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Manchester United vs. Zorya Luhansk: Score, Reaction to 2016 Europa League Match
- Updated: September 29, 2016
Zlatan Ibrahimovic spared Manchester United’s blushes in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, as his strike saw his side overcome a dogged Zorya Luhansk 1-0 at Old Trafford.
The first half was forgetful, with Marcus Rashford going closest to opening the deadlock with a volley that smacked against the woodwork. It took until the 69th minute for the hosts to open the scoring, with Ibrahimovic turning in a scuffed shot from Wayne Rooney, who was introduced as a second-half substitute.
With a strong team on the field, the Red Devils dominated possession in the early stages, although they were unable to conjure many clear openings, while the Ukrainians carried a potent threat on the break.
United were being contained, but in the 21st minute, the hosts came within a whisker of taking the lead. The ball dropped for Rashford in the penalty area, but his strike crashed off the crossbar.
As sports journalist Daniel Harris noted, it’s rare to see the 18-year-old miss on such an effort:
That shot against the bar is basically the worst thing that’s ever happened to Marcus Rashford.
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) September 29, 2016
Jesse Lingard was the only other United player to come close in the first period, as he saw his header bundled off the line by the excellent Rafael Forster.
Those chances aside, Zorya were comfortable in their defensive duties and willing to commit men forward when …
