UEFA Europa League: United forced to progress from the spot in frustrating night for Solksjaer

On a night where Manchester United could have done with a fairly pedestrian 90 minutes with potentially their two biggest games of the season to come in the next ten days, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's men were frustrated by a resilient and at times dangerous FC Copenhagen side across an energy-sapping 120 minutes of Europa League football. 

Mason Greenwood thought he had given United the lead on the stroke of half-time with a stereotypically clinical finish off the inside of the left post after a half of constant but hardly threatening pressure from the English side, only for VAR to intervene and correctly rule the 18-year-old was a yard offside. Greenwood was to also have a starring role in the next moment of drama in the second half, as his marginally less accurate shot from just inside the box in the 57th minute cannoned off the right post into the path of Marcus Rashford, who did not have to wait for VAR to rule out his tap-in after the linesman raised his flag for offside. The chances kept coming for the Red Devils as Bruno Fernandes was the next player to make contact with the woodwork rather than the net with a 20-yard effort, while a mazy run from No. 9 Anthony Martial was brought to an end at the last second by the outstretched leg of Copenhagen's 21-year-old defender Viktor Nelsson with the Frenchman through on goal. Copenhagen did not go without their own chances and should arguably have taken the lead on a number of occasions, with Denmark's own teenage sensation Mohamed Daramy having clear opportunities to score on 12 and 16 minutes but lacking the same efficiency as Greenwood, while former Everton and Sunderland left-back Bryan Oviedo had a glorious chance to score with 25 minutes left to play after fantastic trickery from Denmark international Rasmus Falk took both Fred and Brandon Williams out of the game, only for Oviedo's powerful strike to be blocked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Copenhagen keeper Karl-Johan Johnsson was then forced to make a string of not overly impressive but still very much needed saves as Man Utd's forward line continued to pepper the opposition goal to no avail.

With neither team able to break the deadlock in the 90 minutes, Solksjaer turned to veteran Juan Mata to provide the spark needed to get United over the line, and the Spaniard duly obliged, putting Martial through on goal twice in the first three minutes of extra time only for Johnsson to keep the forward at bay both times. It was third time lucky for Mata, however, as his slotted pass to Martial in the penalty area on 95 minutes resulted in the Frenchman being bundled over by Andreas Bjelland and referee Clement Turpin pointing to the penalty spot. There was minimal contact between the two players but it was nevertheless clumsy from Bjelland in an otherwise resolute defensive performance, and Bruno Fernandes punished the Danes with his 7th converted penalty in as many attempts since arriving in Manchester in January, ensuring he made a lasting impact on a game where his performance otherwise left a lot to be desired. Copenhagen failed to create a clear opportunity after going behind, and were forced to rely on the heroics of Johnsson to keep the score at 1-0 with the Swede tipping shots from Fernandes and Rashford over the bar before making the save of the night with his feet while unsighted from the super-sub Mata. Having looked somewhat shaky defensively in the first half of the match, United were much improved in the second half of extra time with Copenhagen creating very little, while assured performances from young full-backs Brandon Williams and Aaron Wan-Bissaka will provide Solksjaer with confidence as the Norwegian looks ahead to a semi-final clash with either Wolves or Sevilla on Sunday. However, neither Williams nor Wan-Bissaka were a match for Johnsson in the man of the match stakes with the keeper making 13 saves across the 120 minutes, but unfortunately this is where the road ends for a Copenhagen side who had been enjoying their deepest ever run in European competition.