Club Brugge 1-1 Manchester United: Martial away goal gives Red Devils the edge

Posted Friday, February 21, 2020 by Goal.com

Manchester United endured tricky conditions in Belgium to draw 1-1 with Club Brugge in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie.
Anthony Martial struck a potentially important away goal as Manchester United drew 1-1 with Club Brugge in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie.

The France international cancelled out an opening goal from Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis to give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side a slight advantage heading into the return game at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer made six changes to the team that won 2-0 at Chelsea on Monday, and it was one of the fresh starters, goalkeeper Sergio Romero, who was at fault for the opening goal.

Brugge, who drew 2-2 at Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage and only narrowly lost to Paris Saint-Germain, were good value for their lead until Martial capitalised on a defensive mistake and a fast pitch to run through and make sure the game finished all square.

Andreas Pereira had United's first attempt after 14 minutes, with Simon Mignolet pushing his low effort past the right-hand post.

The Red Devils found themselves behind just a minute later. Dennis raced onto a Mignolet goal kick and, with Romero having strayed foolishly far from his line, the forward lobbed the ball over the United keeper, who could only watch it bobble into the net.

1 - Simon Mignolet is the first goalkeeper to provide an assist in the Europa League since Guilherme for Lokomotiv Moscow against Sporting Lisbon in September 2015. Launch.

United were stuck in first gear and Romero had to be well-positioned to deny Dennis a second from close range after the visitors failed to clear from the edge of the box.

Brugge's lead looked comfortable until they handed United an equaliser. Maxim De Cuyper's throw-in from inside the opposition half bounced away from Brandon Mechele, and Martial pounced, driving towards goal and slotting the ball past Mignolet.

Martial nearly scored a second before the break, shrugging off De Cuyper before blasting a left-footed shot that Mignolet just tipped onto the post.

Chances were scarcer in a second half mostly bereft of quality, although Odilon Kossounou scuffed wide from eight yards out when he really should have at least tested Romero.

United finished strongly but could not carve out a chance for a winner, leaving the tie nicely poised ahead of next Thursday's return fixture.