Pogba scores twice in Man Utd's opening win
Jose Mourinho and his team beat host Young Boys 3-0 in the first match of the Champions League group stage on September 19.
Man Utd visit Young Boys at a time when the home team is in good form. Young Boys have scored 19 goals in six games, leading the Swiss national championship by eight points over the second team.
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Pogba had a brilliant match, helping Man Utd win easily in Switzerland. Photo:Reuters. |
In fact, Young Boys started the game with great enthusiasm. They created the first scoring opportunities with Hoarau's header going wide of the post and a cannon shot forcing David De Gea to show off his skills.Mohamed Ali Camara.
However, the home team did not make the most of their chances. And in a moment of brilliance, Paul Pogba put Man Utd ahead. Winning the ball after Fred's unsuccessful dribble, Pogba suddenly brought it back to his left foot and unleashed a tricky finish, hitting the roof of the net.Young Boys.
The French midfielder scored the second, with a penalty, after the refereeKevin Mbabu handled the ball while blocking Luke Shaw's pass.Anthony Martial, in a rare match to play the full 90 minutes, made it 3-0 on a counter-attack midway through the second half.
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Pogba showed his class in the opening goal. Photo:Empics. |
Pogba continued to make his mark with an assist, putting his teammate one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Martial's curling shot hit Camara's foot and changed direction, causing the goalkeeper toDavid von Ballmoos is stumped.Juan Mata had two chances to score more goals for the English representative when he entered the field in the second half, but could not take advantage.
Young Boys, returning to the Champions League after a 31-year absence, were given a rousing reception by their home crowd. They were not bad, with 18 attempts on goal compared to 16 for Man Utd. At least three of those chances could have been converted into goals. However, to break through the excellent De Gea, Young Boys needed more.
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Defender Diogo Dalot made his Man Utd debut. The former Porto player replaced Antonio Valencia. Photo:AFP. |
With the captain's armband on, Pogba delivered an excellent performance - the kind of inspired performance that United fans have been waiting for since the club brought him back to Old Trafford in the summer of 2016. Pogba has shown his leadership qualities in the last two Premier League games, against Burnley and Watford, in which he completed 93% of his passes.
After the controversy about wanting to leave, perhaps, the French midfielder has stabilized his mentality and focused more on his expertise. This is the third time Pogba has scored two goals in one match for Man Utd. He did this in the match againstFenerbahce in the 2016-2017 season, and against Man City last season.