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UEFA Champions League

Man United boss Ten Hag laments ‘harsh’ Rashford red card

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Group A - FC Copenhagen v Manchester United - Telia Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark - November 8, 2023 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix via REUTERS

Marcus Rashford’s red card that caused a massive momentum shift in Manchester United’s 4-3 Champions League loss to FC Copenhagen on Wednesday was “harsh,” a shell-shocked Erik ten Hag said as his team’s early-season calamity continued.

Rasmus Hojlund’s brace fired United to a brilliant start but Ten Hag’s 10-man side gave up their two-goal lead after Rashford’s dismissal in the 42nd minute — and now United, who have already been eliminated from the League Cup and are a lowly eighth in the Premier League, are on a Champions League knife edge with two group games left to play.

“Do you have one hour?” Ten Hag told TNT Sports, when asked for his thoughts on the game. “I think first we played very good until the red card. The red card changed everything. Then it becomes a different game.

“It is disappointing.”

The loss left them last in Group A on three points.

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Rashford’s red card was given after he planted his foot on the ankle of Elias Jelert to protect the ball and it drew the ire of Ten Hag.

“It is a harsh decision,” the Dutchman said. “He was going for the ball. The review was over, then (the referee) went up to the screen. I think the referee was not sure.”

Ten Hag was not alone in his assessment.

“No, not in a million years (should it have been a red),” former United player Owen Hargreaves said on the TNT broadcast. “Marcus is just trying to put his leg in front of the ball. He’s not even looking at the ball.

“When you see a still as a referee, it looks horrendous. It’s not malicious, it’s not serious foul play.”

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Fellow former United player Paul Scholes added: “I think that’s where the understanding of the referee has to come into it. It’s an accident. He’s trying to plant his foot and protect the ball.”

The loss was United’s first in the Champions League in which they led by two or more goals. It was also their first defeat after taking a two-goal lead in all competitions since September 2014 when they lost 5-3 to Leicester City.

It was also part of a bigger picture in which United stumbled out to their worst start to a season since 1962 after successive 3-0 home defeats. A 1-0 victory at Fulham on Saturday eased the pressure on Ten Hag — at least temporarily.

Ten Hag said the Rashford red was not the first questionable decision that has gone against them this season.

“That’s how it is. But the season is long. At one point it will turn in our favour,” he said.

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“That was the best (first) 20 minutes I saw from my side,” he added. “Also, we were still controlling the game. It’s very disappointing. We fought so hard, played so good. Still we don’t have one point.”

-Reuters

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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UEFA Champions League

David strikes as Lille end Real’s long unbeaten run

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Champions League - Lille v Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 2, 2024 Lille's Jonathan David scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-times European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.

Jonathan David converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.

The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition.

Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.

“On the penalty, I try to focus, to keep calm to take a good shot but I’m confident when it comes to taking penalties,” David said. “It has not sunk in yet but it’s a memorable night.”

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Real keeper Andriy Lunin said his team had lacked their usual aggression.

“It’s difficult to analyse right after. (We lacked) aggression, creativity, in the end, what we always have,” he said.

“To fight a bit more. In the second half we showed more desire, but in the first half we were worse, that’s obvious. We want to win because we know what colours we’re playing in. But that’s OK. Courage, keep working and prepare for the next game.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side started with Kylian Mbappe, who joined from Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain in June, on the bench after the France captain picked up a muscle injury last week.

Real’s Vinicius Jr. had the first chance with a low shot in the sixth minute as the visitors controlled the pace and the second came when Endrick’s close-range attempt was blocked by Lucas Chevalier.

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Lille went close to opening the scoring after 26 minutes when Andriy Lunin made a spectacular double save to deny David, first from the forward’s header, then by tipping away the Canadian’s follow-up shot.

Their relentless pressure paid off in stoppage time when Eduardo Camavinga handled Edon Zhegrova’s free kick.

A VAR review ensued and David confidently converted the resulting penalty.

The hosts continued to apply pressure in the second half, refusing to sit back and wait as Real enjoyed possession, cutting off the supply to England midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Ancelotti sent Mbappe and Luka Modric on to replace Endrick and Eder Militao and Lille survived a late Real onslaught to hang on for the victory.

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Ancelotti makes no excuses after Real’s shock defeat at Lille

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Champions League - Lille v Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 2, 2024 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti before the match REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Defending champions Real Madrid failed to show the best version of themselves in a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat at Lille on Wednesday and must accept the criticism that comes their way, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.

Lille pressed relentlessly and took the win courtesy of a Jonathan David penalty in first-half stoppage time to hand Ancelotti’s team their first defeat in all competitions since January.

Real Madrid – record 15-times Champions League winners – have three points after two matches following their opening win over VfB Stuttgart.

“Everything was pretty bad. We did badly with the ball, although the team was quite compact in the first half, it was difficult for us to recover the ball, it was difficult for us to make transitions,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“We tried to be a little more aggressive, but it was difficult for us. So… We have to look at things with a cool head, not throw everything away. But obviously we have to improve.

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“I am very sincere. The criticism for today’s game is fair, correct and we have to accept it because it is like that. We have not shown a good version in this game.”

Ancelotti said Lille “deserved” to win despite Real’s improved showing in the second half of the match.

“It was difficult for us to get into the game at the level of intensity, at the level of duels, at the level of clarity of play,” the Italian added.

“Obviously, the game could have been tied because we had opportunities at the end, but it wasn’t deserved.

“So we have to learn, as it happened the last time we lost a game, learn from what we have to improve, which is quite clear. I think it’s not very complicated.”

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Real, who are second in the LaLiga standings with 18 points, next host third-placed Villarreal on Saturday.

-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Lookman shines as Atalanta outclass Shakhtar

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Champions League - Shakhtar Donetsk v Atalanta - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany - October 2, 2024 Atalanta's Ademola Lookman in action with Shakhtar Donetsk's Alaa Ghram REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw

Ademola Lookman scored one goal and was heavily involved in the other two to drive Atalanta to a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday as the Italians outclassed their Ukrainian opponents in Gelsenkirchen.

Atalanta have four points from two games, having held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in their opening match, and Shakhtar remained on one point, after they played out a scoreless draw in the first game against Italian side Bologna.

Atalanta went ahead in the 21st minute when Lookman curled a cross into the area which found Berat Djimsiti in front of goal and he controlled the ball before poking it past the keeper.

Atalanta doubled the lead a minute before the break when Sead Kolasinac squared a pass to Lookman in the middle of the area and the Nigerian struck a first-time shot through the legs of his marker Marlon Gomes into the bottom corner of the net.

The game was all but over as a contest three minutes into the second half after Lookman played the ball out wide to Davide Zappacosta and his cross into the six-yard box was headed home by Raoul Bellanova.

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At 3-0, Lookman, who also hit the crossbar in the first half, was taken off with over half an hour to play, his work done for the night and the tie ended with the same scoreline as the last time the sides met in the Champions League in 2019.

-Reuters

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