Listless Manchester United seal quarter-final spot as Mata strike sinks Rostov
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Updated 16/03/2017 at 22:27 GMT
Europa League last 16, second leg - Manchester United 1 (Mata 70) FC Rostov 0. United win 2-1 on aggregate.
Juan Mata celebrates his goal against Rostov
Image credit: PA Photos
A Juan Mata strike sent Manchester United into the quarter-finals of the Europa League as Jose Mourinho’s men laboured to a 1-0 win over FC Rostov.
The home side dominated possession in the first half but could not find the breakthrough they needed to give them an additional cushion following their away goal in the first leg that finished 1-1.
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Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba reacts after mishitting a pass during the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second-leg football match between Manchester United and FC Rostov at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March
Image credit: AFP
However, Mata slotted home from close range in the 70th minute to seal United's 2-1 aggregate win and progress to the next round.
It was by no means straightforward, though; Sergio Romero had to pull off a brilliant save in the very last second of additional time to deny Christian Noboa from a free-kick.
United also suffered two injuries, losing Paul Pogba early on with what seemed to be a hamstring pull, and Daley Blind in the second half after a knock to the face.
The draw for the last eight will take place on Friday.
TALKING POINT
Can United win this competition? It seems to be a real possibility – but they’re going to need to convert more of the dozens of crosses they put in, and make more of the ridiculously dominant possession figures.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Juan Mata (Manchester United). Gets the nod for making the difference with a goal that he started and finished in style; his thoughtful play brought some much-needed calm to a United side that could easily have panicked after failing to make the most of their chances and possession.
PLAYER RATINGS
Manchester United – Romero 8, Valencia 8, Smalling 7, Bailly 7, Marcos Rojo 7, Blind 7, Pogba 4, Herrera 7, Mata 8, Mkhitaryan 8, Ibrahimovic 7. Subs - De Gea, Jones 7, Carrick, Fellaini 7, Young, Lingard, Rashford.
FC Rostov – Medvedev 6, Terentyev 7, Mevlja 6, Navas 6, Kudryashov 6, Bayramyan 6, Prepelita 7, Erokhin 7, Noboa 6, Poloz 6, Azmoun 7. Subs - Goshev, Kireev 6, Bukharov 7, Devic 6.
KEY MOMENTS
5’ CLOSE! Blind swings it in, and Rojo leaps to head it downwards - Medvedev palms it away and Ibrahimovic can't connect properly with the rebound.
30’ CHANCE! Mkhitaryan times his run brilliantly, spots the goalkeeper moving, and looks to flick the ball over him - but it rolls wide.
34’ SMACK! Zlatan smashes his shot against the post, Medvedev utterly helpless. He'd taken it right-footed and curled it round as best he could - not quite enough.
70’ GOAL! Ah, lovely work from Juan Mata. He starts and ends this move, with a little help from Mkhitaryan taking it out wide and putting in the cross towards Ibrahimovic. His touch eventually falls to Mata, who makes no error from close range.
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Manchester United's Sergio Romero saves a free kick from FC Rostov's Christian Noboa
Image credit: Reuters
90’+4 SAVE! Romero makes a BRILLIANT save with the very last touch of the game! Noboa's free kick is curling into the corner and the goalkeeper does fantastically to slap that away.
KEY STATISTICS
Jose Mourinho has won each of his last eight European home games (Chelsea – 3, Man Utd – 5), scoring 21 and conceding just 2.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has provided 17 assists in European competition since Aug 2011; only Cristiano Ronaldo (20) has provided more.
Stats courtesy of @OptaJoe.
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