Amad Diallo double earns Manchester United first Europa League win of season
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Amad Diallo scores the first of his two goals for Manchester United.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Manchester United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy hailed a “very sharp” Amad Diallo for making all the difference, as the winger scored twice in a 2-0 win over Greek side Paok in the Europa League on Nov 7.
With the victory, the caretaker boss also achieved what the sacked Erik ten Hag failed to do, as the Red Devils registered their first victory in this season’s competition.
Van Nistelrooy, the former United striker who will shortly make way for new manager Ruben Amorim, is still unbeaten in his three games in charge so far.
“It was a pretty poor first half, if I’m being nice,” the Dutchman said. “The second half was way better. That was clear.
“(Amad) made a difference today because of his goals, but he was very sharp. Well done to him, good game. Positionally, we weren’t good in the first half. We were much better at that in the second half.”
United had drawn their three previous Europa League games, but Amad’s looping header back across goal into the bottom corner from a Bruno Fernandes cross five minutes after the break sent the team on their way.
The Greek visitors to Old Trafford had chances to take something from the game and United goalkeeper Andre Onana was forced to tip over a shot from Mady Camara in the first half.
Paok had a great chance to equalise in the 64th minute, but the unmarked Tarik Tissoudali could not direct his close-range shot past Onana, and Amad made sure of victory 13 minutes from time.
This time, the Ivorian did it all alone, dispossessing Baba Rahman and holding off the defender’s challenge to reach the edge of the area, before unleashing a curling shot which took a slight deflection on its way into the far corner.
The win leaves United in 15th place in the Europa League standings on six points from four games.
“It’s been a long time since we won in Europe. Today we showed why we are one of the best teams. It was important to win today,” Amad, 22, told TNT Sports.
“It is important to score every time. This season I have been unlucky, so I am happy to score two today. But the most important thing was to win.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur suffered their first defeat in this season’s Europa League at Galatasaray and manager Ange Postecoglou put the blame on a disappointing first-half performance.
Spurs went to Istanbul on the back of three wins from three in the competition, but by half-time they were 3-1 down and ended up losing 3-2.
Their goals came from 19-year-old forward Will Lankshear – who was later sent off – and Dominic Solanke, while Galatasaray scored through Yunus Akgun and a brace from Victor Osimhen.
“Obviously disappointing result. First half wasn’t great, we just didn’t handle things well at all,” Postecoglou said.
“Particularly with the ball, just really wasteful and gave it away way too many times unnecessarily. That allows them to get a foothold in the areas that they’re good at.
“I think that first half ultimately cost us the game and it’s disappointing for us.”
Spurs, who are in seventh place, were punished for sloppy defending against a side boasting the attacking threats of Mauro Icardi, Dries Mertens and in particular Osimhen.
“They got some good players in the front third and we just allowed that to happen way too often and ultimately paid a price for it,” Postecoglou added.
In the Europa Conference League, Chelsea demolished Armenian side FC Noah as they showed little mercy by handing out an 8-0 thrashing at Stamford Bridge to remain top of the standings, with Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku both scoring twice. REUTERS, AFP
