Andre Onana’s Manchester United team-mates consoled him after his blunder-filled night in Lyon – albeit reluctantly. Onana was at fault for both of Lyon’s goals as the Ligue 1 side claimed a last-gasp draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
United went behind after 25 minutes when their keeper failed to get a strong enough hand to Thiago Almada’s wide free-kick. Leny Yoro equalised In the final seconds of the first half by reacting quickly to Manuel Ugarte’s volley and diverting the ball into the bottom corner.
Joshua Zirkzee looked to have won it with two minutes remaining when he headed home Bruno Fernandes ‘ looping cross. But in the fifth minute of added time, Onana spilled Georges Mikautadze’s shot and Rayan Cherki tapped in on the rebound.
It leaves the last eight clash in the balance heading into next week’s second leg at Old Trafford. And it appears that Onana’s team-mates were less than impressed with the Cameroon international.
Captain Bruno Fernandes had already launched a tirade against the keeper in the game. And after the final whistle, United’s players gathered around midfield, with Onana in the centre-circle.
Back-up keeper Altay Bayindir patted Onana as the players and staff gathered. The No.1 was statuesque as others approached to console him before he was seen putting his hands to his head.
None of his team-mates embraced him tightly, with some seeming reluctant to console him. Boss Ruben Amorim is expected to pursue a move for a new keeper come the summer, though refused to lay the blame totally at Onana’s door.
“It’s important to focus on the next game. The next game is the league, then we think about the second leg against Lyon. When one player has a mistake, every player has a mistake, so we continue like that,” he said.
“The best thing is to look at the goals and all the actions that Andre has had in the game and to talk with [goalkeeper coaches Jorge] Vital and Craig [Mawson]. This is the best way to help any player – to focus on the game, what happened, what we need to improve and then put the player [in] again.
“I think it felt really quiet, the dressing room. And that is a good thing. We draw away in Europe. That’s always hard. The team is suffering, but we need to change that and we have the opportunity to change. So let’s focus on that.
“We have training, go with Vital and we deal with that. So I’m really natural that can happen with any player. There’s nothing I can say to Andre in this moment that will help him. So the most important thing is to be natural.
“And then when the time comes, I will choose the best 11 to play. But I’m really confident in Andre. Of course we are really disappointed. We should have taken the one-goal advantage to the next game, but we have the next game in our home and we try to win that game.”
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