After Jadon Sancho gave United a 1-0 lead in Moldova, the Champions League record scorer converted from the penalty spot. It was the 37-year-old forward’s first goal of the season and his 699th in club competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Europa League goal to help Manchester United bounce back from a first-round loss in the second-tier competition with a 2-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday.
Portuguese star’s 699th club-level goal helps the team rebound after a loss last week
Ronaldo tweeted:
“Happy to score and help the team win! 3 important points!”
Goal number 144 in UEFA's club competitions 🤩
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo 👏👏👏#UEL https://t.co/KmrtbXvMva pic.twitter.com/1UGt13TH6D
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 15, 2022
After failing to secure a transfer to a club in the Champions League — where he’s scored 141 goals — the Portugal striker had to settle for playing in the Europa League for the first time since 2002 with Sporting Lisbon.
Ronaldo was given a second straight start, including last week’s 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad at Old Trafford after he was used as a substitute in four straight wins by United in the Premier League.
Last weekend’s Premier League games were postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Though Chelsea’s Champions League game against Salzburg went ahead Wednesday, the visit of a large group of PSV fans traveling from the Netherlands proved more challenging.
Feyenoord recorded its first win by routing Sturm Graz 6-0, Freiburg won 3-0 at Olympiacos for its second victory, and Monaco was upset 1-0 at home by Hungary’s Ferencvaros.
Braga and Union Saint-Gilloise recorded their second wins also.
West Ham is struggling in the Premier League but shining in the Europa Conference League. The London club beat Denmark’s Silkeborg 3-2 for its second victory from two in Europe’s third-tier competition.
Villarreal followed suit with a 2-1 win at Hapoel Beer Sheva and Istanbul Basaksehir kept a perfect record after a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina.
Ukrainian club Dnipro-1 registered a 3-1 victory at Apollon Limassol, and Alkmaar beat Vaduz 4-1.
Ronaldo shot his spot-kick straight, sending Sheriff goalkeeper Maxym Koval to his right six minutes from halftime. It was awarded after Patrick Kpozo brought down Diogo Dalot.
Sancho put United 1-0 ahead in the 17th after collecting a pass from Christian Eriksen at the edge of the area.
The game was moved from the tiny Sheriff Stadium in its breakaway home region of Transnistria that borders Ukraine after UEFA blocked Sheriff from playing there this season following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It took place in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, in the center of the country, at the Zimbru Stadium.
In the same Group E, Real Sociedad needed substitute Alexander Sorloth’s 80th-minute goal to beat Omonoia 2-1.
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