Man United beat Zorya to reach Europa League last-32

Man United have secured their spot in the Europa League knock-out stages with a 2-0 win away against Zorya at Chornomorets Stadium.

Goals either side of the break from Henrik Mkhitaryan - his first for the club - and Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagged the points for Jose Mourinho’s team in a game they dominated from start to finish in Ukraine.

The victory, combined with Fenerbahce’s 1-0 away win over Feyenoord, sees the Turks top the group, with the English team coming home second.

Zorya were the first to threaten goal as Igor Kharatin was played in on the edge of the United area and his strike on goal forced Sergio Romero to get down low to save and parry where it fell to Ivan Petryak who could only find the side netting.

Paul Pogba had the English side’s first effort of note, played in by Ibrahimovic 20 yards out, the Frenchman smashed the ball at goal, the effort whistling just wide. The midfielder had a further chance as he connected with an Ander Herrera cross from the flank but couldn’t direct his effort on target.

Mourinho’s team were easily on top as the first half ticked on, with 78% possession as they controlled the game, but struggled to get any real breakthrough with a killer move.

The match was far from high octane, but both teams did continue to carve out openings. Oleksandr Karavayev volleyed just wide off a loose ball for Zorya, before Juan Mata found himself in the box and attempted to chip the keeper, with the effort ending just wide.

The best chance of the first period fell to Wayne Rooney, who riffled a shot at goal, and with a slight deflection, forced the keeper into a superb save to tip over and keep things level at the break.

The visitors didn’t have to wait much longer for the breakthrough though, as just three minutes after the half-time oranges, Mkhitaryan picked up the ball on halfway and danced his way into the box before finishing home with a goal that Zorya made far too easy with some exceptionally casual defending.

With the goal in the bag, United were content to hold onto possession and play the ball around at the back as they looked to wear Zorya out on the chase, Mkhitaryan was the man pulling the strings for United, with attempted passes to Ibrahomovic and Mata just failing to come off.

As the game ticked past the hour United brought Jesse Lindgaard and Marouane Fellaini into the fray as they looked to push home the advantage, Rooney and Mata making way.

The Ukrainian side began to work their way back into tie somewhat on the hour as they attempted to snatch a goal on the break; a cross was met by Mikhail Sivakov with a free header on goal in the box but Romero did superbly well to palm away.

Mkhitaryan was revelling in the space he was being afforded and did well to pick out Fellaini, only for the Belgian to direct his header off target.

Ibrahimovic and Lindgaard also attempted to combine with the latter shooting when a return pass to the big Swede was more advisable. The big attacker had an effort of his own soon after, taking down a pass with his chest, and firing just wide from long range.

The goal did eventually come and it was the man they call Zlatan who got it. A reverse pass from Pogba from midfield met an onrushing Ibrahimovic, who sailed past a high defensive line, before slotting over the keeper’s leg into the bottom-right corner with two minutes of normal time remaining. Points in the bag, United advance to the last-32.

Photo: Getty/Sergei Supinsky

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