Hello and welcome to the highlights from Sportstar’s coverage of Omonia vs Manchester United Group E Europa League match.
The home side floods the United penalty area with players, hoping for a late goal but the ball is cleared from a cross and the referee blows the full-time whistle. Manchester United has to thank Erik ten Hag and his timely substitutions for tonight’s win. After conceding the first-half goal, United equalised through Rashford in the 52nd minute. Martial, another substitute, slotted home a finish to give his side the lead before Rashford scored his second off Ronaldo’s mistimed shot. The second win for United takes it to six points from three games and cements its place in the second place. United wins its second game on the trot in Europe and will hope to keep this form in tact.
Another shot by Ronaldo goes wide. Rashford breaks out into a counter after beating an Omonia defender. He passes to Ronaldo. The forward takes the ball forward and as the defender moves to follow him, he turns back and cuts the ball to his right. Ronaldo has the sight of goal and he shoots. The ball is curling in but goes wide off the far post.
It is not Ronaldo’s night! The Portuguese and Martial work the ball with a neat one-two move. The Frenchman passes to Ronaldo who is absolutely unmarked but he is too slow to take the shot and an Omonia player comes in with a block to take the ball away from him.
Omonia 2-3 Manchester United - Panagiotou 85’
Omonia takes just a minute to cut the deficit back to one goal! It’s 2-3 in Nicosia. What a finish we have on our hands.
Omonia 1-3 Manchester United - Rashford 84’
United gets a third! Rashford with a second goal.
Manchester United Substitution - 82’
Omonia Substitution - 82’
A nicely worked move wins a corner for Omonia. It moves through the left wing and Kakoullis is faced with Martinez. The foward takes the ball to his left foot and crosses but the Argentine is not fooled and blocks the cross.
Ronaldo strikes the post! A chance to score his 700th club goal and he misses it. Dalot has the ball after scampering past an Omonia player and winning a losse ball. He beats the keeper too but he chooses to play it to Ronaldo. The No.7 takes the shot but hits the left post.
Kakkoulis is able to somehow enter the United penalty area. He wriggles past three United players but the ball crawls away from the Omonia player and De Gea gets time to collect it.
United Substitution - 74’
Antony fires a cross from the right flank but the Omonia defence is able to clear it out. There is another attempt by United but it is not able to score. Fred about to replace Antony.
Omonia Substitution - 72’
Omonia 1-2 Manchester United - Martial 63’
Martial strikes with his first touch. What an impact as the score is 1-2 in United’s favour.
Omonia Substitution - 61’
Manchester United Substitution - 62’
Omonia 1-1 United - Rashford 52’
Rashford hits the goal for United to make it 1-1!
Fernandes free-kick saved by Fabiano! United wins a free-kick near the penalty area. Bruno takes it but the shot is bang in the middle and easily saved.
It’s been all United in the early minutes of the second half. Antony crosses the ball on one occasion which is headed clear but the ball lands at Eriksen’s feet. The Dane takes a poor first touch and the clearance is better on the second occasion.
The second period begins. Two changes for United. Rashford and Luke Shaw come in.
The referee blows the half-time whistle and the Omonia to everyone’s surprise is in the lead at the half-way mark. United has been wasteful, and has even lacked creativity. A sloppy error by Malacia handed the ball to Omonia, and the Cyprus club pounced on the chance. Erik ten Hag has a headache and he will surely be giving a stern word to his side in the 15-minute break.
Omonia has a corner which lands in the midfield. Charalampous takes a long range effort but the attempt goes soaring over the goal.
Ronaldo gets a long ball from the midfield but he is unable to collect it cleanly and the ball rolls to the Omonia goalkeeper. United is trying to get the ball into the opponent’s penalty area but the final delivery is missing.
Omonia 1-0 Manchester United - Ansarifard 34’
Kareem scores for Omonia! United is stunned! Omonia leads 1-0.
