Partizan Belgrade 0, Manchester United 1
Anthony Martial scored a first half penalty to earn goal-shy Manchester United a first away game in 232 days – 11 games – as they narrowly beat Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League.
Embed from Getty ImagesTheir last away win way prior to tonight was the famous night in March when they swept Paris St Germain aside with a 3-1 win to qualify for the Champions League quarter finals.
That game sealed Reds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as permanent United manager but also coincided with the Reds away slide in form.
Martial’s spot kick was United’s only shot on target in a largely dismal display with a team showing seven changes from the 1-1 home draw against Liverpool on Sunday.
19-year-old left back Brandon Williams was one of those seven changes, making his second start in the Europa League, and earned the penalty after a foul from Nemanja Miletic.
Martial, making his first start since August, made no mistake from the spot, sending Belgrade goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic the wrong way in the 43rd minute.
Scott McTominay had headed Juan Mata’s free kick wide and Jesse Lingard struck the post for the Reds while the hosts also hit the wood work through Umar Sadiq.
Stand-in keeper United Sergio Romero parried Seydouba Sumah’s drive and saved an Asano header with Reds captain Harry Maguire and Phil Jones just about keeping the home side at bay despite two late home penalty shouts turned down.
With three games gone in Group L, United are top of their group with 7 points – 2 more than AZ Alkmaar.
MATCH STATS – Partizan Belgrade 0, Manchester United 1
Partizan Belgrade: Stojkovic, Miletic, Ostojic, Pavlovic, Urosevic, Zdjelar, Natcho, Tosic (Filip Stevanovic 75), Soumah (Pavlovic 83), Asano (Ivanovic 90+3), Sadiq
Partizan Belgrade Subs not used: Nemanja Stevanovic, Vujacic, Scekic, Brezancic
Booked: Miletic, Zdjelar, Natcho
Man Utd: Romero, Jones, Maguire, Rojo, Wan-Bissaka (James 60), Garner (Pereira 82), McTominay, Williams, Lingard, Mata, Martial (Rashford 60)
Man Utd Subs not used: Grant, Lindelof, Fred, Greenwood
Booked: Jones
Goal: Martial 43 pen