Odion Ighalo Opens Goal Scoring Account as Man Utd Hammer Club Bruge 5-1

Odion Ighalo Opens Goal Scoring Account as Man Utd Hammer Club Bruge 5-1
  • Olympiacos knock out Arsenal on away goal rule

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Nigerian international, Odion Ighalo on Thursday night opened his goal scoring account for Manchester United as he poke past Club Bruges’ Simon Mignolet for his first goal for the Red Devils.

After giving supplications to God for the goal at Old Trafford, the former Super Eagles frontman dedicated it to his late sister, Mary Atole who died in Canada last December.

That goal is also the first to be scored by any Nigerian player in United colors.

Ighalo – who signed for United in a shock deadline day loan move from Shanghai Shenhua in January – was part of the resurgent Red Devils that dominated the Belgian team to pull through to the Last 16 stage of the Europa League on 6-1 aggregate.

Bruno Fernandes scored his second United penalty in a week after Simon Deli was sent off for a ludicrous handball to block Daniel James’ shot.

The Portuguese, who was at the centre of everything, had a hand in the second as he lifted a pass over the top to Juan Mata, who squared for full debutant Ighalo to tap in from six yards.

And Scott McTominay, making his first start following an injury, side-footed in a third to wrap the tie up before half-time.

Fred scored his first two goals of the season in the final 10 minutes as United got the big scoreline their performance deserved.

Club Bruges brought thousands of noisy fans to Old Trafford to help with a good atmosphere – but their players could not match their efforts and created nothing of note.

The draw for the last 16 takes place to at 12:00 GMT – with United able to face any of the other teams left.

Elsewhere in North London, Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a glaring chance with the last kick as Arsenal crashed to a shocking Europa League defeat to Olympiacos.

Coming with an away 1-0 edge into the game, Arsenal lost 1-2 at the Emirates to gift Olympiacos passage to the last 16 on the away goal advantage.

Aubameyang looked like he had once again rescued his side from an abject showing when his superb scissor kick put them in the driving seat.

But the visitors punished awful set-piece defending for a second time as Youssef El Arabi poked in.

And there was still time for Aubameyang to screw wide from five yards out.The Gunners went out on the away goal rule

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