beIN SPORTS MATCH CENTRE: Ajax 0-2 Manchester United

Manchester United won the UEFA Europa League for the first time in its history thanks to a 2-0 victory over Ajax in Thursday's (AEST) final in Stockholm.

Goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan secured the trophy and a route back into the UEFA Champions League group stage for next season, while bringing some joy to fans in what has been a deeply difficult week for the English city.

The match was overshadowed by Tuesday's (AEST) terror attack at the Manchester Arena, which killed 22 people at a pop concert, and a minute's silence was observed before kick-off in front of a boisterous but respectful crowd at Friends Arena.

Manager Jose Mourinho, who last won this trophy with Porto in 2003 , spoke before the game of how United players were struggling to put the tragedy at home out of their minds, but United was the better side in the opening exchanges and was good value for the lead through Pogba's deflected shot.

Ajax, in its first European final since losing to Juventus in the UEFA Champions League in 1996, lacked the attacking precision that saw it score five goals across two legs against both Schalke and Lyon and it was 2-0 down shortly after the interval as Mkhitaryan netted his sixth goal in the competition this season.

United was largely on the defensive in the final half-hour but its lead was rarely under threat as it became the fifth team to win the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup and returned to Europe's top table in style.

Thursday's (AEST) encounter was preceded by a minute's silence that turned into rousing applause in recognition of the victims of the terror attack in Manchester.

It was United that settled quickest, Marcus Rashford causing some early problems for the young Ajax back-line and Marouane Fellaini almost reaching a fizzing cross from Juan Mata.

Chelsea loanee Bertrand Traore stung the palms of Sergio Romero, starting as expected in place of David de Gea, but Ajax's early anxiety came to a head as it gifted United the opener after 18 minutes.

United won the ball back from a routine Ajax throw-in and it allowed Fellaini to tee up Pogba on the edge of the area, who had time to take a touch before firing a left-footed shot that took a big deflection off Davinson Sanchez and looped beyond Andre Onana.

Antonio Valencia saw a powerful strike beaten away by Onana but United gradually began to sit deep as Ajax grew into the contest, although it struggled to create any meaningful openings before the break.

With two minutes played of the second half, it was hit by a United sucker punch. Daley Blind's in-swinging corner was headed down by Chris Smalling, and Mkhitaryan, perhaps fortunate to have been left on after a dreadful first-half display, hooked the ball into the roof of the net.

Peter Bosz replaced the anoymous Kasper Dolberg as he sought to give Ajax some much-needed attacking vigour but United wasted a great opening to settle the contest, Fellaini heading straight at Onana after being picked out by Pogba.

Ajax continued to enjoy close to 69 per cent of possession but offered almost no threat to Romero's goal, as a season in which it surrendered its Eredivisie title to Feyenoord ended in more disappointment.

For EFL Cup winner United, which gave a late run-out to captain Wayne Rooney in what could be his final match for the club,  it was a largely routine but profoundly welcome success that cast a more favourable light on Mourinho's first term in charge and provided a fitting tribute to those grieving at home.