If Manchester United have learned anything from the final two Europa League games of the campaign, it is worth taking the chances you create.
Against Copenhagen in the quarter-finals and against Sevilla, now in the final four, United created numerous chances in front of the goal.
But a combination of poor finishing and spectacular form of goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes reached their lone goals through penalties.
Against the Danish team that proved to be enough. This is not always the case against Sevilla, an experienced knockout specialist.
Ole Gunnar Soleszier can look back on the season marked by improvements across the pitch, and Mason Greenwood has joined the likes of Anthony Marshall and Marcus Rashford forming a terrific front three.
But Greenwood fell into its seat after a full-time whistling in Cologne, as they lost the golden opportunity to win the first trophy in three innings.
The Red Devils have been on their longest run without a trophy for 31 years now, and Soulsjare has an abnormally short summer break to find a way to solve the remaining problems at Old Trafford, even if their team is heading in the right direction.
Those fears may have been far from his thoughts as United made a strong start against Julen Lopetegui, after Fernandes fired a bright opening salvo with a trademark finish from 12 yards out by Rashford Diego Carlos.
But after failing to advance, the 20-time English champions slowly began to lose their grip on the trial, and both Aaron Wan-Bissacca and Harry Maguire were brought back in the 26th minute after Sergio Reguilon was canceled. Crossing over to Suso to convert in a previous post.
The score remained the same until the break after a more entertaining first half, but eight minutes after half time United were able to score at Rs.
Like Carl-Johann Johnson on Monday, Sevilla shot-stopper Yasin Bounoue was superb, with spectacular saves pinning the Spanish team into their own box to defy both Greenwood and Marshall after the wave of United attacks.
Even when the on-loan Girona defeated the goalkeeper, his defenders – and most notably former Manchester City midfielder Fernando – came to their rescue by putting their bodies on the line.
United’s position was sometimes out of the way, with Fred, Paul Pogba, Rashford, Marshall, Greenwood and Fernandez all lining up their lines at crucial moments.
Sevilla’s chances of paying him increased as the game wore on, and Jesus Nawaz’s ball across the box was replaced in the previous post by substitute Luc de Jong with just 12 minutes remaining.
Television replays showed that Fernandes was defeating Victor Lindelof because he failed to clear the ball when the United Tempers began to boil.
It was a difficult evening for the Premier League outfit, with the number of Sevilla officials in attendance making it as hostile as you can get in the back-closed-door matches.
Soulsjer and Lopetegui have been arguing regularly, claiming that the former Real Madrid boss has fouled several United Defenders.
Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic told several Sevilla substitutes and staff to “sit down and shut up”, requesting a penalty after the ball hit the box of Fernandez in the box. United’s youth team was upset, and in the closing stages it became clear that their head was not in the game.
In the 61st game of United’s savage campaign, they began to look tired again in the closing stages, though Soulsjerger waited until the 87th minute to make any substitutions.
This is the main problem to be solved at the Theater of Dreams this summer. SoulsGear used the Europa League to blood youngsters and give players time to play early in the campaign, when the competition reached the end of its business, and lacked the required quality outside of its first choice of 11.
It is clear that two or three new faces are needed to take United to the next level. They have always decided to bring in the remaining striker, in the hope that Jadon Sancho will become one after his struggles in front of goal in recent weeks.
But as Soulsjer lifts his wounds after the third semifinal defeat of the T, he can reflect on his campaign, which is more promising than ever.
