Manchester United Europa Victory Heals City In Need After Tragic Bombing
For a brief moment in time, the citzens of Manchester and the fans of storied Manchester United were one and the same.
After this week's tragic bombing outside Manchester Arena, which left 22 dead and over 100 injured, the city and people of Manchester were hurting and in need of a bright spot. Local rivals Manchester City and Manchester United matched each other's £1 million donations to an emergency fund to those affected. Increased security around arenas and transit hubs in Manchester colored the festivities, but Manchester fans of all colors were eager to be dazzled and surprised in the midst of tragedy.
United, always eager for a challenge, stepped up in a big way with a 2-0 victory over Dutch club Ajax in the Europa Cup Final. Wednesday night's game in Stockholm began on a reflective note as a moment of silence was held in honor of the victims of Monday's attack, that is until superstar Paul Pogba got crowds in Stockholm and Manchester roaring with a deflected shot in the 17th minute.
United finished strong by keeping Ajax at bay during the second half and sealed the deal with a deflected corner kick by Armenian forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan to cap the victory at 2-0.
"We won for Manchester, we worked for them, for the country," Pogba said after the victory. "We play for England, for Manchester and the people who died."