- Daley Blind was picked to take penalty against Benfica because he is better in training
- Martial has earlier missed a penalty in the win over the Portuguese League champions
- An own goal from Svilar and Blind's penalty helped Jose Mourinho's men secure a 2 - 0 win
Manchester United secured a 2 - 0 victory over Portuguese Champions Benfica with Daley Blind surprisingly playing and scoring a penalty.
Mile Svilar had scored an own goal to put United ahead and when United were awarded a spot kick defender Daley Blind took it.
Earlier in the game French forward Anthony Martial failed to slot home from the spot and many thought Lukaku would be the one to take the spot-kick when he initially placed the ball on the spot.
Lukaku was ordered to step aside from the penalty spot by Mourinho. Source: SUN
However Jose Mourinho ordered the Belgian to step aside and allow Blind to take the kick.
READ ALSO: Manchester United have one foot in UCL last 16 after win against Benfica
That penalty drama became the big talk of the game as everyone wondered why Lukaku was asked to step aside, but Mourinho who was speaking after the game gave his reasons.
“I'm paid to take decisions, good or bad,” said Mourinho. “In the first-half the decision was bad, in the second-half I made another decision and I don't see the drama.
“The penalty taker for this match was Martial, but he wasn't even on the pitch when the second one was given.
Daley Blind dispatched his penalty to give United a comfortable 2-0 win on Tuesday, October 31. Source: SUN
“Ander Herrera was the same, but that was my decision, based on training in the past couple of days.”
A point away to Basel on November 22 will see United win Group A and potentially avoid facing one of Europe's heavyweights in the last 16.
Mourinho said: “I don't know what's important, because sometimes a team finishes first and gets a difficult draw against a second-placed team.
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“Sometimes you get second place and get somebody you didn't expect, so I don't know.
“What I know is we want to win the maximum number of points. We haven't qualified yet, so we're going to try to win the next two matches and finish with 18 points.
“The last time United were in the Champions League they finished third and went out, so it would be nice to do it and we will try.”
NAIJ.com had earlier reported United sit comfortable on-top of their Champions League group after winning all four matches and just needs a point in Switzerland against Basel on match-day 5 to guarantee qualification.
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Source: Sports.naija.ng
ROSY CREST
Wednesday, 1 November 2017