Roland Cutinho
Manchester United beat French club Lens 3-1 as Alejandro Garnacho won hearts with another fine display
As stated by the club’s official website (h/t the Manchester Evening News), Manchester United staged an impressive comeback to secure a 3-1 victory against Ligue 1 side Lens at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
The victory came despite their new goalkeeper, Andre Onana, being outwitted by a remarkable goal scored from the halfway line by the opposition.
The atmosphere at Old Trafford was filled with excitement before the match as Rasmus Hojlund, United’s new signing, was introduced to the enthusiastic home crowd.
The Red Devils tried to take advantage and begin the match with a quick pace, but Mason Mount missed a golden opportunity in front of goal.
Bruno Fernandes provided an excellent pass to Alejandro Garnacho, who then set up Mount for the shot. Unfortunately, the former Chelsea midfielder couldn’t convert the chance from eight yards.
Against the flow of the game, Erik ten Hag’s men conceded a goal in the 23rd minute, and it was an extraordinary strike that led to the opposition taking the lead.
Sotoca seized on a loose pass from United at the halfway line. Taking advantage of Onana’s positioning outside his penalty area, the Lens forward decided to go for goal. His shot dropped over the backtracking goalkeeper and found the back of the net.
Even after conceding the opening goal, the English giants remained persistent in creating scoring opportunities. However, they were left frustrated at halftime as Garnacho’s shot went over the goal and Antony’s strike was deflected over the crossbar.
In the second half, Ten Hag’s team mounted a strong comeback. Antony provided a well-timed pass to Marcus Rashford, who managed to find the back of the net with the help of a deflection, levelling the scores.
Just five minutes later, Man United took the lead in the match. Garnacho, who had been performing admirably, made a strong run down the left flank and provided a pass to Antony, who skillfully placed the ball into the far corner of the net.
The quick turnaround for United was completed with three goals scored in just 11 minutes. The third one was a rather bizarre goal, as Rashford‘s header, intended for a goal, deflected off Casemiro and found its way into the bottom corner of the net.
This impressive performance in the pre-season match added to United’s positive preparations as they approach the start of the Premier League season next weekend.
The Red Devils are scheduled to play another friendly against the Athletic Club on Sunday. There are chances that some of the key players from a strong starting lineup will be rested, prioritising their fitness for the Premier League opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers next Monday.
As per recent developments, Hojlund will be excluded from the upcoming match, and further progress will depend on his recovery and fitness status.
There were many positives to take from the match. The second-half performance was on point, creating attacking chances, making quick moves, and not letting the opposition players find the gap in midfield.
However, the team’s first-half display was poor, as they missed a lot of chances, and they would need to work on finishing their changes well.
Hojlund’s introduction will bring a new dynamism to the game and let United be more clinical in front of goal. Meanwhile, Mount and Onana would be learning a point or two that things can get rough for them in some games.
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However, learning from these situations will eventually help them progress at their new club. Ten Hag will be saving his tactics for the next encounter against Bilbao.
The fans could witness the youngsters getting the chance to showcase their talents in the final preseason game of the season. And then it will be time for the commencement of the new season.
Fans can’t wait for the upcoming EPL season to begin.
