Daily Star

Pierre is Spurfect

Fernandes pen keeps trophy dream alive

- ■ by MATTHEW DUNN

Carlos Zeca, who surged goalwards only to mis-control the ball when it came to the crucial moment.

There was little fluency to United in the first half, which owed as much to their opponents’ discipline.

Mason Greenwood saw a shot blocked just after the half-hour mark and had the ball in the net on the stroke of the interval, only for it to be chalked off by VAR for offside.

United played with more authority after the break, dictating the rhythm of the game, but were unable to turn that dominance into a goal.

Fernandes struck a post with a fiercely hit effort just after the hour, as United pushed for the breakthrou­gh their improvemen­t deserved.

But they remained shaky at the back, Bryan Oviedo seeing a goalbound shot blocked by Wan-bissaka.

The first chance of extra time fell to Martial but he was denied by a brilliant Johnsson save.

However, when the Frenchman was fouled when the ball came back into the area, Fernandes made no mistake from 12 yards.

Johnsson spent the rest of the game putting one a one-man show of defiance as he brilliantl­y kept out efforts from Juan Mata, Victor Lindelof and Fernandes to keep it at 1-0.

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Romero 6; Wan-bissaka 6, Bailly 6 (Lindelof 70, 6), Maguire 6, Williams 7; Fred 5 (Matic 70, 6), Pogba 6; Fernandes 6, GREENWOOD 7 (Mata 90), Martial 6 (Mctominay 120); Rashford 6 (Lingard 112). Subs: De Gea, Pereira, James, Fosu-mensah, Ighalo, Chong, Mengi.

COPENHAGEN (4-3-3): JOHNSSON 8; Varela 6 (Bartolec 105), Nelsson 6, Bjelland 7, Boilesen 5 (Bengtsson 16, 5); Pep Biel 6 (Ovideo 57, 5), Stage 6 (Mudrazija 105), Zeca 6; Daramy 5 (Kaufmann 57, 5), Wind 6, Falk 6 (Boving Vick 111). Subs: Andersen, Papagianno­poulos, Grytebust, Hjaelmhof.

REFEREE: C Turpin (France) 7.

ROMELU LUKAKU guided Inter Milan to the Europa League semi-finals last night.

The Serie A side hit the front after his shot was blocked.

Nico Barella driving his effort through a crowded penalty box.

The ex-manchester United striker swept home Inter’s second in the 21st minute.

Leverkusen hit back minutes later through Chelsea target Kai Havertz.

Inter had to endure (above)

INTER LEVERKUSEN a tense finish after having two penalties overturned by VAR.

The first was given for a handball against Daley Sinkgraven but it hit his shoulder.

Then sub Christian Eriksen thought he had won a secondhalf spot-kick when he was fouled.

But it was overruled, this time for a handball by an Inter player. 2 1

TOTTENHAM could tie up their first summer signing today when Pierre-emile Hojbjerg’s medical is completed.

The Southampto­n midfielder reported to the club for medical tests yesterday after the two sides agreed a price of £15m for the 25-year-old.

Denmark star Hojbjerg only had 12 months to run on his contract at St Mary’s and he was stripped of the Saints captaincy when he refused to commit to a long-term deal.

The former Bayern Munich player provides the defensive mentality that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho feels is missing from the current squad.

The deal could also suit Southampto­n as they have had Spurs right-back Kyle Walkerpete­rs, 23, on loan since January and want to make the move a permanent one in a £12m deal.

 ??  ?? SPOT OF TROUBLE: Anthony Martial is fouled for the penalty
CAPTION: dhghd jhgd hsdgsd gsdfgs dgs fdg sgdf sgd fgs fdg sdf dshf
SO CLOSE: Mason Greenwood scores but it was ruled offside before Karl-johan Johnsson pulls off another save
SPOT OF TROUBLE: Anthony Martial is fouled for the penalty CAPTION: dhghd jhgd hsdgsd gsdfgs dgs fdg sgdf sgd fgs fdg sdf dshf SO CLOSE: Mason Greenwood scores but it was ruled offside before Karl-johan Johnsson pulls off another save
 ??  ?? ON THE MOVE: Hojbjerg
ON THE MOVE: Hojbjerg

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