Result: AC Milan 0-1 Manchester United (1-2 agg.)
Date: 18 March 2021
Venue: San Siro
Paul Pogba came off the bench to help Manchester United advance to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over AC Milan on Thursday evening.
The Red Devils, who led a slender slip in the first-leg, issued an unchanged eleven from last weekend's win over West Ham United as Milan named Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench.
Mason Greenwood looked to get United up and running two minutes in from a ball across the face of goal, but the delivery failed to crack the back of the net.
United continued to enjoy openings in advancing areas midway in the first half as a rasping shot from Bruno Fernandes following a tee-up by Luke Shaw spilled over the top.
Following a slow spell of play, Milan came close five minutes to halftime with a low shot around the area by Alexis Saelemaekers, but goalkeeper Dean Henderson parried.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made the first substitution of the match ahead of the second half, as Paul Pogba came on to replace Marcus Rashford.
It proved to be an inspired substitution after Pogba picked up a loose ball from a loose clearance on the near side of the area to blast into the top-corner of the net.
The Rossoneri called on former United marksman Ibrahimovic midway in the second half to replace Samu Castillejo as Pierre Kalulu made way for Diogo Dalot.
Ibrahimovic looked to bring the host level with a header from the back-post inside the last 15 minutes, but Henderson palmed away with a solid save.
Solskjaer's side finished strongest though late on, as a header from the far side of the area by Pogba landed on the roof of the net, but the Frenchman's earlier strike was enough to send the side to the quarter-finals.
