By Le Figaro with AFP
Published yesterday at 11:37 p.m., Updated 2 hours ago
André Onana, savior of Manchester United against Copenhagen. PAUL ELLIS / AFP
The Mancunian goalkeeper preserved the 1-0 score in favor of his team by saving a penalty in the final seconds of the game against Copenhagen.
Manchester United won their first points in the Champions League on Tuesday against Copenhagen (1-0) thanks to Harry Maguire, an improbable scorer, and André Onana, author of a penalty save in added time, enough to keep alive the hopes of qualification.
Peak of boredom for a period, the match at Old Trafford ended in fury with a majestic save from the Cameroonian goalkeeper in the very last moments (90th + 7), while a cruel scenario, but not entirely undeserved fact, seemed to be taking shape.
The Red Devils remain alive in the big European Cup, which they return to after a year of absence. After two initial defeats, against Bayern Munich (4-3) then Galatasaray (3-2), the short but precious success against Copenhagen places them just one point behind the Turks, second, whom they will challenge in Istanbul on November 29.
Copenhagen (1 point) closes a group that Bayern Munich dominates head and shoulders, after a full card and nine points in the bag.
Tuesday, it was the strong head of Harry Maguire, a central defender with a mind of steel, who freed the Mancunians who had been harmless for a long time.
The manager of the England team, replacing at the start of the season and having become the target of mockery at home, turned into a hero by catapulting in the 72nd minute a cross from Christian Eriksen, who entered at half-time to revitalize an amorphous team.
Tribute to “Sir Bobby”
The first period, in fact, provided much less emotion than the vibrant tribute that preceded it paid to Bobby Charlton, legend of English football and Manchester United, who died on Saturday at the age of 86.
“We’ll Never Die”, the club’s anthem paying tribute to the victims of the 1958 air crash, of which “Sir Bobby” was one of the survivors, was notably played on bagpipes, in cathedral silence, while the coach current Erik Ten Hag entered the field, a wreath of flowers in his hands.
From the whistle, Manchester United appeared spectacularly harmless, with only one shot on target, too crushed, from Marcus Rashford (21st), before the break. Referee Marco Guida even seemed overcome by boredom: he blew the half-time whistle about fifteen seconds before the end of regulation time.
The Red Devils simply lacked desire, accuracy and ideas, facing an opponent who was rather lively in his offensives.
The “Lions” could even have cooled the atmosphere a little more without the left post of André Onana, on an attempt by Diogo Goncalves (5th), or the firm hand of the Cameroonian goalkeeper on a shot by Lukas Lerager (50th) .
The summer recruit, not always at the level since his arrival, put on his superhero cape by stopping Jordan Larsson’s penalty. And all of Old Trafford roared with happiness.
