EUROPA LEAGUE ANALYSIS
Ronaldo scores on return, Man United beat Sheriff 3-0 in Europa League
Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal against Sheriff on
Thursday, October 27, 2022, at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, in a Europa League group E soccer
match.In the Europa League on Thursday, Manchester United defeated Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 to advance to
the next round thanks to a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo on his comeback to the squad.
Ronaldo was reinstated by United manager Erik Ten Hag after being taken out of the squad for the
Premier League match against Chelsea because he refused to enter as a substitute in the team’s 2-0
victory over Tottenham the previous week. The Portuguese star scored the game’s final goal nine
minutes from time on a rebound after Sheriff goalie Maxym Koval stopped his original header. The great
was starting against Sheriff.
A minute before halftime, United dominated possession as defender Diogo Dalot headed in the first goal
from Christian Eriksen’s corner kick.After Luke Shaw, another substitute, crossed the ball in the second
half, substitute striker Marcus Rashford headed the goal.The victory over the Moldovan team set up a
matchup for first position in Group E versus Real Sociedad on November 3.
Ten Hag Press conference
Erik, we’ve done well in control. How can you, as our coach, advance us to the next level of goal-scoring
precision? Is it more tactical or mental?”It’s both, but clearly in our attacking game we have to develop
and there’s also some really small details that makes a huge difference, we have to work on. And for
instance, and I showed the team as well, in that first half in Chelsea we bring just two less people in
front, so we had to push out more from the back, we had to do more to get players in front. And we were
too neutral, and too defensive to get the players forward because we have to get numbers in the box of
the opponents to score goals.”
In order to celebrate with a fan, Lisandro Martinez received a yellow card. Is the passion and connection
between the players and the fans what you’re after?”We are United. And so it’s on the pitch and we want
to have a good relationship. We want to get a vibe in and work together and I think Licha really express
that always in his game. With his [passion] what he’s bringing in. So every challenge, every duel, he
gives everything he has, and I think the fans they love it. Not every player is like that but I think you need
some players in your team who express that and I think that also gives a really good connection with
fans.”
Erik, focusing on on Harry [Maguire]-Before he got hurt, a lot of attention was paid to his performances.
Do you believe that the injury has given him the opportunity to disconnect from everything and that his
return will be more positive as a result?”It’s always about performance and about presentation, and I
think when he is recording his qualities, when he is acting like that, he is a great player. [He has] great
capabilities to do the job for us.”
Erik, Varane’s response last week showed that the World Cup is undoubtedly on the thoughts of athletes.
Do you convey a message to these gamers telling them to concentrate on these games?”Yes, but focus
is so important because if you don’t have the right focus the risk that you get injured is even more. They
want also to go in the right shape, in the right form to the World Cup so therefore it is important that they
are in the rhythm, keep the rhythm so that every game you have to be good and well prepared because
that gives you a better chance that you are good for the World Cup as well. And then the third point is we
are in the season and it’s an important block as well.
We have to qualify in Europe, we want to be number one in the group. That gives us out one leg or one
round, and that’s important as well because that means less games in February and that is also going to
be really a period with a lot of games. But we also have to be confident and also for the league we have
to get into the right position. And then we have the cup and as we are here, we want to win every game,
we want to win every trophy. So, stay in the right mood in the right focus and do it in the spirit of the
team.”
“I think it’s the wrong idea because they have only one week and then the World Cup starts, so keep in
the rhythm. Keep in the right fitness, in the right shape, and then they will be ready for the World Cup. Or
they are best prepared – of course it’s not optimum, that’s also clear, it’s a different World Cup but that is
also something the nations managers have to deal with. But I think this is the way it has to go.”
Other results
Sociedad won 2-0 at Omonoia to maintain a three-point lead over United in the standings. This was
Sociedad’s sixth straight victory. PSV Eindhoven defeated Arsenal 2-0 to maintain the competition for top
place in Group A. They did it by becoming the first side to hold Arsenal without a goal this year.
PSV defeated Premier League leader Arsenal in the second half thanks to goals from Joey Veerman and
substitute Luuk de Jong. This was only Arsenal’s second loss this season overall and first in the Europa
League. In the 56th minute, Veerman beat Aaron Ramsdale with a shot from inside the box, and seven
minutes later, De Jong headed in the second.
In the first half, goals by PSV attackers Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo were both overturned for offside.
With one round left, Arsenal still leads Group A with 12 points, followed by Eindhoven with 10 points.
Both teams have advanced to the following round, but only the group winners move on to the round of
16, while the teams that placed second must play an additional round of playoffs.
Third-place finishers are relegated to the Europa Conference League.Although Olympiakos held Freiburg
to a 1-1 draw at home, Ferencváros of Hungary won Group H after drawing 1-1 with Monaco. Following a
1-0 victory at Ludogorets, Real Betis took the lead in Group C. Nabil Fekir scored the game-winning
goal. With Roma and Ludogorets level for last place on 13 points each, the Spanish club leads by six
points. In Finland, José Mourinho’s club defeated HJK Helsinki 2-1 thanks to a game-winning goal from
Mohamed Camara, reviving Roma’s Europa League campaign.
Perparim Hetemaj equalized for HJK after Roma’s Tammy Abraham gave Roma a 1-0 lead with his first
goal in Europe this season.Both teams had already advanced from Group B when Fenerbahçe made a
last-second comeback to hold Rennes to a 3-3 home tie.In the first half, Amine Gouiri scored twice and
Martin Terrier added a third goal to put the visitors in position to win the group. Enner Valencia scored for
the Turkish team to respond early in the second half, followed by goals from Miha Zajc and Emre Mor,
who came on as substitutes, in the 82nd and 88th minutes, respectively. Prior to the final round of
games, both teams are on 11 points.
Union SG of Belgium advanced from Group D to the round of 16 with a 2-0 victory at Malmö thanks to
goals from Teddy Teuma and Lazare Amani in the first half.Union SG leads the group with 13 points,
while Bundesliga leader Union Berlin moves into second place with nine points following a 1-0 victory at
home over third-place Braga.
Lazio overcame a goal deficit to defeat Midtjylland 2-1 and tie the group for first place in Group F with
three points. Following a goal by Gustav Isaksen for the Danish team, Sergej Milinkovi-Savi and Pedro
Rodriguez responded. Prior to the fifth round of matches, each of the group’s four teams had five points.
In the group’s other match, Sturm defeated Feyenoord 1-0.
PSV received a penalty earlier on Thursday for supporter disturbance inside the Arsenal stadium during
their earlier match, which Arsenal won 1-0.PSV has been forbidden by UEFA from selling tickets to
supporters for the team’s match against Bod/Glimt in Norway the following week.
By Brian Simiyu
