18-year-old Marcus Rashford the star as sizzling Man United serve up five-goal feast
Anthony Martial damaged a hamstring before kick-off, paving the way for academy product Rashford to write his name in United folklore with two goals that helped his side to a 6-3 aggregate victory.
First, Rashford struck after 63 minutes when Juan Mata did well to keep a long cross from Ander Herrera in play on the left-hand by-line, pulling the ball back for the teenager to calmly convert with a clinical, low shot from eight yards.
Dream debut for 18 year old local boy #Rashford with a crucial goal. #Justonemore #MUFC #EuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/95YyZByvKk
— Kitbaguk (@KitbagUK) February 25, 2016
And 12 minutes later, Rashford was on target, in equally mature fashion, from similar range after young full-back Guillermo Varela swapped feet to create space in the penalty area and swung over a ball that was driven home by the forward.
Van Gaal was pleased with the second-half showing from United, particularly that of Rashford who took heed of some half-time advice.
On the 18-year-old’s performance, the Dutch manager said: “Unbelievable, in the first half he ran too much, too much on the sidelines, and I said at half-time, ‘You have to be within the width of the goal and you shall score,’ and you see he scores two goals, it is fantastic for him.
“It was a great performance, I think the fans shall have enjoyed our attacking football.”
Van Gaal said Martial was not set for a long-term lay-off.
“I think he is smart and wise to step out, because it was not a rupture, it was a tight hamstring,” he said. “I don’t think it is very heavy.”
United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday in the Premier League and Van Gaal is hoping for a repeat performance.
He added: “The players have to recover, we have to cope with that and I hope it shall be a very good match.”
18-year-old Marcus Rashford scores 2 goals on his debut at Old Trafford...Not bad! pic.twitter.com/BY6mRzD4Fq
— World Soccer Shop (@worldsoccershop) February 25, 2016
United should have had a stranglehold on the tie, despite conceding first, when they were presented with a penalty kick three minutes before the interval following a rash trip on Herrera by Andre Romer but goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen dived low to his right to make an excellent stop from Mata’s weak shot.
It was the final exchange of an eventful first half which had provided talking points even before the team’s lined up when United’s injury list — a catalogue that has reached almost comical proportions, at least for those outside Old Trafford — found a new member.
Martial made way for Rashford, who joined left-back Joe Riley in making a full debut on a night of important European competition.
Important it may have been, but the empty seats in the Old Trafford stands spoke of the general malaise afflicting the club at present and there was little to lift that cloud when Midtjylland drew first blood after 27 minutes through Pione Sisto.
A pacy counter-attack ended with Marco Urena slipping through a pass and the 21-year-old skipping past weak challenges from Daley Blind, Michael Carrick and Joe Riley before slotting the ball home.
The shoddy tackling was reminiscent of so much of United’s defensive play of late and summed up the problems afflicting the club.
It was a devastating blow, although one in keeping with United’s recent woes and the fact they now have 15 senior players absent through injury, but the response from Van Gaal’s side was not only swift but rewarded when a cross from Depay caused panic in the Danish defence and ended with Nikolay Bodurov slicing his cross into the roof of his own goal after 32 minutes.
Down a goal after last week’s first leg, an unfamiliar United line-up negotiated the opening quarter of the game without any major concerns, despite their pre-game reshuffle, even though they hardly threatened to pull back that deficit.
But the opening goal, for Sisto, changed the momentum and had Urena been more fortunate two minutes later, when he charged down goalkeeper Sergio Romero’s clearance, the rebound might have flown in for number two instead of harmlessly away from goal.
To United’s credit, the response was almost instant, with Morgan Schneiderlin picking out Depay whose shot was straight at Andersen, the keeper being beaten a minute later by his own player.
The pattern of the game might have shifted further, following the penalty miss, had the Hungarian referee spotted a blatant elbow, off the ball, by Rilwan Hassan on Depay although the Midtjylland winger escaped censure.
Depay, marauding down the left, remained United’s most obvious hope of claiming a second goal that would force the extra period with a series of attacks although when it finally came just after the hour, the Dutchman was not involved.
Still, even with United in front, the visitors failed to contend with Depay who won the ball back twice in the same United attack before seeing a curling shot blocked from six yards and, as the hosts pressed, Lingard was cautioned for simulation following a challenge from Kristoffer Olsson and a loud penalty appeal.
There was no doubt about the next United penalty appeal, after 87 minutes, when Hansen clearly handled a Memphis cross and Herrera made no mistake by lashing the resulting spot kick past Andersen.
To complete a miserable evening for the Danish champions, they ended the contest with 10 men after Andre Romer collected a second yellow card for a foul, an absence which was punished in injury-time when Depay claimed the goal he deserved, cutting in in trademark fashion before unleashing an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area.
Romero 7; Varela 8, Carrick 5, Blind 5, Riley 7 (Rojo 78, 6); Herrera 6 (Poole 90), Schneiderlin 5; Lingard 7 (A Pereira 86) , Mata 6, Depay 9; Rashford 8.
J Pereira, McNair, Love.
Andersen 7; Romer 4, Hansen 8, Bodurov 6, Novak 6; Sparv 7; Hassan 5 (Kadlec 66, 6), Olsson 8 (Pusic 78, 6), Poulsen 7, Sisto 8; Urena 6 (Onuachu 45, 6).
Dahlin, Jensen, Bach Bak, Royer.
Istvan Vad (Hungary) 7
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
