United, who won 2-1 on aggregate, will face Ajax Amsterdam in
Stockholm on May 24 after the Dutch side overcame Olympique Lyonnais 5-4
on aggregate after a 3-1 defeat in Lyon.
United
will play in their first Europa League final and their first European
showpiece match since losing in the 2011 Champions League. They also
never reached the UEFA Cup final.
Leading 1-0 from the first leg
of the semi-final in Spain, United thought they had killed off the tie
when Marouane Fellaini headed them in front after 17 minutes.
United
sat back and allowed Celta to dominate possession but looked
comfortable until Facundo Roncaglia headed the visitors level in the
85th minute, meaning another goal for the Spaniards could have put them
through on away goals.
Tempers flared shortly afterwards when United's Ivory Coast defender Eric
Bailly lashed out at John Guidetti, who fell to the ground, before
Argentina international Roncaglia got involved. Roncaglia and Bailly
were sent off.
Guidetti had a chance to win the tie for Celta with
the last kick of the game but failed to control the ball six metres
from goal.
Best team
"We were the best team
in the first leg but we never kill, we never score goals related to the
chances we have. It was an open game at home, all the pressure on our
side," said United coach Jose Mourinho.
"We suffered until the
end... After 14 matches we are in the final. If we win the Europa League
I am more than happy. It would be amazing."
Mourinho, who has targeted a Europa League triumph as a way for United to qualify for next season's Champions League, described Ivorian defender Bailly's performance as phenomenal.
"The game was emotional for everyone. Some kept control better than others," he said.
"Facundo
Roncaglia is not new in these situations, Bailly was probably naive. We
now lose a very important player for the final, and we don't have
many."
Celta, whose fans made most of the noise, were lively from
the start but United went ahead when Fellaini got in front of his marker
to head in at the far post after Marcus Rashford drifted out to the
left and delivered a perfect cross.
.
The hosts were then happy to
sit back and contain Celta, making the game strangely subdued. The
visitors moved the ball around nicely but failed to make the most of
their chances.
The game changed dramatically when Roncaglia headed home Theo Bongonda's cross.
United
kept the visitors at bay during six minutes of stoppage time and the
Celta players sank to their knees in despair as the whistle blew seconds
after Guidetti's miss
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