Manchester United reach Europe League round of 16 with routine win against FCSB
Kobbie Mainoo celebrates with Alejandro Garnacho after scoring United's second
Alejandro Garnacho served a timely reminder to Ruben Amorim that Manchester United can hardly afford to let the Argentinian winger leave Old Trafford before the current transfer window closes on Monday.
Goals from Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo ensured United finished comfortably in the top eight of the table, ensuring they avoid an extra round of games next month.
But it was only when Garnacho, currently a major target for Chelsea, came on as a half-time substitute that Amorim’s side was able to take a stranglehold on a difficult game and ease through.
It was a solid enough start from United, taking the sting out of a crowd at the National Arena that was well up for the visit of their glamorous opponents, but, as has been the case so often for the Reds this season, the cutting edge was just not there in the first half.
There was brief promise before the 20-minute mark when the visitors carved out three chances in quick succession. Mainoo ran forward and teed up a shot for himself which was aimed straight at keeper Stefan Tarnovanu, who then punched clear Christian Eriksen’s snapshot and Mainoo missed badly from Rasmus Hojlund’s intelligent pull-back.
But it was underwhelming stuff, which may not have been such a surprise as United edged towards a top-eight finish in the table that would take them directly through to the last 16 and mean a couple of midweeks off in mid-February.
That was very much the theme stressed by Amorim in the build-up, a message even scribbled on the players’ notice board in the dressing room, according to their manager.
Given that Amorim’s constant complaint since his arrival at Old Trafford has been the lack of time available on the training ground, the possibility of two full weeks at Carrington, instead of playing two qualifying round ties, was tantalising.
Yet, true to recent form, it could have been very different, with the best chance of the half having fallen to FCSB with just 10 minutes gone, from a brilliant free-kick delivery by Risto Radunovic.
Mihai Popescu made a well-timed run and made contact but could only steer his effort agonising inches wide of the United goal. The former Scottish league defender might well have been offside, had VAR been required to take a look, but it was a scare United did not need.
The lack of punch up front simply placed more focus on the prolonged absence of Marcus Rashford but, by the interval, the United manager recognised the need for more directness and threat and threw on Amad Diallo and Garnacho who had been taken out of the starting line-up, due to fatigue and illness, respectively.
It looked an inspired choice, within seconds, as a poor back pass by Baba Alhassan ran straight to Garnacho who drove for goal and rolled a shot that stroked the outside of the post as it flew behind.
Within ten minutes of the restart, he had also won a free-kick which Eriksen swung in for Lisandro Martinez to flick on and Matthijs de Ligt slid in to almost make contact at the far post.
And just before the hour, after Bruno Fernandes had just thundered a vicious shot against the cross-bar, United led.
Diallo took a quick throw-in and Eriksen’s neat header allowed Mainoo to drill over a perfect cross which Dalot slid in to convert into an empty net at the far upright.
The Romanians responded quickly, with Daniel Birligea striking the cross-bar with a violent left-foot strike from the edge of the area, with Florin Tanase heading the rebound wide of an open goal, but being spared his blushes by an offside flag.
It was to be their last hope. On 68 minutes, the hosts gave away the ball cheaply in midfield and a series of slick passes from United ended with Garnacho picking out the unmarked Mainoo with a cross that the youngster drove home clinically from a dozen yards.
Tarnovanu 7; Popescu 7, Ngezana 5, Dawa 5; Crețu 6 (Baluta 66, 5), Edjouma 5 (Alhassan 46, 4), Șut 6, Radunovic 7; Tanase 7 (Ștefănescu 77, 5), Birligea 7, Miculescu 5 (Musi 77, 5). Substitutes (not used) Chiriches, Pantea, Popa, Toma, Udrea.
Bayindir 6; Mazraoui 6, de Ligt 6, Martinez 7 (Yoro 71, 5); Dalot 7, Collyer 6 (Diallo 46, 7), Mainoo 8, Malacia 5 (Garnacho 46, 9); Eriksen 7 (Casemiro 71, 5), Fernandes 7; Hojlund 6 (Zirkzee 80). Substitutes (not used) Heaton, Maguire, Lindelof, Onana, Ugarte, Yoro.
H Osmers (Germany) 7.
