Mario Pasalic put Atalanta ahead in the 15th minute, turning in Davide Zappacosta’s low ball from close range and United, with just one win in their last five games in all competitions, looked drained of belief.

It was no great surprise when the Italian side doubled their lead in the 29th minute with Merih Demiral rising at the near post to glance in an angled header from a Teun Koopmeiners’ corner.

Fred and Marcus Rashford missed good chances for United before the break but the home side got themselves back into the game in the 53rd minute.

A clever ball from Bruno Fernandes allowed Rashford to cut in from the left and he picked his spot with a shot into the far corner.

United drew level when Harry Maguire drilled the ball home at the back post after the stationary Atalanta defence failed to intercept a Fernandes ball across the box.

Then came the winner as Luke Shaw whipped in a superb cross from the left and Ronaldo rose superbly to perfectly place a header past Musso.

“I was right behind him. His leap, his timing, it was perfect right in the corner,” Maguire said.

“We see it day in, day out in training and in the goals he has scored throughout his career. He has come up with a massive goal for us again in the Champions League.

“We got the goals we needed and deserved and I think we deserved the win in the end. Yes, we made it difficult but it is a tremendous victory in the end,” he said.

United top the group after three games on six points with Atalanta and Villarreal two points behind.

The win also eases some pressure on United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had come under criticism for the team’s recent poor form.

“The fans are a big part of this club. The singing section there kept the players going with their belief. That is what you do at Manchester United on a Champions League night.

“This corner of the stadium here are the best in the world. There is a bit of time when you are down as a supporter but you keep going.

“I thought we played well first half too. Two chances, two goals. It had to stop if we are to survive. We have a habit of doing this at this club.

“I thought we played well and they scored a goal out of nothing and then another set-piece. But they never stopped believing and kept going,” said Solskjaer.

On the jeers directed at him and the players during the first half, Solskjaer said:

“Don’t disrespect the players.

“They play for Manchester United and they know they are the luckiest men in the world.

“Tonight they are the luckiest men in the world because they get to play for Manchester United. That is what so many millions of boys and girls want to do.”

Source: Reuters/NAN

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But the game was once again marred by supporters booing the Three Lions for taking the knee.

Fans had jeered England players for showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement at the start of the 1-0 win over Austria earlier in the week.

But, with Gareth Southgate clearly explaining on Saturday that his team’s gesture was motivated by racial injustice rather than politics, boos were still clearly audible once more at the Riverside Stadium.

Potentially deflated by those fans’ blatant disregard for the team’s feelings, perhaps England’s rather subdued start in Middlesbrough had a straightforward explanation.

Southgate’s side did not pose much of a threat until Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jadon Sancho hit the crossbar after the half-hour mark.

The visitors looked as much of an attacking threat as England, but good work from Jack Grealish earned a penalty kick with 22 minutes to go.

Rashford — captain for the day — converted with aplomb, with Jordan Henderson unable to follow suit from the penalty kick spot a little later.

Romania looked much sharper than England initially, with Denis Alibec shooting just wide of the top-right corner and Razvan Marin firing at Sam Johnstone following a flowing move.

Florin Nita in the visitors’ net had very little to do before having the bar come to his rescue in the 32nd minute.

It kept out a ferocious Calvert-Lewin header, and then again six minutes later as Sancho’s bending effort following a clever offload by Grealish had left the goalkeeper looking helpless.

But Romania still posed a threat at the other end, with Deian Sorescu testing Johnstone after being released in behind the suspect Tyrone Mings.

An encouraging aspect was the performance of Rashford, who after a difficult spell at club level, did well in the 62nd minute as he collected Calvert-Lewin’s lay-off.

He burst into the Romania half before shooting wide on the stretch after a lung-busting run.

Rashford was decisive soon after, however, coolly slotting in a penalty kick after Grealish — who was fouled on five occasions more than anyone else — found himself tripped by Tiberiu Capusa.

Henderson, introduced at half-time for his first outing since February, passed up the chance to make it 2-0 from the penalty kick spot as Nita saved his kick.

This had followed a foul on Calvert-Lewin by Vlad Chiriches.

That came hot on the heels of Johnstone producing a wonderful stop to thwart Andrei Ivan, with England ultimately settling for the 1-0 win.

England now turn their attention to the Euros, with their campaign beginning against Croatia at Wembley on June 13.

Source: dpa/NAN

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