Manchester United booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Europa League courtesy of a 5-4 victory over Lyon in the second leg of their quarter-final at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
The tie was delicately poised ahead of the return fixture in Manchester, with the two teams playing out a 2-2 draw in France last week, and it was also 2-2 after 90 minutes of action in the second leg, but a grandstand finish saw the English giants advance.
Man United netted twice in the first period, with Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot on the scoresheet, but Corentin Tolisso had one back for the French giants in the 71st minute, before Nicolas Tagliafico made it 2-2 on the night in the 78th minute.
Tolisso was sent off in the latter stages of normal time, picking up a second yellow card for clipping the advancing Leny Yoro, but Lyon netted a third and then a fourth in extra time through Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette - from the penalty spot - to move 6-4 ahead on aggregate.
Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty of his own in the 114th minute, before Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire both netted in the final exchanges to complete a comeback for the ages, with Man United winning 5-4 on the night and 7-6 on aggregate.
Ruben Amorim's side have therefore marched on to the semi-finals of the competition, where they will take on Athletic Bilbao, with the La Liga outfit navigating their way past Scottish giants Rangers in their own last-eight fixture.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Football. There is nothing like it.
No other sport takes you to these places, and the atmosphere inside the stadium at full time was simply electric; it was a famous, famous night for the 20-time English champions, and it would be fair to say that they have had a few of them throughout their glorious history.
When Lacazette scored from the penalty spot in the 110th minute, it looked to be tie over, but three late goals somehow sent Man United into the final four, with the Red Devils saving their season in the most incredible of circumstances.
Fernandes showed nerves of steel to convert his penalty, before a curler from Mainoo and a header from Maguire ensured that Man United would advance to the semi-finals, where Athletic will provide stern opposition.
Amorim will sit down with his staff to dissect what went wrong on Thursday, as in truth, it should not have come to that, but during a time when football has been accused of being robotic, this was a really important game for the sport as a whole.
Lyon will not think so, but the match provided everything that football should be about, and a disastrous season for Man United could end on a very positive note, with Europa League success very much within their grasp.
History was also created on Thursday night, as Man United became the first team to score two goals in the 120th minute of a major European fixture.
MAN UNITED VS. LYON HIGHLIGHTS
Manuel Ugarte goal vs. Lyon (10th min, Man United 1-0 Lyon)
Man United make the breakthrough in the 10th minute of the contest, and it is a wonderful goal from the Red Devils, as Fernandes finds Alejandro Garnacho, who works the space before delivering a wonderful cross into the penalty box, where Ugarte is on hand to tap home.
Diogo Dalot goal vs. Lyon (45th min, Man United 2-0 Lyon)
Man United double their lead just before the half-time break at Old Trafford, as Dalot does brilliantly to hold off the challenge of Tagliafico before finding the bottom corner off the inside of the post; the pass into him from Maguire was excellent.
Corentin Tolisso goal vs. Man United (71st min, Man United 2-1 Lyon)
Lyon have a goal back at Old Trafford, as Tolisso heads into the back of the net from close range; the visitors have given themselves a real chance of a late comeback in this Europa League quarter-final.
Nicolas Tagliafico goal vs. Man United (78th min, Man United 2-2 Lyon)
Lyon level the score at 2-2 on the night and make it 4-4 on aggregate, as Tagliafico squeezes the ball home at the far post; Lacazette fires it into the back of the net for good measure off the Andre Onana save, but it had already crossed the line from Tagliafico, so it is the defender's goal.
89th min: Corentin Tolisso (Lyon) red card
Lyon are reduced to 10 men here, as Tolisso picks up his second yellow card of the match for clipping Yoro, who had threatened to break clear down the right for the 20-time English champions.
Rayan Cherki goal vs. Man United (105th min, Man United 2-3 Lyon)
Cherki, just as he did in the first leg, finds the back of the net for Lyon, smashing one into the bottom corner of the net following a counter-attack from the French outfit - the turnaround is complete here. Incredible scenes at Old Trafford.
Alexandre Lacazette goal vs. Man United (110th min, Man United 2-4 Lyon)
Lyon register their fourth from the penalty spot, with Lacazette scoring after Luke Shaw had brought the lively Malick Fofana to the ground; that is surely tie over, and this is a horrible, horrible night for Man United.
Bruno Fernandes goal vs. Lyon (114th min, Man United 3-4 Lyon)
Man United have a penalty of their own, as Casemiro is fouled by Thiago Almada inside the box, with the decision being given following advice from the VAR; Fernandes steps up to score, and Man United are not finished here.
Kobbie Mainoo goal vs. Lyon (120th min, Man United 4-4 Lyon)
Oh my goodness me; it is a stunner from Mainoo, as the midfielder curls one into the far corner - what a wonderful finish.
Harry Maguire goal vs. Lyon (120th min, Man United 5-4 Lyon)
Football. This is absolutely incredible. Maguire has just headed a cross from Casemiro into the back of the net to make it 5-4 to the 20-time English champions on the night; this will go down as one of the most incredible games in European history.
MAN OF THE MATCH - DIOGO DALOT
Casemiro deserves a special mention here, while Cherki was excellent for Lyon, demonstrating his wonderful talent, but Dalot gets the nod, with the Portugal international having one of his finest matches for the club.
The right-back was on the scoresheet with a brilliant finish in the first period, and he continued to provide an outlet for the Red Devils, while his energy and availability in a wide area were absolutely vital during the latter stages of the contest.
MAN UNITED VS. LYON MATCH STATS
Possession: Man United 41%-59% Lyon
Shots: Man United 21-21 Lyon
Shots on target: Man United 8-9 Lyon
Corners: Man United 7-3 Lyon
Fouls: Man United 17-14 Lyon
BEST STATS
WHAT NEXT?
Man United's attention will now switch to the Premier League, with the 20-time English champions bidding to return to winning ways in the competition when they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
Lyon, meanwhile, will be aiming to make it three straight wins in France's top flight when they continue their domestic campaign with a trip to Saint-Etienne on Sunday night.
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