes.

If Jose Mourinho borrowed a leaf from Sir Alex Ferguson's playbook and unleashed the half-time 'hairdryer', it had little effect after the break as United's ponderous build-up play continued.

AFP/Getty Images

Sevilla coach Vincenzo Montella sensed the game was there to be won as time ticked away, and Ben Yedder - with six goals already in the competition - made an immediate difference off the bench.

United conceded possession far too easily, and Ben Yedder got in between Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling to finish clinically to De Gea's left.

EPA

The hosts needed two goals to qualify, but Sevilla struck again after more sloppy defending as De Gea was unable to keep out a close-range finish from Ben Yedder at the back post with 13 minutes left.

REUTERS

Smalling missed a gilt-edged chance to hand United a lifeline as he sliced a close-range finish at the back post, and while Lukaku acrobatically volleyed Mourinho's men into life with six minutes left, they left it far too late to have any hope of avoiding a shock exit.

REUTERS

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