RONALDO ON CUE TO SAVE OLE
Villarreal dominate for hour but Telles levels and United superstar seals win
MAN UTD 2 Telles 60, Ronaldo 90+5 VILLARREAL 1 Alcacer 53
HE did it again. That’s what they bought him for. Ninety four minutes gone, outplayed, but victorious. How does he do it? How did they do it? That’s what Unai Emery will be asking.
Manchester United got away with it here, no doubt of that. Villarreal were the better side and only a wonder goal from Alex Telles, his first for the club, gave United the momentum that prevented this Champions League campaign starting with back-toback defeats. That’s certainly the way the game was heading.
And that was all Cristiano Ronaldo needed. A platform, a glimmer of hope. This was the night he set the record for Champions League appearances, and what a way to crown it.
Fred, a substitute, struck the cross deep, which Ronaldo won in the air. There was a scramble but Jesse Lingard, another sub, got his foot to the ball first. He prodded it in Ronaldo’s direction and United’s talisman did the rest. His shot was palmed into the net by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. Would it have gone in anyway? That’s hardly the point. Ronaldo makes things happen, even on his quieter nights, that is.
United lost on penalties when these teams met in the Europa League final in May and, if anything, Villarreal were even better here. Had they not squandered a succession of first-half chances, they would have won comfortably and United only got going after Telles’ volley had brought them level, the result of a cleverly worked free-kick from Bruno Fernandes
that Villarreal thought harsh. After that, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought on the cavalry in the shape of Edinson Cavani and United looked livelier than they had been all night.
Even so, the best chance of the closing stages fell to Villarreal after the outstanding David De Gea stopped a shot from Moi Gomez and somehow kept out a diving header from Boulaye Dia, who should have converted the rebound. Capping a memorable night, Telles than blocked a point blank shot from Dia on the line.
Frankly, had Villarreal been better in front of goal, this game would have been over by half-time. They passed better, set the tempo, were always dangerous and tighter defensively. The better side in every aspect, in fact. All that was missing was the cutting edge. If Emery had United’s forward line at his disposal, it would have been as rout.
So Solskjaer can think himself lucky indeed. Once again, his team did not look as prepared as the opposition. Villarreal were clearly targeting right-back Diogo Dalot, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka suspended.
They were clearly operating swiftly on the counter-attack.
United, once more, were less than the sum of some pretty incredible parts.
If Paul Pogba pulls off a great pass, if there is a moment of magic from Ronaldo or Fernandes, if a set-piece comes off, then United have potency. But they simply didn’t look as organised as Villarreal, didn’t have the same sense of purpose. In the opening 30 minutes one player in particular threatened to run riot.
Arnaut Danjuma looked a very promising player for Bournemouth last year in the Championship. He looked less impressive on the south coast in his first season as a Premier League player. Against Dalot, he looked a world beater.
There were just six minutes gone when Villarreal showed their hand. A crossfield ball picked out Danjuma on the left where he was stationed for much of the night. He went past Dalot but shot straight at De Gea, a poor effort that was repeated far too often. Two minutes later, Danjuma was at it again, receiving the ball nearer goal this time and forcing an excellent save from De Gea, tipping the ball round at the far post.
Manchester United’s faithful might have thought Villarreal were merely having a good little spell. They were wrong. This was how it was going to be for much of the night.
In the 17th minute, Danjuma again, this time going wide and striking a cross that was met by the head of Paco Alcacer, who drew another stunning save from De Gea, pushing the ball over the bar from close range.
Five minutes later, a cleverly worked set piece should have given the Spaniards the lead. A diagonal pass from a corner by Daniel Parejo was dummied smartly, falling for Alberto Moreno who shot wildly over the bar. How frustrating must that be for a coach. The secret’s out now, and nothing to show for it.
If there was a moment that summed up Villarreal’s advantage it came in the 30th minute. Again, the ball found Danjuma. He dwelled on it. Eyed up Dalot. Made a couple of trigger movements to check him out — and then went.