Bruno Fernandes keeps his cool to send Man United through
Bruno Fernandes scores Manchester United’s winning goal from a penalty. Picture: Sascha Steinbach/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes had already staked his claim as the best Premier League signing of this extended season but, in case the point had been missed, it was the Portuguese midfielder’s cooly-taken extra-time penalty that carried Manchester United through to the Europa League semi-finals in Cologne last night.
Anthony Martial, denied seconds earlier by a superb save from the brilliant Karl-Johan Johnsson, leaped to his feet, collected a follow-up pass and was brought down by Andreas Bjelland in the 95th minute.
It was United’s 21st penalty award of this seemingly never-ending season and, in Bruno, they have a deadly practitioner of the art. Seven times he has taken a spot kick for United and, after he blasted this effort into the left-hand corner, seven times he has scored.
But it was not an easy night for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side who struck the woodwork four times, saw two “goals” correctly ruled out for offside and were denied a first half penalty.
United’s frustrations were summed up on the stroke of half-time when their brilliant teenager Mason Greenwood strode through from Marcus Rashford’s header and scored what looked like a superbly-finished opening “goal,” in off the foot of the far post.
A VAR check showed the United man clearly offside, however, and, not for the first time on evening, the video technology had proved a problem for the Premier League side.
On 20 minutes, French referee Clement Turpin had clearly pointed to the penalty spot after a United corner, only for his video assistant to judge that on this occasion Harry Maguire was offside before a Copenhagen player seemed to have brought down Rashford.
But after the lacklustre way in which United had started the game, Solskjaer could not complain too loudly about going in at the interval all square.
The Norwegian had gone for a near full-strength line-up, a clear indication that despite having already accomplished his mission of a place in next season’s Champions League, Solskjaer is now firmly in the business of trying to deliver his first piece of silverware as United manager.
After all, he knew failure to lift the Europa League in this new, knock-out tournament in Germany, and United will have completed three full seasons without a trophy - their worst such run since enduring four trophy-less years between 1985-89.
The way the Reds started the contest, against the huge Danish underdogs, suggested there was little hope of United advancing even as far as a semi-final date with the winners of tonight’s (TUES) tie between Wolves and Sevilla.
After 12 minutes, it took a brilliantly-timed challenge from Eric Bailly to block Mohamed Daramy at the near post following a fine run and cross from lively Spanish midfielder Pep Biel.
Brandon Williams made a goal-saving clearance from a corner, Daramay flashed a shot across the goal, a Fred mistake gifted the ball to Pep Biel and United defenders were forced to put bodies on the line to block shots from Pep Biel and Jens Stage.
It was a poor start from a United side whose season started 12 months ago today (TUES) with a 4-0 Premier League win over Chelsea. Perhaps the fatigue was being felt, exascerbated by the 32-degree heat but, for a team beaten just once in their last 23 games, this was sub-par.
At least United ended the half looking more solid defensively and more enterprising in attack, following a Solskjaer team talk at a much-needed mid-point drinks break, with a fierce Rashford shot proving too hot to handle for keeper Karl-Johan Johnsson and striking a post.
The improvement continued after the break - but so did the frustrations as Greenwood struck the post with another characteristic, instinctive effort, and Rashford netted the rebound but, clearly, from an offside position.
In quick succession, the increasingly effective Bruno Fernandes picked superb passes which Greenwood and Rashford mis-controlled in promising positions but still, the ball would not fall for United, as Bruno discovered when his exquisite 63rd minute shot struck the foot of the Copenhagen post and rebounded to safety.
The tie was opening up and Aaron Wan-Bissaka had to make an heroic block to keep out a shot from former Everton man Bryan Oviedo after an outrageous piece of skill from Rasmus Falk.
United hit straight back - Johnsson saving well from the impressive Bruno and Pogba’s effort was too close to the keeper to offer him any concerns although Copenhagen’s Swedish number one was required to conjure up an incredible flying stop to deny Anthony Martial in the late stages of normal time.
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