Greenwood at the double to grab the spotlight
TEENAGER Mason Greenwood underlined his star quality by hitting a stunning brace as Manchester United beat AZ Alkmaar to wrap up top spot in their Europa League group.
Following impressive Premier League victories against Tottenham and Manchester City, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side turned their attention to winning Group L against another team already guaranteed to be in Monday’s knockout phase draw.
AZ gave United a few scares during a sloppy first half but United eventually kicked into gear and roared to a convincing victory, with 18-year-old Greenwood’s exceptional double complementing efforts from elder statesmen Ashley Young and Juan Mata.
Winning the group means United enter the round of 32 draw among the top seeds, and they are guaranteed to play the second leg of February’s tie at Old Trafford, which witnessed an exciting glimpse of the future after a turgid first half.
Young broke the deadlock with his first European goal since February 2012, before Greenwood found the net with a low, fizzing strike from the edge of the box.
The 18-year-old drew the foul that saw Mata net a spot-kick and the forward then produced a fine, driven effort that beat Marco Bizot at his near post as he became the club’s youngest player to score a brace in major European competition.
Outrageously-gifted Greenwood was one of nine changes from Saturday’s thrilling win at City, where United’s start could scarcely have been much different to the one against AZ.
Meek and uninspired in possession, United were penned back by Arne Slot’s side. Andreas Pereira’s shot on target in the sixth minute was all United could muster until Mata blazed over as the half-hour mark approached.
But United broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute. Pereira’s superb skill when crowded in the corner started a move that saw returning Nemanja Matic slip in Mata, whose ball across goal the box was turned in from an acute angle by Young.
Just five minutes later, Greenwood made it two with a beautiful left-footed strike from 20 yards.
The 18-year-old continued to prove a thorn in Alkmaar’s side and drew a clumsy challenge from Jordy Clasie, allowing
Mata to slam home a spot-kick in front of the Stretford End.
But fittingly man-of-thematch Greenwood would complete the scoring and in some style. Having collected the ball just outside the right-hand side of the box, he cut inside on to his left foot and unleashed a low strike that beat Bizot at his near post.