CLUB BRUGGE 0, MANCHESTER UNITED 4 (MAN UTD WIN 7-1 ON AGGREGATE)
- Wayne Rooney with hat trick to end 878 minute United goal drought
Ander Herrera scores 4th goal on his first start of the season
Substitute Javier Hernandez misses penalty
Rooney scored his first European hat trick since his United debut against Fenerbahce in 2004 but also crucially ended his United goal drought which had stretched back ten games as the Reds overcame an injury ravaged Brugge side which fell apart at the end even before Ander Herrera put them to the sword with United’s fourth goal of the night.
Javier Hernandez could have made it 5-0 and manager Louis Van Gaal’s biggest win as United boss but sent his penalty wide after slipping in the run-up late on.
United had opted for just two changes with Marouane Fellaini left on the bench as Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera replaced Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger in central midfield for the Reds.
Alain De Sutter, playing his last Brugge game, had an early chance after just six minutes when he miscontrolled a volley but it was Manchester United who scored first as Wayne Rooney ended an 878 minute goal drought to effectively end the tie after 20 minutes.
Memphis Depay shaped to shoot after stepping inside off the left flank but inside surprised the Brugge defenders by sliding the ball into his captain instead.
Rooney lifted the ball over Sinan Bolat, a stand-in ‘keeper making his debut after Brugge coach Michel Preud’homme dropped Sebastien Bruzzese as ‘keeper following last week’s game.
With United nerves calmed, Bolat had to be off his line quickly to beat Memphis to the ball after Rooney tried to return the favour ten minutes later.
Memphis was one of the big dangers for United on the night with chances in the 35th and 40th minutes.
Brugge ended the first half strongly with Sergio Romero’s reactions tested by a Daley Blind back header and the Argentine scrambling off his line to deny Abdoulay Diaby a clear shot on goal after he had broken free of the United defence.
The alarm bells had rung for Louis Van Gaal and the disappointing Adnan Januzaj was replaced by Bastian Schweinsteiger at half time.
Ander Herrera was pushed further forward and duly supplied Rooney with his second of the night after Memphis found the Spaniard with a through ball in the 49th minute.
Rooney’s hat trick was complete in the 57th minute after Juan Mata provided the assist but the United captain’s attempted dink over the goalkeeper a minute later was only kept out by a flailing arm.
Herrera made it four in the 63rd minute after Schweinsteiger’s pass set him free.
Despite nothing left to play for, the home side kept trying to breach the United defence and Hans Vanaken’s dipping strike beat Romero but came back off the underside of the crossbar in the 66th minute.
Justice was done in the 82nd minute after Javier Hernandez’ penalty was sent well wide of the Brugge goal after the Mexican slipped in his run-up. Any goal wouldn’t have counted as the young striker touched the ball twice but the Brugge player accused of the original hand ball, Oscar Duarte, looked to have been harshly punished by the decision.
But the Brugge misery was complete after they lost Tuur Dierckx to a bad ankle turn to add to their huge injury list, and reduce them to 10 men with no chance of even a consolation goal for the home fans.