Rashford matches Rooney’s return as semi-finals beckon
Bruno Fernandes’s last-minute penalty was scored with just one eye open and helped Manchester United put one foot in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Marcus Rashford had earlier scored a crucial away goal at Estadio Municipal Nuevo Los Carmenes, but the tie was still in the balance, particularly with Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Scott Mctominay picking up bookings to rule them out of next week’s second leg.
Fernandes made sure their path to the last four will be much easier. He was fortunate to be awarded the penalty when Yan Brice caught him as a cross came in, then luckier to see his penalty squirm through the hands of his good friend Rui Silva.
But it was enough to make sure United are in control. “He got hit and his eye was red when I saw him,” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the United manager, said. “To score with one eye open is also a skill.”
The question will be whether Solskjaer’s team can take the next step and reach a final after losing in semifinals four times under the Norwegian. “I’ve seen the hurt that losing in the semi-final caused last season, and hopefully that will provide the motivation,” Solskjaer said. “A successful season would be to win a trophy and move up the table.”
It has been another successful season for Rashford. His goal made him the first United player to score 20 goals in back-to-back seasons since Wayne Rooney a decade ago.
He patched himself up after missing England duty and scored at the weekend to spark a comeback win against Brighton. His goal in Andalusia was a rare moment of genuine quality in a clash short on clear chances. Rashford timed his run perfectly when Victor Lindelof launched a long ball from his own backline, then took one touch to pluck the ball from the sky, another two as he sprinted beyond Domingos Duarte and a fourth to coolly place his finish into the bottom corner. The move was too quick for the Spanish television director sending footage around the world, but replays showed it was a route-one goal of expert precision.
“The goal is exceptional,” Solskjaer said. “He’s not recovered from his injury, and hopefully it’s not any worse from this because he lasted 70 against Brighton, 65 now, so hopefully he’s ready, I think he should be ready for the weekend.”
United not having a player score 20 goals in consecutive seasons for a decade is the reason they have not been winning trophies, according to Paul Scholes.
The former United midfielder believes they should spend whatever it takes to get Erling Haaland. “If it meant getting Haaland, why not?” said Scholes on BT.
Rashford was not even starting as a centre-forward, curving his run from the left wing to stay onside. It was Mason Greenwood who started up front, with Edinson Cavani coming off the bench. Neither troubled Granada, who threatened through Kenedy’s shots from the edge of the area. The magnitude of the match for Granada was shown by thousands of fans lining the streets outside the stadium as the team bus arrived. “It felt like normal football,” Solskjaer admitted.
David de Gea was given his first start in five weeks. He dealt with Kenedy’s swerving shots well, making tricky saves look easy.
The game’s negative aspect was the three bookings which ruled out Maguire, Shaw and Mctominay. Shaw was taken off at half-time to protect him from injury. “It was not a perfect night,” Solskjaer said. “Losing three players is not a good position to be in. I don’t think we deserved five yellow cards in total.
“It looked like it would be 1-0, but we gladly take the second goal, and we’ve created a good starting point for next week’s game for ourselves.”
United winger Daniel James felt his team-mates passed a physical test. “We knew it would be tough physically, and we had to match it and then play our football,” he said. “We did that for the first goal and then fought to the end.” Granada (4-2-3-1): Rui Silva 6; Diaz 6, Vallejo 6, Duarte 5 (German 54), Neva 5 (Foulquier 74); Herrera 7, Gonalons 5 (Eteki 86); Kenedy 7 (Machis 75), Montoro 5, Puertas 5; Soldado 6 (Suarez 87). Subs Aaron (g), Fabrega, Perez, Molina. Booked Duarte, Eteki.
Manchester Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Wan-bissaka 6, Lindelof 7, Maguire 7, Shaw 6 (Telles 45); Pogba 6 (Matic 74), Mctominay 6; Rashford 7 (Cavani 66), Fernandes 7, James 6; Greenwood 6 (Van de Beek 87) Subs Grant (g), Henderson (g), Mata, Fred, Diallo, Williams, Tuanzebe, Elanga. Booked Pogba, Shaw, Mctominay, Maguire, Matic.
Referee Artur Dias (Portugal).