Martial’s penalty gives Man United 1-0 win over Partizan
Anthony Martial scored from the penalty spot for Manchester United to beat Partizan Belgrade 1-0 in the Europa League on Thursday to end a four-game winless streak.
It was the first away win for United in any competition since March. However, the team still looked far from rediscovering its attacking verve and has only scored two goals in three games in the second-tier European competition.
The Premier League club held a ceremony on Thursday morning at the Partizan stadium in Belgrade to honor the victims of the 1958 Munich plane crash, which happened a day after playing a European Cup game at the same venue. United’s plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Munich, killing 23 people onboard, including eight players and three club employees.
In other early results, Wolverhampton Wanderers rallied with two second-half goals to beat Slovan Bratislava 2-1. Teun Koopmeiners scored two goals from the penalty spot in AZ Alkmaar’s 6-0 win over Astana. Roma was held 1-1 at home by Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Arsenal and Sevilla were in action later Thursday.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s games:
RARE AWAY WIN
United has only scored more than one goal in one of its nine Premier League games this season, and the story is much the same in the Europa League.
After a 0-0 draw at Alkmaar in the last round, United a penalty to get on the scoresheet this time, after Brandon Williams was brought down in the area. Martial, who recently returned from an injury, calmly sent goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic the wrong way.
It was United’s first away goal in any competition since August.
In another rare chance, Jesse Lingard came close when he hit the post.
After the team’s worst start to the Premier League for three decades, winning the second-tier European competition might be the only chance for United to return to the prestigious Champions League.
The Red Devils lead Group L with seven points, two ahead of Alkmaar.
PRECISE PENALTIES
In a tightly contested Group G, Young Boys jumped to the top of the standings with two goals from the penalty spot in a 2-0 victory over Feyenoord.
Roger Assalé converted the first after Edgar Ié’s handball in the 14th minute. Jean Pierre Nsamé added the second in the 28th.
Young Boys has six points, two more than 2011 Europa League champion Porto and Rangers, who played to a 1-1 draw.
Feyenoord is another point back.
OTHER GROUPS
Wolves trailed to a first-half goal by Andraz Sporar but Romain Saiss equalized in the 58th and Raúl Jiménez scored the winner from the spot in the 64th to complete the comeback.
Braga still tops Group K on seven points after beating Besiktas 2-1, one point ahead of Wolves.
Víctor Campuzano scored for Espanyol to beat Bulgaria’s Ludogorets 1-0 and take the lead in Group H.
Gent and Wolfsburg share the top spot in Group I after drawing 2-2.
