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Bruno Fernandes\u2019 extra-time penalty edged Manchester United through to the Europa League semi-finals as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s side toiled to victory against gutsy FC Copenhagen.<\/p>\nBruno Fernandes\u2019 extra-time penalty edged Manchester United through to the Europa League semi-finals as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s side toiled to victory against gutsy FC Copenhagen.<\/p>\n
An overturned penalty, two disallowed goals and efforts off the woodwork frustrated the Old Trafford giants during a goalless 90 minutes in which the Danish side looked dangerous despite failing to register a shot on target.<\/p>\n
Fernandes would save the day from the spot in extra time, securing a 1-0 victory and a last-four date against Wolves or Sevilla back at Stadion Koln this Sunday.<\/p>\n
Solskjaer will need a vastly-improved performance if they are to get any further than that, though, as their tired, sloppy play was compounded by Copenhagen playing with the intensity you would expect from a side in their first-ever European quarter-final.<\/p>\n
United struggled to find a rhythm in the stifling Cologne heat but had the better of the chances, with the VAR ruling out a penalty and then Mason Greenwood\u2019s emphatic strike in the first half.<\/p>\n
Marcus Rashford saw a goal ruled out for offside before Fernandes hit a post in the second period, with Anthony Martial superbly denied as regulation time wound down.<\/p>\n
The match was on a knife-edge as play headed into extra time, which was just five minutes old when Fernandes scored from a spot-kick won by Martial.<\/p>\n
Copenhagen retained hope as goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson produced a string of superb saves and Victor Lindelof became the latest to hit the goal frame, but there was to be no late leveler for Stale Solbakken\u2019s dogged side.<\/p>\n
United struggled on a night when the mercury regularly hit 32 degrees Celsius and Copenhagen offered a surprising threat.<\/p>\n
Brandon Williams produced a big clearance as Victor Nelsson lurked at the far post ready to direct home a corner, while Fred breathed a sigh of relief after Mohamed Daramy and Jens Stage saw shots blocked following his sloppy play.<\/p>\n
United looked to have a chance to take the lead against the run of play when Martial went down under pressure from Nelsson, moments before Fernandes hit the crossbar, but after a delay the VAR ruled out the penalty for offside.<\/p>\n
Another decision taken by those in front of monitors would frustrate United before half-time, with Rashford putting Greenwood in for a thumping strike that went in off the far post.<\/p>\n
But substitute Scott McTominay was soon asking the journalists behind the bench whether Greenwood was offside \u2013 a decision that would be confirmed by the VAR after review.<\/p>\n
United probed with increased regularity when they returned from half-time and Rashford found the net in the 57th minute, only to be ruled offside when reacting quickest to a Greenwood shot hitting the woodwork.<\/p>\n
Fernandes became the latest to hit the goal frame when trying his luck from 25 yards, with the Danish side remaining a threat as long as the match was scoreless.<\/p>\n
Bryan Oviedo wasted a great chance to put Copenhagen into a 65th-minute lead as Aaron Wan-Bissaka threw himself in the way of the substitute\u2019s shot following fine build-up play.<\/p>\n
Solbakken was furious not to be awarded a penalty when former United full-back Guillermo Varela went down under pressure from Williams, with anger turning to relief when Johnsson\u2019s superb one-handed save stopped Martial bending home.<\/p>\n
Nelsson\u2019s superb challenge halted Martial\u2019s stoppage-time slalom as a helter-skelter 90 minutes came to a conclusion, with the France international denied from an acute angle shortly after the restart.<\/p>\n
Martial wriggled through to get away another shot saved by Johnsson and had just got back to his feet when Andreas Bjelland bundled into the back of him when collecting a Juan Mata pass.<\/p>\n
VAR cleared referee Clement Turpin\u2019s decision and Fernandes kept his cool to lash out of the Copenhagen goalkeeper\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n
Mata was impressing from the bench and saw an effort saved, with Rashford then thwarted when through one-on-one \u2013 not that it mattered as the offside flag belatedly went up.<\/p>\n
Johnsson was impressing in the Copenhagen goal and superbly denied Fernandes, before halting impressive Mata with his feet and seeing Lindelof hit a post.<\/p>\n
Copenhagen desperately searched for a leveler in the second period but could not find a way through.<\/p>\n