Svilar howler hands United victory over Benfica

Despite Benfica’s less than impressive recent form, they started the game in reasonable fashion.

The Portuguese side buzzed about like a team that needed a result, as of course they did and generally looked a complete contrast to the side that was beaten by both CSKA Moscow and Basel earlier in the competition.

The hosts had the first real chance of the game when Alex Grimaldo’s excellent feet allowed him to find Goncalves down the left, who crossed low for Salvio, but the winger could only lash his effort wide from 12 yards. Had Salvio dummied the ball a team-mate would have had a tap-in at the far post.

United responded in kind as Romelu Lukaku crashed a header against the bar from a Marcus Rashford corner from the left but it wouldn’t have counted anyway, with the Belgian having been adjudged to have fouled compatriot Mile Svilar in the Benfica goal.

Despite the early sighter for both teams the first half was not one that will live long in the memories of even the most diehard fans, the two sides managed just one shot on target between them and fans were made to wait until the 36th minute for that.

Benfica stopper Svilar became the Champions League’s youngest-ever goalkeeper by starting the game, beating the previous record set by a certain Iker Casillas, but United failed to really test him early on, with the young Belgian arguably doing more outside his box than in it during the first 45.

United could have taken the lead just after the half-hour mark but Rashford could only head Daley Blind’s inviting ball from the left over at the far post.

Another chance followed soon after as Nemanja Matic drove into the box on the left and fired in a low effort that Svilar kept out with his feet.

Other than that there was nothing at all to choose from between the two sides in the first half and they went into the break level.

The second half started in similar fashion to how the first one ended, both sides exchanged shots from range before Rashford treated the fans to a second shot on target with an ambitious effort from 25 yards.

Antonio Valencia had to be alert at the back post to prevent Goncalves from connecting with Salvio’s cross from the right before Matic fired a piledriver just over Svilar’s crossbar.

The young Belgian was the story of the night but his dream of playing in the Champions League quickly became a nightmare. United won a free kick deep on the right and after a few ropey moments for Svilar off corners there was only one thought in Rashford’s mind. The England man fired the ball over the heads of his team-mates and right underneath the crossbar, knowing that Svilar had advanced too early and the goalkeeper could only carry the ball into his own net as he desperately backpedalled. It was a gift for United and a harsh learning curve for the 18-year-old.

From that point on Benfica struggled to find a way back into the game and looked beaten, though Cervi's introduction form the bench provided brief moments of promise.

Rashford’s game was ended prematurely when he was forced off through injury after 75 minutes but his replacement Anthony Martial almost had an immediate impact, dancing past Douglas down the left only to be denied by Svilar at the near post.

Marcelo Dias could have earned Benfica a point when he volleyed a corner from the left over the bar but things would soon go from bad to worse for the hosts, when experienced defender Luisao was sent off for a second bookable offence in added-on time after going in late on substitute Scott McTominay.

The win maintains United’s perfect record in the competition so far ahead of the return fixture in two weeks’ time, Benfica on the other hand remain rooted to the bottom of Group A having lost three from three.