Onana's late, late penalty save rescues United
DEFINING MOMENTS: Andre Onana and Harry Maguire of Manchester United celebrate. Pic: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
A DRAMATIC 97th-minute penalty save by Andre Onana to deny Jordan Larsson, capped an emotional night at Old Trafford and ensured Harry Maguire’s second-half header secured the victory that revived Manchester United’s Champions League campaign.
After tributes had been paid to Sir Bobby Charlton, Maguire, retained following his man-of-the-match display at Sheffield United on Saturday, continued his recent renaissance with what proved to be the crucial goal.
But it was Onana’s superb save from Larsson, the son of former United forward Henrik Larsson, after Scott McTominay had been penalised for a high challenge, that ensured Erik Ten Hag’s side secured their first points in Group A.
If the occasion weighed heavily on Ten Hag’s side, there was little doubt Copenhagen would not be overawed as they immediately set about troubling the United defence.
It took less than two minutes for the Danish side to force a corner and they were soon given further encouragement when Maguire, retained after his performance in the victory over Sheffield United on Saturday, missed a tackle near the halfway line, allowing Mohammed Elyounoussi to break and find Viktor Claessen who was unfortunate to see his effort come back off the post.
United was strangely lethargic and Rasmus Hojlund’s determined effort to close down Kamil Grabara, the Copenhagen goalkeeper, provided an all too rare injection of energy in a ponderous first-half performance.
Confronted by well-organised opponents who were happy to sit deep and threaten on the counter-attack, there was a notable lack of urgency in United’s play and they rarely looked capable of creating a clear opportunity.
An exception came midway through the half when the home side were able to counter themselves. Antony found space on the right and found Hojlund whose neat backheel was directed into the path of Scott McTominay’s run before an excellent covering tackle prevented the Scotland international from directing a close-range shot on target.
McTominay was the player most likely to fire up the home side’s pedestrian efforts and another run from deep by the midfielder led to him connecting with Sergio Reguilon’s left-wing cross only to direct his headed effort well over the bar.
There was a clear sense of growing frustration among the home supporters as half-time neared.
Tellingly, it was Copenhagen who capped the opening 45 minutes by handing United another scare when Diego Goncalves’s shot was deflected wide for another corner.
And a dismal, disjointed half was then summed up for Ten Hag’s side when, having dealt with the situation, Reguilon misplaced his pass to Marcus Rashford when a better ball would have sent the forward clear on goal.
The lack of creativity in United’s play was glaring and it came as little surprise that Ten Hag introduced Christian Eriksen for the one-paced Sofyan Amrabat.
Yet while the home side started the second period on the front foot, their faltering attacking efforts led to familiar defensive frailties being exposed when a positive move broke down.
Once again Copenhagen broke imaginatively down the United left and it took a superb save by Andre Onana to deny Lukas Lerager’s first-time shot.
As alarming as that scare was for Ten Hag’s side, it did appear to have the effect of triggering a more determined response.
Largely anonymous during the first half, Rashford became a more central figure and it was the England international’s twisting run towards the byline that led to a shooting opportunity for Eriksen.
The Denmark international struck a low effort from 12 yards out but was denied when Grabara matched Onana’s efforts moments earlier.
Another Rashford burst almost beat the Copenhagen offside trap but while the pace of the home forwards was troubling the Danes, a lack of composure on the part of Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho denied them a nerve-settling opening goal.
Both players were guilty of overunning the ball when clear on goal adding to the growing tension around the ground.
Those concerns were eased in the 72nd minute when United finally made the breakthrough, albeit from an unexpected source.
A half-cleared corner fell to Eriksen who delivered a perfect cross towards Maguire who directed a powerful header beyond Grabara.
Onana 8; Dalot 6, Maguire 7, Varane 6, Reguilon 5 (Lindelof 63, 6); Amrabat 4 (Eriksen 46,6); Antony 5 (Garnacho 63, 6), McTominay 6, Fernandes 6, Rashford 6; Hojlund 6 ((Martial 86, 6).
Grabara 7, Ankersen 6, Vavro 7, Diks 7, Jelert 5 (Sorensen 76, 6); Lerager 7, Falk 6, Diogo Goncalves 7 (Larsson 84, 6); Claesson 6 (Oskarsson 76, 6), Achouri 6, Elyounoussi 7.
Marco Guida (Italy) 6
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