Manchester United vs. Roma score, highlights: Red Devils surge with huge second half in Europa League semis

United scored five times in the final 45 minutes to firmly put one foot in the UEL final

Manchester United have one foot in the UEFA Europa League final after a wild 6-2 win over AS Roma at Old Trafford on Thursday. Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes both scored twice as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men took an early lead, fell behind and then pulled away emphatically over the course of 90 breathless minutes.

It was Fernandes who opened the scoring just nine minutes in after Cavani had teed him up, but Roma were soon level through a Lorenzo Pellegrini penalty. The Italians had already lost Jordan Veretout to injury and goalkeeper Pau Lopez was forced off injured before Edin Dzeko put them 2-1 up.

Paulo Fonseca's men also lost Leonardo Spinazzola to injury before half-time but went into the break ahead.

Just three minutes into the second half, though, Cavani leveled for United after Fernandes repaid him for the earlier assist in kind. Roma made it just past the hour mark level before the early changes started to tell and the Uruguay international doubled his tally on 64 minutes.

Fernandes only had to wait seven minutes to notch his second goal with a penalty and the Red Devils were not even done there. The Portugal international turned provider again four minutes later, this time for Paul Pogba, as things started to get ugly for Roma.

Mason Greenwood added United's sixth and the eighth goal of a wild game four minutes from the end of normal time, firmly putting one foot for United into the Europa League final.

Roma are now staring down the barrel at mission impossible as United eye a repeat of their 2017 UEL success. The second leg is set for Thursday, May 6.

[Apr 29, 2021 at 4:56 pm ET · Jonathan Johnson]

90 incredible minutes of football! The Europa League at its very best.