Relieved Ronaldo scores in frustrating return as Man United advance in Europa League

MANCHESTER, England -- In the end, it was a regular 3-0 triumph for Manchester United against Sheriff Tiraspol successful the Europa League connected Thursday night.

Goals from Diogo Dalot, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo assured the effect successful Ronaldo's archetypal lucifer backmost since being sidelined by manager Erik 10 Hag.

- Report: Man United-Sheriff | Europa League table | Upcoming fixtures

With the result, Man United enactment connected people to proceed done the Europa League.

ESPN's Rob Dawson has absorption and investigation from Old Trafford.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Postmatch quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid reaction

1. Man United advancement and acceptable up showdown with Real Sociedad

Manchester United were expected to bushed FC Sheriff and they did, with a effect that guarantees advancement into the Europa League knockout rounds -- but determination is inactive plentifulness riding connected the last circular of radical games and the travel to Real Sociedad adjacent week.

The Spanish side's 2-0 triumph implicit Omonia Nicosia means United volition footwear disconnected successful San Sebastian 2nd successful Group E, 3 points adrift. Win by astatine slightest 2 wide goals and Man United manager Erik 10 Hag's squad volition apical the radical and spell consecutive successful the past 16. Anything less, and they volition look a last-32 necktie against a squad dropping down from the Champions League. As things stand, that could beryllium Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico Madrid oregon Sevilla.

Ten Hag volition privation to debar other games further congesting an already packed docket and gathering 1 of Europe's heavyweights risks immoderate further advancement successful the Europa League -- a contention that could get United into adjacent season's Champions League if they miss retired connected a spot successful Premier League's apical four.

Expect Ten Hag to prime different beardown squad successful Spain adjacent week and bash everything helium tin to decorativeness apical of the group.

2. Ronaldo yet gets his extremity connected instrumentality to the team

Ronaldo was thrown consecutive backmost into the squad by Ten Hag aft being dropped for the gully astatine Chelsea for disciplinary reasons, and connected a antithetic time helium could person marked his instrumentality with a hat-trick. Instead, helium yet got his lone extremity successful the 80th infinitesimal -- his archetypal astatine Old Trafford since May.

By the clip helium scored connected Thursday, the 37-year-old had already seen 1 header spell inches implicit the crossbar, goalkeeper Maksym Koval halt different adjacent scope effort with his foot, and past a second-half volley deed the nett earlier it was instantly ruled retired for offside. It was astatine that past constituent Ronaldo fto his vexation boil implicit -- helium picked the shot retired of the extremity and blasted it precocious into the Stretford End.

When a precocious free-kick deed the Sheriff partition and bounced distant for a throw-in, it looked similar Ronaldo was successful for different fruitless night, but conscionable seconds aboriginal helium was moving distant to observe nine vocation extremity No. 701. His header from Bruno Fernandes' transverse was good saved by Koval but Ronaldo was quickest successful the punishment country to smash successful the rebound.

Whether these are the last acts of Ronaldo's 2nd stint astatine United oregon not, helium is inactive much than susceptible of scoring goals astatine the highest level.

3. Garnacho shines connected afloat debut

There's a batch expected of Alejandro Garnacho, the 18-year-old guardant signed from Atletico Madrid successful 2020, and against FC Sheriff helium showed that the excitement is justified.

Handed his archetypal United start, the teen gave Renan Guedes a torrid clip -- flying past the Sheriff full-back arsenic aboriginal arsenic the 14th infinitesimal to acceptable up a accidental for Ronaldo. Midway done the 2nd half, Guedes got truthful sick of seeing Garnacho whizz by that helium was reduced to chopping him down and taking a yellowish card.

There is simply a batch of contention for places successful the attacking positions astatine Old Trafford, but Garnacho has done capable to amusement helium deserves opportunities to impress. Anthony Martial is inactive sidelined due to the fact that of wounded portion Jadon Sancho, connected the seat against Sheriff, is struggling for signifier and with 5 games near earlier the World Cup, Garnacho should get much chances earlier the break.

Even connected his archetypal elder start, helium looked acold much unsafe and nonstop than Sancho has looked for a while.

Ten Hag volition person to negociate the Argentina younker planetary cautiously fixed his age, but astatine the precise slightest he's proved helium tin execute connected the large stage.

Player ratings

Man United: De Gea 7, Dalot 8, Malacia 7, Lindelof 7, Martinez 7, Casemiro 7, Eriksen 7, Fernandes 7, Antony 4, Garnacho 8, Ronaldo 7.

Subs: Maguire 6, Rashford 7, Shaw 7, McTominay 6, Van de Beek 6.

FC Sheriff: Koval 6, Guedes 5, Kpozo 5, Kiki 6, Radeljic 6, Diop 6, Kyabou 6, Mudasiru 6, Rasheed 5, Badolo 5, Atiemwen 5.

Subs: Hatman 6, Pernambuco 6.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Alejandro Garnacho, Manchester United

The 18-year-old looked precise crisp and impressed connected his archetypal elder commencement for United.

WORST: Antony, Manchester United

The Brazilian didn't bash thing to wounded FC Sheriff, needlessly showboated with a rotation move, and was substituted astatine half-time.

Highlights and notable moments

Shortly earlier halftime, Manchester United yet recovered the breakthrough, courtesy of Diogo Dalot scoring his archetypal extremity successful a European contention for the club.

Christian Eriksen lofted a country footwear into the box, and Dalot got a caput to it, guiding it past goalkeeper Maksym Koval.

Diogo Dalot feels the pulse arsenic helium grabs archetypal European extremity for Man Utd. 💥 pic.twitter.com/mrD02Czw0N

Marcus Rashford past doubled Man United's pb successful the 65th minute.

The squad pinged the shot astir earlier a Luke Shaw transverse recovered Rashford's head.

After trying each night, coming adjacent successful the archetypal fractional if not for Koval save, Cristiano Ronaldo yet got connected the scoresheet himself successful the 80th minute.

His header was blocked by Koval, but Ronaldo followed it done for the tap-in.

Cristiano Ronaldo scores connected his instrumentality to the Man Utd squad. 💫 pic.twitter.com/nOZT4V337l

After the match: What the players and managers said

Manchester United manager Erik 10 Hag asked if Antony's half-time substitution was a absorption to his showboating: "No. It was much oregon little planned if we were up. I wanted to spot Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo adjacent unneurotic and the dynamic connected the close side."

Ten Hag connected Ronaldo's performance: "Seeing Ronaldo get his extremity was great. He created, the squad created for him and we cognize helium has the capableness to finish. He needed a extremity and present I'm assured determination volition beryllium much goals."

Marcus Rashford connected the adjacent fixture against Real Sociedad: "We person to spell determination and people by 2 goals. We person to people goals but support well. It is going to beryllium a pugnacious crippled but looking guardant to the challenge."

Key stats

• Marcus Rashford registered 5 goals and 2 assists each past season. Through 14 games this play helium has already surpassed that: helium has six goals and 3 assists.

Up next

Manchester United: The Red Devils instrumentality to Premier League enactment connected Sunday, Oct. 30 erstwhile they big West Ham United astatine 12:15 p.m. ET. Then they displacement gears backmost to the Europa League erstwhile they question to San Sebastián, Spain to look Real Sociedad connected Thursday, Nov. 3.

Sheriff Tiraspol: The Moldovan broadside resumes its Europa League tally connected Thursday, Nov. 3, hosting Omonia Nicosia.