PARIS, May 24-- Premier League side Manchester United lifted the Europa League trophy with a 2-0 victory over Ajax in the final held in Stockholm, Sweden, also securing an automatic spot in next season's UEFA Champions League group phase. Injury-riddled Man United just finished sixth in Premier League, and had to hinge on the Europa League champion as only the league's top four could make into the Champions League. Both sides and crowds in the Friends Arena observed one-minute silence for the victims in Manchester bomb attack Monday night. Man United put on huge pressure after the opening whistle on the Dutch side, who almost gifted their opponents a lead one minute into the game. Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana had a clash with his teammate in an attempt to clear the ball, while leaving an empty net in front of midfielder Paul Pogba, whose shot just went off the post. Pogba took on a leak defense to break the deadlock for Man United on 18 minutes. Ajax, whose starting XI averaged around 22 years old, failed to concentrate on their defense against a throw ball, before Marouane Fellaini fed Pogba for a shot from outside the penalty area. It went on a deflection off defender Davinson Sanchez, and Onana made no quick response to that. "Our goal, all the way through this season, was to win. We've done it, and we're proud of that," said Pogba, who joined the team before this season on an estimated 105 million euros as the most expensive player around the world. |