Rivalry match a big draw
Recently signed striker scores first goal in Red Devils’ win
Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero takes a seat during Manchester United’s 2-0 victory Thursday night at NRG Stadium before 67,401.
The player Manchester United has pinned its hopes on to improve its goalscoring woes delivered in massive fashion Thursday night.
Signed from Everton for a $97 million transfer fee, Belgian Romelu Lukaku assuredly will score bigger goals during his time with the Red Devils, but the one he scored in front of 67,401 at NRG Stadium was memorable nonetheless.
Lukaku’s world-class opener stood as the winner in United’s 2-0 victory over rival Manchester City in the Manchester Derby, which has been played 174 times in competitive matches during the last 135 years. Thursday night’s game was the first time it has been played outside of England.
It was part of the International Champions Cup, which is comprised of 12 games in 12 days at sites around the United States. Other participating teams are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Roma, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham.
Lukaku is the third player in English Premier League history to score 50 goals before his 23rd birthday. Even fans in England would be hard-pressed to think of a more stunning strike than the one he hit in the 37th minute Thursday.
Paul Pogba hit a long overhead pass that bounced 25 yards from the goal. Lukaku beat goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to the spot, shook off some contact and headed it into the penalty area.
Lukaku then hammered a left-footed shot that curled just inside the near post. That it came on his next touch from a nearly impossible angle even made journalists from England gasp in disbelief throughout the press box.
“I couldn’t be happier with what he is doing,” United manager Jose Mourinho said after the game. “I couldn’t be happier that we managed to sign him before the preseason because in these 10 days of work and these minutes of football with the mates, it is fantastic for their understanding.”
The superb quality of Lukaku’s goal was a perfect illustration of what City defender Vincent Kompany said about Lukaku in a news conference Wednesday. Kompany has seen him up close during their time with the Belgium national team.
“When it comes to him, he has one incredible ability, and it’s his desire to score goals,” Kompany said. “A lot of people have commented on Romelu over the years, and he has taken a lot of criticism, but his biggest strength is his belief in himself and his ability to always score goals and have this drive constantly.
“That’s what Manchester United bought, and that’s what they’re going to get from him.”
While fans still were trying to catch their breath from Lukaku’s strike, United doubled its lead on a goal by Marcus Rashford when Henrikh Mkhitaryan dribbled through the middle of the park and passed to Rashford on the right side of the box. With no one close enough to challenge him, Rashford calmly set up a shot into the corner of the far post.