VALENCIA, Spain (AFP) - Manchester United squandered the chance to win their Champions League group on Wednesday after a lacklustre display got what it deserved in a 2-1 defeat to Valencia.
Already through to the last 16, Jose Mourinho made eight changes at the Mestalla, including a return for Paul Pogba, but United were largely outplayed by their Spanish opponents, who sit 15th in La Liga.
Carlos Soler's driven shot and a Phil Jones own-goal put Valencia two up early in the second half before United came alive in the final minutes after Marcus Rashford's header gave them brief hope.
Perhaps Mourinho and his players had assumed Juventus would win away at Young Boys but the Italians' surprise 2-1 loss meant United had first place within their grasp.
Instead, they go through as runners-up into Monday's draw for the last 16, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Porto all potential opponents.
Porto would probably be the favoured pick but on this evidence, they might feel the same about United. After all, Valencia also made changes, eight of them, with their fate resigned to dropping into the Europa League.
They had failed to score in six of their last eight Champions League games while poor form in La Liga has their coach Marcelino fighting for his future.
After drawing against Sevilla last weekend, their fans swung white handkerchiefs in the air to demonstrate their dissatisfaction.
Pogba, left out against Arsenal and Fulham, started here but contributed little, save for a glaring miss in the first half. Eric Bailly also came in but his partnership with Jones was rocky all night.
United made Valencia look like world-beaters in the opening 45 minutes. They were slow in possession and just as sluggish out of it. Frustration bubbled and burst, as a handful of tackles flew in and missed.
Valencia were excellent. Geoffrey Kondogbia and Dani Parejo both went close early on before another pinball session in the penalty area saw the ball land at the feet of Soler. He looked up, picked his spot and drove into the far corner.
Michy Batshuayi should have made it two but headed over and Mouctar Diakhaby could have had a penalty when denied a simple finish by the clambering Marouane Fellaini.
United had the occasional opening, the best of them falling to Pogba, who somehow stabbed wide after Fellaini's header offered him a tap-in from two yards. The flag of the assistant referee spared his blushes but replays showed he was onside.
Jones marched off at half-time shaking his head, having berated his midfield for failing to track back, but the interval brought no relief.
Almost as soon as they restarted, Romelu Lukaku misread a Bailly pass. Just as others had before, Bailly threw his arms up in frustration.
Soon after it was two, Soler's pass landing between Sergio Romero and Jones, with Batshuayi on the chase. Jones panicked, met the ball on the slide, and pushed it past his approaching goalkeeper and into his own net.
There were 43 minutes left but a United comeback never looked likely until Rashford, on as a substitute, headed home in the 87th minute. Jesse Lingard had done well to keep the ball alive before Ashley Young supplied the cross.
Juan Mata could even have equalised. Pogba's scooped ball over the top left him alone in front of goal but he missed the ball as he tried to volley on the turn. A point would have been more than United deserved.
Kane 'proud' of England response to race jibes. during Monday's Euro 2020 qualifier in Podgorica, which England won 5-1. Kane 'proud' of England response to race jibes
Kane 'proud' of England response to race jibes
Football: Solskjaer insists Man United don't fear Camp Nou test after drawing Barca LONDON (AFP) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United are not scared of playing the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against at the Camp Nou after drawing Barcelona on Friday (March 15).
Manchester United : Solskjaer insists United don't fear Camp
Football. Bloody hell! The comeback of all comebacks. Forget what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did as a player on that famous night in 1999, this was a moment like never before. You just don't win from a two-goal home leg defeat. Not in the Champions League. But Manchester United, in the most dramatic of circumstances, did exactly that.
'Football, bloody hell!' - Solskjaer's Man Utd miracle in
feb 27, 2019 football news Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk both scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways with a dominant performance against Watford to stay top of the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp's side were 2-0 up in 20 minutes at Anfield as Senegal forward Mane headed the first before doubling the lead with an outrageous backheel
Stylish Liverpool thrash Watford 5-0 to stay top of league
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino feels his two-match touchline ban for confronting referee Mike Dean is "completely unfair".
Ban completely unfair: Pochettino - theworldnews.net
Paul Scholes has been appointed manager of League Two side Oldham Athletic on an 18-month contract. The former Manchester United midfielder begins work at Boundary Park on Monday with the club
England captain Kane wants to end career as NFL kicker
Football: 'Spineless, shameful' PSG stars face fury at training, Balotelli hits winner against old club Nice PARIS (AFP) - Paris Saint-Germain players ran a gauntlet of hate and abuse after they invited 500 of their die-hard fans to witness a training session on Sunday (March 10), having earlier been blasted as "shameless" and "spineless".
Lewis Hamilton looks out over Melbourne skyline ahead of
sportsloveme.com/racing/f1/lewis-hamilton-looks-out-over-melbourne-skyline-ahead-of-australian-gp/
← Football: 'Spineless, shameful' PSG stars face fury at training, Balotelli hits winner against old club Nice Knicks owner James Dolan threatens to ban fan for yelling 'sell the team' → You May Also Like
winner - malaysia.shafaqna.com
London, Feb 10 (AFP) Cardiff City captain Sol Bamba dedicated his goal and a 2-1 victory over Southampton to Emiliano Sala after an emotional match for the Welsh club.
'Victory and goal for Sala', says Cardiff captain Bamba
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel Crystal Palace piled further pressure on Leicester City manager Claude Puel on Saturday with a comprehensive 4-1 Premier League win over his
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel - The
'Sarri will be happy now' - Hazard hails Chelsea response in Huddersfield trouncing Chelsea star Eden Hazard hopes they impressed head coach Maurizio Sarri with their 5-0 This kind of game
Sarri hails stars of future as Chelsea young guns torment
Ozil leads five-star Arsenal past Bournemouth Mesut Ozil made the most of being handed a rare start by Arsenal boss Unai Emery as the German masterminded a 5-1 victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday to keep the Gunners in pole position for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
EPL: Ozil leads five-star Arsenal past Bournemouth - Punch
Football: Wayne Rooney bags first MLS hat-trick in D.C. romp over Real Salt Lake D.C. United forward Wayne Rooney (left) shooting the ball past Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman during
Rooney bags first MLS hat trick in DC romp | Free Malaysia Today
Football: Jurgen Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic
Silverware matters most to Emery as Arsenal aim to win for missing Mkhitaryan "We have two targets — the first and most important is to win a title," said Emery, who has already won this
0 comments:
Post a Comment