Soccer: Soccer-Ronaldo, Sancho put Man United in Champions League final 16

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VILLARREAL, Spain (Reuters) -Late targets from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho have been sufficient to earn an underwhelming Manchester United a 2-0 victory at Villarreal on Tuesday that ensures them a spot within the Champions League knockout phases.

United got here into the competition realizing victory would see them by means of to the final 16 with one group match left to play, however in Michael Carrick’s first sport as interim supervisor, United regarded shorn of concepts in assault within the Estadio de la Ceramica.

The house facet had a lot the higher probabilities, with United goalkeeper David de Gea bailing his facet out with a number of fines saves, the perfect of which denied Manu Trigueros a aim.

Out of nowhere, nevertheless, a poor go from Villarreal keeper Geronimo Rulli that was miscontrolled by Etienne Capoue was then seized upon by Ronaldo, who lofted the ball over the stranded Rulli to present United the lead within the 78th minute.

Ronaldo’s targets have been essential for United in Europe this season. He scored late winners in opposition to Atalanta and Villarreal within the reverse fixture, whereas additionally netting a leveller in stoppage time at Atalanta within the final match.

The Portuguese ahead acquired greater than a serving to hand for this essential strike, however his end was medical. He additionally performed a task within the second and clinching aim, laying the ball into substitute Bruno Fernandes, who squared for Sancho to place the outcome past doubt.

The efficiency might have been disappointing, however United acquired the job finished, transferring high of Group F with 10 factors, three forward of Villarreal, who can now not catch Carrick’s facet attributable to their inferior head-to-head document.

“It is large for our season,” United captain Harry Maguire instructed BT Sport. “The final couple of months have been nowhere close to ok. We wanted the outcome for our season and for our followers – we all know how robust it’s been for them in current weeks. We have now to ensure that is simply the beginning.”

With the travelling United followers singing the title of the person Carrick changed – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – within the first half, there was little different motion of notice to get them too excited.

A Ronaldo header, straight on the goalkeeper, was United’s solely shot on track within the half, with De Gea compelled into two good saves to disclaim Trigueros and Yeremi Pino down the opposite finish.

As United continued to take a seat again, Trigueros compelled an excellent higher save from De Gea in the beginning of the second half, with Villarreal sensing a beleaguered United is likely to be there for the taking.

It took till the 72nd minute for United to place collectively an actual assault of notice with Sancho denied by a sensible save, earlier than the house goalkeeper’s error modified the course of the match.

Sancho picked an opportune second to attain his first of the season in all competitions, hammering the ball in off the underside of the crossbar to seal an essential victory for the guests in an in any other case disappointing season.

(Reporting by Peter Corridor; Modifying by Hugh Lawson)



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