Ibra wins another trophy / Image via independent.co.uk
‘I am the man to lead you forward and I will be proving that game in and game out’
Rough transcript of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s repeated throughout the season at Manchester United echoed at Wembley on Sunday afternoon as the Swedish striker wins Manchester United their 42nd major trophy in history, to make them the most successful club in England.
Five goals and a great game were seen at Wembley and here is a match report from the tantalising EFL Cup final between Manchester United and Southampton.
Team News & Form Guide
Manchester United and Southampton headed into the EFL Cup final in contrasting forms.
Red Devils were looking to cap their five-match winning run the best way possible at Wembley, whereas Southampton looked to build up on the 4-0 win over Sunderland last weekend, and to continue their recovery after the three-match losing streak.
Jose Mourinho was without Phil Jones and in-form midfielder Mkhitaryan, who are both suffering from respective muscle injuries, whereas Claude Puel had to do without Austin, McCarthy, Targett and Van Dijk.
First Half
Three goals in the first 45 minutes accounted for a highly eventful half at Wembley.
Despite the 2-1 lead at the break, Manchester United have been trailing behind Southampton in all departments. Highly motivated to lift the EFL trophy in their first final appearance since 1979, the Saints fell under the pressure, allowing Red Devils to open a two-goal lead courtesy of 19th-minute strike from Ibrahimovic and the 38th-minute goal by Lingard.
The Swedish striker managed to score his fifth goal in five domestic cup finals in his career when he curled in a free kick into the corner. The big player that he is, Ibrahimovic stepped on the scene to score his 25th goal of the season and put United in front against the run of play which went in Southampton’s favour.
Puel’s men refused to go down without a fight, but their domination for large period of the first half was undone by Lingard who used a great ball from Rojo to slot the ball into the bottom corner from around 16 yards out.
A lifeline of hope for the Saints arrived in the added time of the first half when January signing Manolo Gabbiadini gave Southampton what they deserve. The Italian latched on a low cross from Ward-Prowse, bagging a goal very similar to the one Gabbiadini saw get ruled out in the opening stages of the match for offside.
Second Half
Southampton continued with the brave showings at Wembley, pressuring Manchester United straight from the second-half whistle.
It took Southampton just three minutes into the second half to level the score – through Gabbiadini again – as Manchester United fail to defend a corner kick with the ball falling to Gabbiadini, who volleyed it past De Gea on a beautiful turn over Smalling.
Southampton could have – and should have overturned the result completely minutes after the hour-mark when Romeu’s brilliant header which crashed against the bar. Southampton were unlucky not to score as De Gea could have never stopped his soaring header.
In terms of goals, it might seem that the second half proved rather uneventful, but that is just the deceiving look of it as Manchester United and Southampton put on a good show as both sides threw all they’ve got in attack and we ended up seeing an openly-contested 45 minutes.
Manchester United put in a much improved showing after the break and had a couple of great chances through Lingard and Rashford, before a crucial moment occurred in the 87th minute.
Just when you thought that the game will give more than 90 minutes at Wembley despite a couple of great chances on both ends on the pitch, Zlatan Inbrahimovic stepped up to the plate to win his team’s a trophy in normal time and add a new piece of silverware to his glorious collection.
Herrera picked up a ball on the right flank and with all the time in the world sent an inch-perfect lofted cross into the box where an unmarked Zlatan Ibrahimovic met the ball with a piece of cake header for a player of his caliber.
His sixth goal in five domestic Cup finals and 26th in total this season sent Wembley in delirium as he singlehandedly wins the EFL Cup for Manchester United.
Statistical Overview
- Saints had 52% ball possession to United’s 48%
- United made 10 goal attempts to Saints’ 12
- Man United won their 44th major trophy in club history
- Red Devils clinched their fifth EFL Cup title
- Mourinho never lost an English Cup final
MANCHESTER UNITED: de Gea 7 – Valencia 7, Bailly 7, Smalling 7, Rojo 7 – Herrera 7.5, Pogba 7 – Lingard 7.5, Mata 6.5 (Carrick 7), Martial 7 (Fellaini 6) – Ibrahimovic 9.
Unused subs: Blind, Romero, Rooney, Young.
SOUTHAMPTON: Forster 6 – Cedric 6, Stephens 6.5, Yoshida 7, Bertrand 7 – Ward-Prowce 7, Davis 7 (Rodriguez 6.5), Romeu 7.5, Redmond 7.5 – Tadic 6.5 (Boufal 6.5) – Gabbiadini 8 (Long 6.5)
Unused subs: Caceres, Hassen, Hojbjerg, McQueen.
REFEREE: Andre Marriner
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