Manchester United set up a Women’s Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich with a thumping 5-0 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid.
Leading 3-0 from the first leg, United knew they were all but through and first-half goals from Julia Zigiotti Olme and Jess Park earned them a 2-0 victory at Leigh Sports Village.
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Injury problems meant United boss Marc Skinner could only name four outfield substitutes, while the home side were forced to wear their third-choice black kit after Atlético mistakenly brought the wrong colour goalkeeping shirt.
Both sides might have scored in a very open first 25 minutes, with Atletico’s Synne Jensen particularly dangerous.
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Phallon Tullis-Joyce produced two smart stops to deny her, while Lauren should have scored but headed over from inside the six-yard box.
At the other end, Lea Schüller broke through but saw her shot saved by Lola Gallardo and a heavy tough from Lisa Naalsund allowed the goalkeeper to gather after she also found space behind the visiting defence.
Only a last-ditch block from Millie Turner denied Jensen as she threatened once again but — with 28 minutes gone — United took the lead to put the tie completely out of sight.
Naalsund teed up Zigiotti Olme for a shot from 15 yards that went under the diving Gallardo, who will feel she should have done a lot better.
The Atlético keeper got a leg to Hinata Miyazawa’s shot after a jinking run but she could do nothing about Park’s stunner four minutes from the break, the England midfielder bending her shot into the top corner from 22 yards.
It was United who came closest to extending their lead in the second half, with substitute Ellen Wangerheim seeing a close-range shot pushed over the crossbar by Gallardo, while Park was denied a second by the post.
Seventeen-year-old Jess Anderson also went close on her debut, and Atlético ended the match with 10 players after Xenia Perez picked up a late second yellow card.
