UCL: Maguire, Onana help United secure 3 point against Copenhagen

Andre Onana saved a penalty in added time to earn Manchester United a crucial Champions League win over Copenhagen.

On an emotional night that began with a lone piper stepping out to perform the United hymn ‘We’ll Never Die’ as Old Trafford paid its tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton, United fans believed Harry Maguire’s first goal since February 2022 had given them the victory they desired.

However, with four minutes of additional time remaining, Scott McTominay conceded a penalty by swinging a high boot dangerously close to Mohamed Elyounoussi’s face.

However, Onana, who has been chastised since his £47m summer arrival from Inter Milan, turned Jordan Larsson’s shot wide with the game’s last action.

The victory put new life into Erik ten Hag’s side’s Champions League campaign, which had begun with consecutive defeats.

The style of the triumph, as on Saturday, was secondary to the end conclusion given the enormous legacy of the man they were attempting to honor.

Maguire and Onana convert jeers into cheers.
The two players who delivered the crucial win for the home team have had a difficult time recently.

Maguire would have been transferred in the summer if he had taken the opportunity to join David Moyes at West Ham United, and many have questioned Ten Hag’s decision to replace David de Gea with Onana.

But, 18 minutes from time, half-time substitute Christian Eriksen sent a wonderful curling cross to the far post, and Maguire met it brilliantly, brushing off the attentions of a defender to ensure he was in position to head home.

It was a memorable moment for the 30-year-old, who had lost his United captaincy in the summer and appeared to be Ten Hag’s fifth-choice central defender, trailing even left-back Luke Shaw.

The hosts should have added a second goal before the final whistle, but after Alejandro Garnacho’s original effort was excellently stopped by Kamil Grabara, McTominay blasted the rebound inches wide of the post.

In a tense end, skipper Bruno Fernandes had a shot deflected wide, but it appeared United would grab the points anyhow.

Instead, they had to rely on Onana to ensure that victory did not slip away from them.

The charismatic Cameroonian goalkeeper’s save will allow United to look forward to the rematch in Denmark two weeks from now, knowing that victory will almost surely place them second in Group A behind Bayern Munich.