Daily Times

BRUSSELS: Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mikhtaryan scored an important goal away from home after united utilised a bright start at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium only to be left thinking about the missed chances after a late goal tied the score at 1-1 on Thursday.

The Armenian opened the scoring for united after Rashford had a shot parried away by the opposing goalkeeper but not far enough as Mkhitaryan scored from a very tight angle and got the crucial away goal.

United were dominant in the first-half creating chances and attacking on every break and were denied by the wood-work after Jese Lingard hit it at the 16^th minute.

As the second half began, Anderlecht looked the more dangerous of the two sides as they piled pressure on the guests and even got a free-kick at the edge of the box as stand-in captain, Micheal Carrick conceded a free-kick after bringing down Acheampong although they could not make much of the set-piece as Stanciu put it quite some distance over the crossbar.

United had another chance to score in the 55^th minute after Matteo Darmian swung in a low cross which Mkhitaryan tried to volley in first-time but the ball just swung past the wrong side of the post for the Armenian.

Jose Mourinho’s side were left to rue goal-scoring chances after the 86^th minute as Lender Dendocker scored for the hosts, from a header 12-yards out after Obradovic curled in a decent cross on the overlap.

This was all down to united lacking the killer instinct and the ability to finish off opponents as this was draw number 10 in the list of 1-1 draw’s United have played this season.

Jose Mourinho blamed his front line for not being clinical enough and missing chances in his post-match comments and even stated that “If I was a Man United defender I would be very upset with the attacking players because they had to kill the game and they didn’t”.It isn’t much of a task, given United will be hosting Anderlecht at Old Trafford with an added advantage of an away goal, next Thursday but the manner united gave their lead away has become a worrying feature of every united game, where they fail to kill off the opponents and stretch their lead, which is so unlike the united of old.

It isn’t much of a task, given United will be hosting Anderlecht at Old Trafford with an added advantage of an away goal, next Thursday but the manner united gave their lead away has become a worrying feature of every united game, where they fail to kill off the opponents and stretch their lead, which is so unlike the united of old.