Maguire, Onana are Man United’s unlikely heroes in the UCL win, Harry Maguire and Andre Onana were the unlikely heroes as Manchester United kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday.
Maguire, who has been under fire for his performances in recent seasons, headed in the winning goal in the 72nd minute, while Onana made a crucial penalty save in stoppage time to preserve the victory for United.
The win was a much-needed boost for United, who had lost their first two Champions League matches of the season. It also gave new manager Erik ten Hag his first win in the competition.
Maguire’s goal was his first for United since January, and it came at a crucial time in the match. Copenhagen had been pressing for an equalizer after United had taken the lead, and Maguire’s header gave them a vital cushion.
Onana’s penalty save was even more important. Copenhagen was awarded a penalty in the 97th minute after Bruno Fernandes was adjudged to have fouled Viktor Claesson in the box. However, Onana guessed the right way and saved Jordan Larsson’s penalty to seal the win for United.
After the match, Ten Hag praised Maguire and Onana for their performances.
“Harry was excellent tonight,” Ten Hag said. “He showed great leadership and determination, and his goal was crucial. Andre also made a fantastic penalty save at the end of the game. He is a top goalkeeper, and he showed that tonight.”
Maguire and Onana’s performances were a welcome surprise for United fans, who have been used to seeing their team struggle in recent years. However, the win over Copenhagen showed that Ten Hag is starting to make progress at the club.
United will now be looking to build on their momentum when they face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
