Report as Harry Maguire’s header lifted Manchester United off the bottom of Group A with a 1-0 Champions League win over FC Copenhagen at Old Trafford but only after Andre Onana saved Jordan Larsson's stoppage-time penalty
Wednesday 25 October 2023 09:25, UK
Andre Onana saved a stoppage-time penalty as Manchester United secured a remarkable 1-0 victory over FC Copenhagen on the night Old Trafford paid tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton.
Harry Maguire's header in the 72nd minute proved to be the winning goal but only after Jordan Larsson, son of the former United player Henrik, saw his penalty saved with what proved to be the final kick of the game.
It was an extraordinary end to a night on which Old Trafford marked the passing of the United and England legend, who died on Saturday at the age of 86. What followed was a subdued performance by United in the first half but they delivered the sort of dramatic ending for which this club is famed.
Speaking after the game, Erik ten Hag heaped praise on Maguire, who has enjoyed a run of first-team football after falling out of favour and was awarded the Player of the Match award in the win over Sheffield United at the weekend.
"He's playing much more proactively in possession, stepping in, passing vertically," said Ten Hag. "He's defending on the front foot, defending forward, very confident in the duels, I think he is dominating in the right way with his aggression against opponents. You see he also gets rewarded. Of course, his heading is a skill... a very good finish."
The United manager also praised Onana, who, like Maguire, was under scrutiny going into the game after several high-profile blunders this season.
"[Onana] showed personality," said Ten Hag. "He knows his levels didn't match his skills before. He could do better. [He had] a very good performance on Saturday. Today, as well. Also, don't forget that brilliant save just after half-time in the counter-attack. Of course, one of his skills is he's a very good penalty-saver."
Ten Hag's team remain six points adrift of Group A leaders Bayern Munich but are now within a point of Galatasaray, their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League still intact. An unconvincing night, but a truly special one.
Old Trafford was packed long before kick-off as an emotional tribute was paid to the man widely regarded as England's greatest. Former team-mate Alex Stepney, youth-team captain Dan Gore and Erik ten Hag laid a wreath in the centre-circle as a lone piper played.
Once the game was under way, there was little to predict the late drama. United were poor. Sofyan Amrabat and Maguire were caught out in quick succession, allowing FC Copenhagen to counter at speed, Diogo Goncalves's first-time shot striking the post.
It was a sluggish start by United and they never really found their rhythm throughout an insipid first-half performance in which Maguire and the returning Raphael Varane had plenty of the ball but were unable to progress it through a well-organised Danish side.
Amrabat struggled in a deep playmaking role. Onana even earned a few groans when he deposited one long pass into the stands when he had time and space. It was so uninspiring that the referee blew his whistle before the 45th minute had been completed.
The introduction of Christian Eriksen for Amrabat at half-time helped to get United playing but it required a sensational save from Onana to deny Lukas Lerager as FC Copenhagen cut the Premier League side apart with another impressive counter-attack.
Eriksen finally tested Kamil Grabara soon after but the FC Copenhagen goalkeeper was up to the challenge, saving superbly low to his right. Grabara was fortunate, however, when adjudged not to have fouled Marcus Rashford in the box after lunging in.
Any semblance of control that FC Copenhagen had enjoyed was lost, United having upped the tempo. They were suddenly finding space in behind but the breakthrough goal came from the head of Maguire as he stooped to finish Eriksen's looping cross.
United should have settled the result in the latter stages but Alejandro Garnacho and Scott McTominay squandered good openings - and it almost proved costly at the very end. McTominay swung for the ball but caught Mohamed Elyounoussi inside the box.
Larsson, on as a substitute, took responsibility but Onana dived to his left and forced the ball round the post to spark wild scenes of celebration inside Old Trafford. The whistle followed. The crowd were delirious. Only changing tone to chant the name of Sir Bobby Charlton.
"It is incredible, a great night, especially in the last dying seconds we concede a penalty, which should not happen. But then a brilliant save from Andre," Ten Hag told TNT Sport.
"Slowly we have found our form this season and Harry Maguire played a very good game again and Andre as well had a very brilliant save just after half-time, which was very important.
"We conceded such a soft penalty and I think we should have had a penalty on Rashford, I do not know why that is not a penalty.
"But we dealt with it and that is a step up from a few weeks ago when we got out of rhythm, when we had some setbacks from refereeing decisions.
"But now we stayed calm after a poor first half and in the second half, we stepped up and all over, we created more chances than them.
"And finally, the win is justified, but it was a narrow escape in the end."
Sky Sports' Richard Morgan:
There is no doubt the spotlight has been well and truly on new Man Utd goalkeeper Andre Onana after what can only be described as a shaky start to his Old Trafford career.
The Cameroon international was meant to be the man to bring stability back to the No 1 position at United after David de Gea's decline in form during his last few years at the club, arriving last summer from Inter Milan in a £47.2m deal with a huge reputation.
However, it is fair to say Onana has so far failed to live up to expectations at United after a number of high-profile gaffes in the first two months of the campaign, with each costly error increasing the pressure on the 24-year-old.
That is until Tuesday night when Onana came to United's rescue with what could turn out to be hugely significant - a stoppage-time penalty save to preserve his side's 1-0 lead over FC Copenhagen in a must-win game in Group A for Erik ten Hag's side.
Not just for United, though, but the player himself, who may look back on that moment in years to come as being the turning point in both United's and his own season.
If Onana has endured an awkward start to his Manchester United career, Maguire's time in the shirt had appeared all but over prior to the injury crisis that has allowed him a path back into the team. The England man deserves credit for seizing that chance.
Goals can cloud the narrative with defenders but this was about more than the winner that he scored to secure Manchester United's first points of the Champions League season. There has been a change in his game, one acknowledged by Ten Hag afterwards.
"He is playing much more proactive in possession, stepping in, passing vertically, defending also on the front foot, defending forward, very confident in the duels, I think he is dominating in the right way with his aggression against opponents."
There was an example of that just before his breakthrough goal, rushing forward to beat his marker to the ball and sustain the attack for his team. It drew a positive reaction from the Old Trafford crowd, finally some positive energy for Maguire to feed off.
There is a long way to go. His only start this season prior to this run of games against Brentford, Sheffield United and FC Copenhagen came at home to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup. Bigger tests await, starting with Manchester City on Sunday.
November 8: FC Copenhagen (A) - kick-off 8pm
November 29: Galatasaray (A) - kick-off 5.45pm
December 12: Bayern Munich (H) - kick-off 8pm
Manchester United face a huge test against rivals Man City at Old Trafford on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 3.30pm.
Meanwhile, FC Copenhagen host Hvivodre in the Superliga on Saturday; kick-off 4pm.
