Harry Maguire headed a second-half goal and goalkeeper Andre Onana saved a penalty deep in stoppage time to power Manchester United to a 1-0 victory over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday for their first victory in the Champions League this season.
Back in the competition after a one-year absence, Erik ten Hag’s side moved into third place in Group A after collecting a precious three points after three games. Bayern Munich top the group with nine points after beating Galatasary 3-1 earlier.
The victory looked in doubt when Copenhagen’s Jordan Larsson stepped up to the spot after Scott McTominay attempted a clearance and caught Elias Achouri in the head with a high boot in the 94th minute. But Onana dived to his left to push the shot away before being mobbed by team mates at the final whistle.
Maguire, who has been the target of fan abuse in recent months, had the Old Trafford faithful on their feet when he broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute, Christian Eriksen’s long ball into the area finding the defender at the far post.
A night that began on a solemn note with a tribute to club great Bobby Charlton, who died on Saturday at age 86, ended in celebration with fans singing “There’s only one Bobby Charlton”.
Martinelli and Jesus steer Arsenal to 2-1 win at Sevilla
Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus scored either side of halftime as Arsenal completed a 2-1 Champions League victory at Sevilla on Tuesday, a hard-fought win that takes them to the top of Group B at the midway point of the pool stage.
Martinelli raced clear from his own half to score the opener four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first period as he completed a lightning break, before Jesus added a second goal shortly after halftime.
Sevilla offered little in the first half and were much improved after the break as they pulled a goal back when Nemanja Gudelj headed home, but the equaliser they so desperately sought eluded them despite some near misses.
Arsenal top the group with six points from their three games. Lens are in second place with five points, followed by Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven with two each.
Mikel Arteta’s side never had complete control of the contest despite taking a 2-0 lead.
“Very happy to win, not many teams have done that here in the last 10 years in Europe,” Arteta told TNT Sports. “We played the game we wanted and had chances to finish it, and then from one corner they score.”
On a night of highs, there was one low. Arteta confirmed the second-half substitution of Jesus was due to injury.
“He felt something in his hamstring, so we will see in the next few days (how serious it is).”
Martinelli had a superb chance to give Arsenal an early lead when he was put through on goal but his shot was saved by Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
It was a warning to the home side that they did not heed, and Martinelli made sure second time around when another chance presented itself just before the break.
He raced clear from Jesus’s clever pass and this time rounded the goalkeeper before scoring.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard fired over the bar early in the second period but the London side did manage a second goal on 53 minutes.
Jesus curled in a shot from a narrow angle to keep up his record of having scored in every Champions League group game so far this season.
The visitors needed that insurance goal too as Sevilla pulled one back five minutes later when Gudelj headed home from a corner.
The home side had several chances to score again but some scrambling defence and a late miss from Ocampos allowed Arsenal to hold on.
UEFA Champions League results/fixtures
Tuesday results
Internazionale (1) 2 Salzburg (0) 1
Galatasaray (1) 1 Bayern München (1) 3
Sporting Braga (0) 1 Real Madrid (1) 2
Union Berlin (0) 0 Napoli (0) 1
Benfica (0) 0 Real Sociedad (0) 1
Manchester United (0) 1 København (0) 0
Lens (0) 1PSV (0) 1
Sevilla (0) 1 Arsenal (1) 2
Wednesday fixtures
Feyenoord v Lazio (19.45)
Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk (19.45)
RB Leipzig v Crvena Zvezda
Young Boys v Manchester City
Celtic v Atlético Madrid
Antwerp v Porto
PSG v Milan
Newcastle United v Borussia Dortmund
Kickoff at 22.00 unless otherwise stated
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