Feyenoord 1 – 0 Manchester
United: Jose Mourinho’s
men defeated
An undercooked and
under-performing
Manchester United started
their Europa League
campaign with a defeat as
Tonny Vilhena secured
Feyenoord a late victory.
A year to the day since
losing their Champions
League opener at PSV
Eindhoven, United
endured another night
to forget in Holland.
Their much-changed line-up boasted quality but
looked cumbersome and unwieldy in
Rotterdam, where Feyenoord snatched a 1-0
win through Vilhena’s strike.
It was hardly the response Jose Mourinho
craved after Saturday’s derby defeat at home to
Manchester City, with few of the eight changes
impressing at the imposing if partially-closed De
Kuip.
Anthony Martial’s fizzing strike wide was the
best United could muster in a lacklustre first
half that showed little sign of improvement
after the break.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Memphis Depay and Ashley
Young were thrown on as Mourinho attempted
to jump start his side, but their introduction
could not prevent United’s winless run
extending to a sixth European trip.
Instead, they left Holland pointless as the
Eredivisie leaders struck a decisive blow as
offside calls against Nicolai Jorgensen were
ignored and his cross was turned home
impressively by Vilhena.
This was United’s simplestt journey, as Istanbul-
based Fenerbahce and Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk
lie in wait over the coming months, which is
part of the reason why Mourinho chose such a
strong side for the trip to Rotterdam.
It was an impressive show of strength but the
eight changes from the derby loss struggled,
rarely clicking into gear.
David de Gea saved a curling Steven Berghuis
effort and easily collected a Vilhena strike
during the opening stages, in which Paul
Pogba’s free-kick was easiy saved by Brad
Jones.
The former Liverpool goalkeeper had precious
little to do in the first half but will have
breathed a sigh of relief in the 24th minute
when Martial fizzed wide after a Matteo
Darmian cross.
It was United’s only moment of inspiration in a
tepid half that ended with Juan Mata just failing
to reach a Marcus Rashford header.
Unlike Saturday’s Manchester derby the United
boss refrained from any changes at the break,
from which Mourinho emerged around a
minute before his players and staff.
World-record signing Pogba flashed hopelessly
wide soon after play resumed, then Karim El
Ahmadi did better when coming close with his
own long-range effort.
Pogba had another attempt before Mourinho
made widespread changes, throwing on
Ibrahimovic, Depay and Young for Rashford,
Martial and Mata.
Despite the decision to change attack, the Dutch
side were looking most like scoring, with
Jorgensen blocked before Bilal Basacikoglu tried
his luck.
Feyenoord fans cheered when Depay missed
with a wild attempt, before the noise ratcheted
up several notches. Jorgensen appeared offside
when put through down the flank, making the
most of defensive disarray and cutting the ball
back to the edge of the box for Vilhena to turn
home.
An incredible din welcomed the goal, with every
tackle and missed opportunity cheered in the
closing stages. Young failed under pressure and
Ibrahimovic stung Jones’ palms with a long-
range free-kick, with Eric Bailly denied at the
near post before the final whistle.
United: Jose Mourinho’s
men defeated
An undercooked and
under-performing
Manchester United started
their Europa League
campaign with a defeat as
Tonny Vilhena secured
Feyenoord a late victory.
A year to the day since
losing their Champions
League opener at PSV
Eindhoven, United
endured another night
to forget in Holland.
Their much-changed line-up boasted quality but
looked cumbersome and unwieldy in
Rotterdam, where Feyenoord snatched a 1-0
win through Vilhena’s strike.
It was hardly the response Jose Mourinho
craved after Saturday’s derby defeat at home to
Manchester City, with few of the eight changes
impressing at the imposing if partially-closed De
Kuip.
Anthony Martial’s fizzing strike wide was the
best United could muster in a lacklustre first
half that showed little sign of improvement
after the break.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Memphis Depay and Ashley
Young were thrown on as Mourinho attempted
to jump start his side, but their introduction
could not prevent United’s winless run
extending to a sixth European trip.
Instead, they left Holland pointless as the
Eredivisie leaders struck a decisive blow as
offside calls against Nicolai Jorgensen were
ignored and his cross was turned home
impressively by Vilhena.
This was United’s simplestt journey, as Istanbul-
based Fenerbahce and Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk
lie in wait over the coming months, which is
part of the reason why Mourinho chose such a
strong side for the trip to Rotterdam.
It was an impressive show of strength but the
eight changes from the derby loss struggled,
rarely clicking into gear.
David de Gea saved a curling Steven Berghuis
effort and easily collected a Vilhena strike
during the opening stages, in which Paul
Pogba’s free-kick was easiy saved by Brad
Jones.
The former Liverpool goalkeeper had precious
little to do in the first half but will have
breathed a sigh of relief in the 24th minute
when Martial fizzed wide after a Matteo
Darmian cross.
It was United’s only moment of inspiration in a
tepid half that ended with Juan Mata just failing
to reach a Marcus Rashford header.
Unlike Saturday’s Manchester derby the United
boss refrained from any changes at the break,
from which Mourinho emerged around a
minute before his players and staff.
World-record signing Pogba flashed hopelessly
wide soon after play resumed, then Karim El
Ahmadi did better when coming close with his
own long-range effort.
Pogba had another attempt before Mourinho
made widespread changes, throwing on
Ibrahimovic, Depay and Young for Rashford,
Martial and Mata.
Despite the decision to change attack, the Dutch
side were looking most like scoring, with
Jorgensen blocked before Bilal Basacikoglu tried
his luck.
Feyenoord fans cheered when Depay missed
with a wild attempt, before the noise ratcheted
up several notches. Jorgensen appeared offside
when put through down the flank, making the
most of defensive disarray and cutting the ball
back to the edge of the box for Vilhena to turn
home.
An incredible din welcomed the goal, with every
tackle and missed opportunity cheered in the
closing stages. Young failed under pressure and
Ibrahimovic stung Jones’ palms with a long-
range free-kick, with Eric Bailly denied at the
near post before the final whistle.
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