KEEPER’S GAFFE IS A SAVIOUR FOR JOSE
Teenager gifts only goal to Rashford
JOSE MOURINHO can relax. At this rate, Paris Saint-Germain will not be knocking on his door any time soon. Manchester United may have moved to the brink of the Champions League knockout phase and maintained their 100 per cent record with victory over a decidedly average Benfica, but it will not win Mourinho many admirers inside or outside Old Trafford.
Four days after parking the bus in Liverpool, United struggled to get out of first gear in Lisbon.
They were eventually helped to victory by a an error from the youngest goalkeeper in the history of this competition, 18-year-old Mile Svilar carrying Marcus Rashford’s free-kick over his own goal-line in the second half.
Having publicly flirted with PSG at the weekend, Mourinho stood rather forlornly on the touchline in his raincoat and watched a drab encounter unfold.
Mourinho has come a long way since his first job as a head coach ended here at Benfica after just three months in December 2000 over a contract dispute.
Those who have followed his career will not be surprised that his return to Portugal was overshadowed by questions about how long he intends to stay at United. Mourinho and harmony rarely go hand in hand.
He had tried to convince his players that Benfica were better than CSKA Moscow and Basle, but even he probably did not believe that was true. They are no longer the Benfica of old.
Mourinho made four changes to the team that secured a goalless draw at Anfield on Saturday with Victor Lindelof once again given his chance in the Champions League against the team he left in a £31million summer deal.
Benfica may have helped to knock United out of the group stage on two of the three occasions they have been drawn together, in 2005 and 2011, but are on the brink of elimination this season after losing their opening game to CSKA before a club record 5-0 defeat by Basle.
Their problems were best underlined by coach Rui Vitoria’s decision to make a change in goal for the third European game in a row, allowing Belgian Svilar to break the record set by Iker Casillas. Dubbed the new Thibaut Courtois, Svilar showed his versatility in the opening minutes when he rushed out to make a diving header to deny Romelu Lukaku.
After an untidy and disjointed opening Marcus Rashford headed over from Daley Blind’s outswinging cross in the 32nd minute and Lukaku’s searching pass to the edge of the six-yard box was brilliantly hooked away from Rashford by Ruben Dias.
Nemanja Matic had United’s best chance of the half, surging into the box past three defenders, but Svilar blocked with his body.
If Mourinho had some stern words with his players at half-time, it seemed to bring a reaction from Rashford.
The England striker upped the pace and began running at the Benfica back-line. He also tried his luck with a dipping volley from 25 yards that Svilar gathered at the second attempt.
The two young men were at the centre of United’s decisive goal in the 65th minute. Rashford swung over a freekick from midway inside the Benfica half but could not have known that Svilar had got his bearings wrong.
The keeper had ventured just a yard too far off his line, but it was enough to land him in trouble as the ball soared towards goal.
He began to backpedal and arched his body to pluck the ball out of the air. However, he had gathered enough momentum to take him over the goal-line as he desperately tried to hold the ball outstretched in front of him.
German referee Felix Zwayer indicated that the Goal Decision System had confirmed the ball had crossed the line and awarded it. United still had to hang on for nearly half an hour in which they repelled a series of corners.
Benfica’s frustration was evident when Luisao was sent off for a second yellow card for hacking down substitute Scott McTominay in added time.
So victory for United and mission accomplished for Mourinho. But it really wasn’t pretty. BENFICA (4-3-3): Svilar 5; Douglas 6, Luisao 6.5, Ruben Dias 7, Grimaldo 5; Pizzi 5.5 (Zivkovic 59min, 6), Fejsa 6, Filipe Augusto 6; Salvio 6.5 (Cervi 83), Jiminez 6, Goncalves 6 (Jonas 69, 6). Subs not used: Julio Cesar, Lopez, Samaris, Seferovic. Booked: Luisao, Goncalves. Sent off: Luisao. Manager: Rui Vitoria 5. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6.5; Valencia 6, Lindelof 6, Smalling 6.5, Blind 6.5; MATIC 7.5, Herrera 6.5; Mata 6 (Lingard 83), Mkhitarayan 5.5 (McTominay 90), Rashford 7 (Martial 76); Lukaku 6. Subs not used: Romero, Jones, Young, Darmian. Scorer: Rashford 64. Booked: Valencia. Manager: Jose Mourinho 6. Referee: Felix Zwayer (G) 6.