UEFA Champions League, Group H
Result: Young Boys 0-3 Manchester United
Date: 19 September 2018
Venue: Stade de Suisse
A brace from Paul Pogba inspired Manchester United to perfect start in their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 3-0 win over Young Boys in Group H on Wednesday night.
Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot was finally handed his debut for the Red Devils, while Anthony Martial made his first start for the season.
The home side, though, started positively and almost took the lead in the eighth minute when Guillaume Hoarau got onto the end of a pin-point cross into the box, but his ten-yard header shaved the wrong side of the United post.
Six minutes later, Pogba played Romelu Lukaku into space inside the box, but with just the goalkeeper to beat, the United man fired wide of the target.
In the 22nd minute, Marcus Rashford thought he had given the English side the lead when he drove into the box and fired past the goalkeeper from 16-yards out, but his attempt came back of the post.
With ten minutes remaining in the first half, Pogba produced a fine piece of magic as he beat one defender before firing the ball into the top left-corner from the edge of the box, 1-0.
The referee then awarded a penalty to United on the stroke of halftime after Kevin Mbabu handled the ball inside the box and Pogba made no mistake from the spot to double their lead just before the break, 2-0.
The match was over as a contest in the 66th minute when Pogba turned provider as he played Anthony Martial into space inside the box and he duly slotted it past the keeper in a one-on-one, 3-0.
The Young Boys tried to fight their way back into the match in the final 20 minutes as United took their foot off the pedal, but the home side were unable to penetrate the defence as the Red Devils cruised to a comfortable win.
Jose Mourinho’s men currently top Group H on goal difference after Juventus defeated Valencia in the other group encounter.
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