Villarreal beat Manchester United on penalties in the UEFA Europa League final, winning the cup for the first time in its history. In Gdansk, Poland, the Spanish team coached by Unai Emery - in their fourth career victory in the Europa League, a record - drew 1-1 in regulation time, taking the lead with Gerard Moreno in the first half and being recovered in the second half by a goal from Edinson Cavani. On penalties, after a long series of twenty-one consecutive goals, the Argentine goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, of Villarreal, saved the decisive penalty against United's goalkeeper, the Spaniard David De Gea.
For Villarreal, a
team from a small town of just 50,000 inhabitants, but with a great football tradition, it is the first
important trophy won in 98 years of history. In this way, the city of Vila-real
has become the smallest town to have won a European
club cup. Thanks to the victory, Villarreal also qualified for the next Champions League.