Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Saturday, 22 April 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Reuters: Manchester United needed an extra-time winner from Marcus Rashford to defeat Anderlecht 2-1 at Old Trafford on Thursday and move into the last four of the Europa League with a 3-2 aggregate victory.
While the result keeps open a possible path to next season’s Champions League for Jose Mourinho’s side, it came at a high price with defender Marcos Rojo and forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic both suffering possibly serious knee injuries.
United took the lead in the 10th minute through Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but Sofiane Hanni brought the Belgian side back level in the 32nd.
After Ibrahimovic wasted two great chances in the final stages of normal time, the contest went into extra time and Rashford settled the tie with a fine finish early in the second period.
It was not the comfortable passage into the semi-finals that United might have expected with Anderlecht showing no shortage of guts and enterprising football, but it was a deserved victory for the English side.
United, buoyed by their Premier League win over Chelsea on Sunday, started confidently and grabbed the early advantage.
