The Yellow Submarine triumphed 11-10 in the shoot-out after 120 minutes of a tension-soaked encounter ended 1-1.
Chukwueze who had been instrumental to Villarreal’s run to the final, did not make Unai Emery’s matchday squad after failing a late fitness test.
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He is now the sixth Nigerian after Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Nwankwo Kanu, Taribo West and Chidi Odiah to win the Europa League.
Villarreal have now won their first-ever major trophy while United have now gone four seasons without a trophy.
Unai Emery has become the first manager to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League four times (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 & 2020-21) surpassing Giovanni Trapattoni.
Also, Villarreal are the first side to win the #UEL on penalties since Sevilla beat Benfica in 2014.
Gerard Moreno opened scoring for Villarreal on 29 minutes but Edinson Cavani equalised for United 10 minutes into the second half.
Both sides cancelled each other out almost waiting for the dreaded penalty shootout.
If there were any nerves at that stage, neither side showed it as the first 21 penalties were converted.
That was until David de Gea’s penalty was saved, earning Villarreal their very first European crown.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK