Manchester United may have several problems, but they will be in the knockouts of the 2021/22 Champions League thanks to a 2-0 victory away at Villarreal in one of Tuesday's early kick offs. Late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho ensured Michael Carrick earned a win in his first game as interim coach.
2021/2022 UEFA Champions League
0-2
Match Report
There weren't many opportunities in the first half of this game, apart from wasted freekicks from Ronaldo and Dani Parejo.
Into the second half, David de Gea made a tremendous save from Manu Trigueros, while Arnaut Danjuma fired a shot over as well.
But, Manchester United finished strong and were the better side in the final 20 minutes, with Sancho giving Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli some work to do.
Rulli then tried to play a ball out from the back, but good work from Fred provoked a loose ball and Ronaldo was right there, able to chip the Argentine goalkeeper for the opening goal in the 78th minute.
After Marcus Rashford drew another Rulli save, the Villarreal goalkeeper then couldn't do anything about a 90th minute Sancho blast into the top corner. Fred did well to win the ball back again, allowing Manchester United to seal the three points on the counter.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' Mctominay's header wide out
5' De Gea makes decent save
10' Pino's shot wide out
27' Trigueros' shot stopped
30' Ronaldo's header too straight
32' Yellow Card! Yeremy booked
42' Parejo's free kick over the bar
53' Fred's shot too straight
58' De Gea makes decent save
71' Sancho's shot stopped
77' GOAL! Villarreal 0-1 Man Utd (Ronaldo)
84' Ronaldo's shot wide out
Line-ups
Villarreal XI: Albiol, Capoue, Parejo, G. Rulli, Moi Gómez, Trigueros, P. Estupiñán, Groeneveld, P. Torres, Foyth, Yeremy
Subs: Asenjo, Iborra, Gaspar, Mandi, Alcacer, Moreno, R.Peña, Pedraza, S. Chukwueze, Dani Raba, Íker Álvarez De Eulate, B. Dia
Man Utd XI: Ronaldo, De Gea, Alex Telles, Lindelof, Maguire, Fred, Martial, Van de Beek, Sancho, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay
Subs: Heaton, Mata, Matic, Lingard, Bruno Fernandes, Bailly, Dean Henderson, Dalot, Rashford, Amad Diallo Traore