Cristiano Ronaldo removed his Manchester United jersey, flexed his muscular physique and soaked in the acclaim of the fans after his winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time. (More Football News)
Not a bad way for the Portugal superstar to mark another record-breaking night in the Champions League.
On his record 178th appearance in the competition, Ronaldo made his most decisive intervention with virtually the last kick of the game at Old Trafford to complete United바카라™s dramatic comeback in a 2-1 victory over Villarreal on Wednesday.
After winning a header from a hopeful cross into the area, Ronaldo showed his sprightliness at the age of 36 by then reacting to a loose ball after a touch by substitute Jesse Lingard and shooting underneath Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from a narrow angle.
바카라śIt바카라™s just what he has done throughout his career,바카라ť United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. 바카라śHe is so strong mentally. He stays in the game. I have seen him all day, the way he has worked, built himself up for this game and how focused he has been.
바카라śAnd when he gets that one chance, it바카라™s a goal.바카라ť
Old Trafford erupted, with sprint great Usain Bolt 바카라” draped in a red-and-white United scarf 바카라” among the home supporters celebrating as chants of 'Viva Ronaldo' swept around the stadium.
It was Ronaldo바카라™s fifth goal in five games since joining from Juventus for a second spell at United, and definitely his most important. Oh, and make that 136 goals in the Champions League 바카라” a record, naturally.
That Ronaldo had a quiet game, by his standards, might get overlooked because of his late goal. 바카라śA true mark of a very, very good finisher that he keeps calm when the chance arrives,바카라ť Solskjaer said.
Where would Solskjaer be without Ronaldo? It was looking like another chastening result for the Norwegian coach, who was starting to come under pressure with United having started Group F with a shocking 2-1 loss at Swiss outsider Young Boys and then losing back-to-back games at Old Trafford on the domestic front 바카라” one in the Premier League and another to get eliminated from the English League Cup.
Villarreal looked like handing United a second straight group loss by going in front in the 53rd through Paco Alcacer, who poked in a finish through the legs of United goalkeeper David De Gea following a cross by Arnaut Danjuma.
United had been outplayed by that point. Danjuma had the beating of right back Diogo Dalot time and again down Villarreal바카라™s left, and it was only the brilliance of De Gea 바카라” who produced acrobatic saves to deny Alcacer and Danjuba in the first half 바카라” that kept the Spanish team at bay.
바카라śHe saved us tonight, we have to be realistic about that,바카라ť Solskjaer said of a goalkeeper he called 바카라śthe best in the world.바카라ť It needed an outrageous strike by Alex Telles to bring United level seven minutes after Villarreal바카라™s goal.
Picked out by a pinpoint cross from Bruno Fernandes at a free kick, the Brazilian left back took a step back at the edge of the area and struck a first-time volley that swerved inside the far post.
Away from the drama surrounding Ronaldo바카라™s winning goal, it was another below-par performance from United, with the makeup of its midfield again a big problem area. Scott McTominay was the holding midfielder 바카라” with Paul Pogba and Fernandes ahead of him 바카라” and he got isolated, unable to stop Villarreal바카라™s incisive counterattacks in the first half.
There was no pattern or coherence to United바카라™s attacking play, with Jadon Sancho again disappointing.
Solskjaer also had to deploy a virtually second-string defense because of injuries to Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw and the suspension of Aaron Wan-Bissaka for a red card against Young Boys.
There were errors aplenty at the back, and it was a night to forget, in particular, for Dalot 바카라” the replacement for Wan-Bissaka.
바카라śWhen you look back, you have to separate the final result and how well we played,바카라ť said Villarreal coach Unai Emery, whose team opened the group with a 2-2 home draw against Atalanta.
바카라śIt바카라™s a results game,바카라ť he added. 바카라śIt바카라™s the result that counts.바카라ť The result broke a run of four straight 0-0s between the teams in Champions League play, dating back to pairs of group matches in both 2005 and 2008.
The teams also met in the Europa League final in May, with Villarreal winning a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw. Ronaldo wasn바카라™t playing for United then, though. Now he is already proving a difference-maker.
