Manchester United beat Omonia 3-2 in the Europa League this evening.
United started on the front foot as Ronaldo, after starting for the first time in a number of games, was hungry to get himself on the score sheet.
He had a good first touch and fired a powerful shot on target but it was a good save from the Omonia keeper.
He had another chance but his toe-poke was deflected out for a corner.
Another brilliant chance came when Antony was through, he could have rounded the keeper and slotted it home but instead chose to pass to Fernandes who was to his left but he played it behind the midfielder and it was cleared by the opposition.
Fernandes had another chance moments later but his chip rattled the cross bar and Ronaldo couldn’t make contact with the rebound.
Chance after chance was fluffed by the Reds and the first sniff of goal the hosts had and they smashed it into the roof of the net.
United played deflated after that, whilst Omonia had a renewed belief, pushing players further forward.
United had forty five minutes to pull this back, if they succumbed to this scoreline, it would be one of their most embarrassing defeats in their history.
The second half got under way and Fernandes stood over a free kick but he hit it straight into the keeper’s hands.
But moments later and substitute Marcus Rashford was the Reds saviour as a beautiful ball fell to his feet. A defender took it out of his path but he remained calm, won it back, took a touch and another before unleashing it just outside the box and finding the net.
Ten Hag was looking for more and after some patient play from the Reds he made more changes.
Anthony Martial‘s first involvement led to a goal; Rashford flicked it back to Martial who rounded a defender and smashed it goalwards from the edge of the area.
Still, Ronaldo searched for his 700th club goal and managed to hit the post, he looked to the sky in disbelief.
The opposition, though they had very little possession, did have another great chance but Bruno failed to get his chip over De Gea right and the keeper claimed it.
As Omonia ventured forward, United managed to break on the counter. Ronaldo with a fantastic run managed to find Rashford who slotted it in for the third.
Moments after the restart and Omonia managed to get another one back, out of nowhere Panagiotou got his left footed shot away and into the top right corner.
The team was aware of Ronaldo’s personal ambition tonight and Rashford unselfishly tried to play it across the box to the Portuguese international but he couldn’t connect with it.
Again Rashford played him in, swarmed by defenders he was patient, held the ball up, turned and fired a shot just wide of the post – it was not his night.
It was not the game we were expecting but thankfully the Reds got the job done.
Team: De Gea, Dalot, Malacia (Shaw 45), Martinez, Lindelof, Sancho (Rashford 45), Eriksen, Antony (Fred 74), Casemiro (McTominay 82), Fernandes (Martial 62), Ronaldo