Omonia Nicosia 2-3 Manchester United: Marcus Rashford inspires Europa League win after scare in Cyprus

Erik Ten Hag praised an impressed replace efficiency from Marcus Rashford after he earned Manchester United a nervy Europa League win over Omonia Nicosia.

He scored two times, both sides of additionally putting in fellow sub Antony Martial.

“I think the subs really had an impact today and that is really good. That makes the team stronger,” mentioned Ten Hag.

The Cypriot facet took a surprise lead into part time via Karim Ansarifard, on the other hand Rashford equalised 8 mins after the destroy earlier than putting in Martial simply previous the hour mark.

Rashford made it 3-1 overdue on, earlier than Nikolas Panayiotou pulled one again.

Following United’s chastening derby defeat on the weekend, Ten Hag made 3 adjustments with the headline being the go back of Cristiano Ronaldo in position of Rashford up entrance.

However it used to be in the long run the English ahead who stored his facet from an embarrassing defeat, whilst Ronaldo spurned a number of probabilities to attain his 700th membership occupation purpose.

Ten Hag advised BT Sport: “We were too static and we have to make the opposite movement to get behind. That’s why also we make two subs in that time and they had really an impact.

“I feel Luke [Shaw] and Marcus undoubtedly helped with that but in addition Anthony Martial, in fact, with 2-1.”

Up against the Red Devils was an Omonia line-up which featured few star names – and with just one win in their past 26 European games – but managed by former Celtic boss Neil Lennon who had clearly emphasised effort and discipline.

The visitors made all the running in the first half an hour – nine shots and around 80 per cent possession – but the Cypriots stood up well and took their chance when it came.

United’s clearest chance came on 17 minutes when Antony was played through and tried to square the ball for Bruno Fernandes to score an open goal with keeper Fabiano committed. However, the £87m Brazilian winger played the ball too far behind his team-mate.

Fernandes hit the crossbar with a chipped effort a minute later, and shortly after Fabiano brilliantly denied a 25-yard effort from Antony before Iran striker Ansarifard struck.

Untied overcommitted at a corner, allowing a three-on-one Omonia breakaway with striker Bruno carrying the ball nearly 50 yards. The Brazilian played in Ansarifard, and the former Nottingham Forest striker superbly finished into the roof of the net.

The boisterous Nicosia crowd celebrated wildly and United were visibly rattled, leading to Ten Hag making a double half-time change with Rashford and Luke Shaw replacing Tyrell Malacia and the ineffective Jadon Sancho.

“I feel we began smartly, a few probabilities, after which unnecessarily down,” Ten Hag mentioned after the sport.

“The mistake can’t occur, we need to take accountability there. But then a in reality unhealthy 10 mins and we need to be told from that.”

It paid off eight minutes after the restart – Rashford was released by a raking ball down the left by Fernandes, Ronaldo’s run drew the defence and the England international had time and space to curl beyond Fabiano.

Ten Hag then introduced Martial after the hour, and he combined with Rashford to put his side ahead.

Martial’s second touch of the game began a flicked one-two with Rashford, the third saw him finish with power a shot past Fabiano at the near post.

It also gave Martial more valuable minutes after an injury-interrupted start to the season, having scored twice after coming on as a sub against Manchester City on Sunday.

“We have already observed that [he can be important] in pre-season,” Ten Hag mentioned.

“It used to be in reality a large sadness for this workforce, for me, when he were given injured in the closing 10 mins towards Atletico Madrid [in the final pre-season friendly].

“So, we missed him in the first couple of weeks and that also had an effect on our team performance.”

Ronaldo in the meantime endured to fight, his clearest opening coming when Diogo Dalot pulled the ball again to him 8 yards out with Fabiano stranded, however someway he contrived to hit the put up.

Instead Ronaldo needed to settle with an help for United’s 3rd and Rashford’s 2nd, firing a low move into the six-yard space for a tap-in.

Spirited Omonia weren’t performed but despite the fact that, decreasing the deficit virtually instantly as Panayiotou grew to become a difficult bouncing move house together with his left foot.

United noticed the sport out, however stay 2nd in Group E after Real Sociedad received 2-0 in Sheriff – which means a play-off towards a workforce throwing in the towel of the Champions League to achieve the knockout levels stays an opportunity.