Andre Onana disappointing performance in goal proved costly for Manchester United as they suffered a 3-4 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage final.
“It’s commendable that he takes responsibility for himself, but it’s the responsibility of the entire team,” coach Ten Hag passionately defended goalkeeper Onana after Manchester United’s loss at the Allianz Arena in the early hours of September 21 (Vietnam time) in Group A of the UEFA Champions League.
Onana’s poor catch helped Bayern Munich score the opening goal in the 28th minute of the match
Despite a better start in the first half-hour of the match, goalkeeper Onana made a critical mistake that led to Bayern Munich’s opening goal. Leroy Sane’s shot from outside the penalty area wasn’t particularly threatening, but Onana’s fumbled catch allowed the ball to slip through his hands and into the net.
This pivotal moment shifted the momentum in favor of the home team, Bayern Munich, who quickly added a second goal just 4 minutes later through Gnabry.
Although Rasmus Hojlund scored to narrow the deficit to 1-2 in the 49th minute, Bayern Munich extended their lead once more when Onana couldn’t stop Harry Kane’s penalty in the 53rd minute.
Man Utd lost their fourth match in the last 5 matches
Manchester United continued to mount a comeback effort, scoring three goals thereafter. However, the match ultimately ended with a score of 4-3 in favor of Bayern Munich.
“The entire team put in a tremendous effort, and we managed to score three goals after that. Mistakes can happen, but what matters is how we respond afterward. We believed we could correct our errors, and tonight, Man Utd demonstrated that belief. Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure at least a point in this match, even though we scored three times against Bayern,” Coach Ten Hag shared.
Recent statistics show that this was the fourth loss in the last five matches for Coach Ten Hag and his team, with defeats against Tottenham, Arsenal, and Brighton in the Premier League, in addition to the loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Coach Ten Hag defended goalkeeper Onana
Looking ahead, Manchester United faces an away trip to Burnley this weekend. Coach Ten Hag cautioned, “Every match is important, and every competition is significant. A strong start that doesn’t result in goals is ultimately fruitless. Even if we concede early, we must continue to fight and not allow additional goals too easily, as we did today. Mistakes cannot be attributed solely to the goalkeeper but are the responsibility of the entire team. Every player must give their all. Victory is something we create ourselves, not something given by others.”
