Erik ten Hag branded Manchester United‘s 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen as a “narrow escape” after André Onana‘s stoppage time penalty save earned a first Champions League victory — and the team’s first points in Europe — of the season.
United got off the mark in Group A thanks to a second-half header from Harry Maguire and Onana’s late heroics on a night during which fans paid their respects to Sir Bobby Charlton, who died aged 86 on Saturday.
Ten Hag was celebrating after the final whistle as his team recorded a third straight win in all competitions, but the Dutchman admitted afterwards there was an element of fortune involved.
“The first half was not good,” said Ten Hag. “The second half was better and we created more chances and finally the win was justified, but it was a narrow escape.”
Onana has been heavily criticised since his summer move from Inter Milan, making costly errors in United’s opening Champions League defeats to Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.
But the Cameroon goalkeeper produced a wonderful save to stop Jordan Larsson‘s penalty, conceded by Scott McTominay in the fifth minute of injury time, with the last action of the night.