Antony goes on a solo run through United’s right wing. He is constantly shadowed by an Omonia player. Antony is prevented from moving the ball into danger but he is clipped and wins a free-kick.
A first corner for Omonia! The Omonia right-back gets into the United penalty area and crosses the ball into a dangerous area and Dalot has to clear the ball and give a corner in process.
Shot by Antony! The Brazilian forward cuts in from the right side and lets one fly from outside the box. The ball is curling into the net until Fabiano stretches to save the attempt.
Ronaldo is fouled and United gets a free-kick. The Portuguese forward tries to go for an audacious direct effort but the ball goes flying into the stands.
Another chance missed by Manchester United. Antony is in the centre of the field and plays a pass to Malacia on the left wing. The left-back’s cross takes a deflection but still manages to creep through to the six-yard box where Ronaldo’s jump is mistimed. The ball rolls through for a throw in.
Bruno hits the crossbar! So close for United. Bruno Fernandes finds himself through on goal and he puts the ball over the chrging keeper’s head. The attempts starts to dip but a moment too late and only hits the crossbar. Ronaldo tries to collect the rebound but he gives a free-kick after raising his boot too high.
Chance for Martinez! The corner kick lands at Martinez’s head but the header from the Argentine goes over the crossbar.
United controlling play here. A long-move culminates with Ronaldo getting the ball. He turns, skips past a player and shoots. The shot is blocked by an Omonia player and United gets a corner.
United with a patient buid-up around the Omonia penalty area which ends up with Malacia crossing from the left. The ball is long and goes out of play.
Shot by Ronaldo! The United forward gets an entry into the opposition penalty area and he straight away shoots but the attempt is saved.
Fernandes plays a ball to Antony and he tries to chase the pass but Omonia player clears it to give United a throw in.
Corner for United! Dalot plays a cross from the right side and Fernandes and Ronaldo are making the run to connect but the ball is cleared for a corner.
Omonia gets the game underway from the centre circle. United does not take long to win the ball and take control.
The player’s gather at the centre circle for a minute’s silence in memory of the tragedy in Indonesia last weekend.
The teams have lined at the tunnel and are making their way to the field. The handshakes are also complete and we’re set to get underway. Potuguese referee Joao Pinheiro in charge of tonight’s game.
The Cypriot side is currently fourth in its domestic league with three wins out of five matches.
“You always take respect of the opponent but we will still stick to our philosophy, our rules, our principles. So thank you for the lesson, from Pep and City. We will take that and we have to understand we have to do things much better.”
Omonia : Fabiano - Miletic, Yuste, Lecjaks, Matthews, Lang - Charalambous, Barker, Dikserud, - Ansarifard, Souza
Manchester United : De Gea - Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Malacia- Casemiro, Eriksen - Antony, Fernandes, Sancho - Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo starts for the Red Devils, the fourth only for the season. Casemiro also in the playing XI for United.
PREVIEW
Manchester United will get back to recovery process after the 6-3 drubbing to Manchester City. United is currently second in the group with three points from two games.
Defenders Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane are among the absentees for United’s trip to Cyprus. Eyes will also be Cristiano Ronaldo who was benched yet again in the derby.
Erik ten Hag insisted that the Portuguese forward is happy at United and could start in the Europa League, just his fourth of the season.
Omonia has zero points and is in last place.
HEAD TO HEAD
This is the first meeting between the Cyprus club and Manchester United.
PREDICTED XI
Omonia (3-5-2): Fabiano - Miletic, Yuste, Panagiotou - Matthews, Charalampous, Papoulis, Dikserand, Lecjaks - Ansarifard, Bruno
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea - Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Shaw - Casemiro, Eriksen - Antony, Fernandes, Elanga - Martial
WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH
Omonia vs Manchester United, UEFA Europa League match will start at 5:45 pm BST/ 10:15 pm IST on Thursday.
The match will be telecast live across the Sony Sports Network in India. The match will also be live streamed on Sony LIV.
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