Manchester United managed to secure a thrilling 1-0 victory over Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), thanks to André Onana’s last-second penalty save, maintaining the Red Devils’ unblemished record against Danish opponents.
The night began with a poignant remembrance of the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton, and the tribute set the stage for a memorable match. Copenhagen came out of the gates swiftly, with Diogo Gonçalves’ first-time effort rattling the post, and Mohamed Elyounoussi’s strike deflected wide thanks to a crucial intervention by Harry Maguire. Rasmus Højlund, playing against his former club, had a chance to put his side ahead but fired over after an excellent pass from Marcus Rashford.
As the game progressed, Manchester United started to assert themselves, and a well-timed tackle from Peter Ankersen was required to prevent Scott McTominay from getting a clean shot off after some delightful link-up play. However, the hosts’ play often appeared to lack urgency, and they struggled to break down Jacob Neestrup’s well-organized side. McTominay’s header from Sergio Reguilón’s cross was their only notable opportunity in the rest of the first half, leading to growing frustration among the home fans at Old Trafford.
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The second half began, and Erik ten Hag introduced Christian Eriksen, but Copenhagen once again had the early chances. Lukas Lerager met Viktor Claesson’s cutback with a powerful strike, but André Onana made a brilliant save to deny him. Eriksen then unleashed a fierce shot that seemed destined for the bottom corner, but Kamil Grabara pulled off a remarkable save to keep it out.
Manchester United finally found the breakthrough they had been chasing in the 72nd minute when Harry Maguire outmuscled Rasmus Falk to meet Christian Eriksen’s cross with a powerful header, notching his first goal of the season.
McTominay had a golden opportunity to extend their lead, but he later found himself at the center of a nervy moment when he conceded a penalty with a challenge on Elyounoussi in the dying seconds of the game. However, André Onana’s heroics in goal outsmarted Jordan Larsson, securing the victory and ending Manchester United’s five-match winless streak in the UCL. This crucial win brought them within one point of second-placed Galatasaray and marked their third consecutive victory across all competitions, a first for the season. In contrast, Copenhagen continues to struggle in the UCL, with a winless streak of nine matches dating back to 2016, leaving them at the bottom of Group A.
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