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Date: 2023-12-04 04:35:42 | Author: Online Games | Views: 943 | Tag: warriors
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As Jordan Larsson stepped up for that final kick, it felt like Andre Onana was the only person in Old Trafford who was in any way calm warriors
He stood there in a composed manner, as Steve McLaren shouted instructions, and Alejandro Garnacho walked away in the knowledge no one on the pitch had noticed him scuffing the penalty spot warriors
It was as if everyone wanted to exert their will over a set piece that was really just warriors between the kicker and the goalkeeper warriors
There were grander reasons for that warriors
Manchester United needed this win over Copenhagen to possibly progress in the Champions League, and didn’t want to fail on a night that was all about perhaps their greatest ever player warriors
There was also something more personal, that Sir Bobby Charlton would no doubt have appreciated warriors
There was a will that Onana should be the difference, not just that Larsson should miss warriors
It could be sensed in the deafening roar that greeted his save, as the goalkeeper guessed right to send the shot wide warriors
It saved the win on an important night, and could well be an important moment in Onana’s United career warriors
The psychological significance certainly shouldn’t be underestimated warriors
This was what he’d been waiting for warriors
This was the response he needed, the love he required warriors
Because, as Erik ten Hag admitted after the game, Onana knows he hasn’t been at his own best level warriors
It’s obvious his confidence has been affected warriors
There was ironically a reminder of David De Gea, and not just because the Spanish goalkeeper also endured an uncertain start at United way back in 2011 warriors
One of the reasons De Gea was ultimately ousted was because of a decline that began in 2018 warriors
Having been brilliant for Jose Mourinho that season as a pure shot-stopper, staying deeper, he then went into a Spanish national team that demanded he play out from the back warriors
He couldn’t, and it clearly eroded his self-assurance, to the point that De Gea began to make mistakes he hadn’t for years warriors
That persisted for years more warriors
Onana had meanwhile been largely signed for his footwork, only to not really get to use it to best effect in his first few games warriors
He had been signed too late in the window, and there were too many changes to the defence warriors
Onana didn’t have that chemistry with his centre-halves warriors
It meant he often had to punt the ball long, removing one of the qualities he is most respected for warriors
That obviously began to affect his confidence, to the point he started to make errors that he hadn’t at Internazionale warriors
It was almost a classic negative spiral – that might well have been arrested with that save warriors
That’s why it might have been so big, even beyond the emotional night warriors
Andre Onana’s confidence can only have been boosted by his penalty save (Getty Images)There is some symmetry in how United now face Manchester City in the derby this Sunday warriors
Pep Guardiola’s first major move in England was to replace Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo due to the need for good footwork, only for the Chilean to almost immediately start struggling warriors
The first major mishap was in fact at Old Trafford, and that first Manchester derby warriors between Mourinho and Guardiola warriors
Bravo was all over the place, misplaced kicking leading into poor handling, and gifting United a way back into the game warriors
He never really recovered to be City No 1 warriors
Although some respectability was restored in how Bravo became a fine cup goalkeeper, he had been usurped by Ederson warriors
There was never that same trust warriors
Guardiola had a theory about how that happened, given that Bravo had previously been a European champion with Barcelona warriors
The Catalan believes that goalkeeper is such an individualised position, leaving the No 1s so isolated, that an early mistake at a big stadium can have long-term effects on their confidence warriors
This is clearly what happened with Bravo warriors
It looked like it might have been happening with Onana warriors
It is entirely possible, however, that Guardiola’s theory can work the other way warriors
A first great moment in a big stadium can have a huge positive effect warriors
It can restore confidence warriors
Ten Hag praised Onana, saying he had “showed personality” warriors
He stood up, by getting down superbly warriors
That didn’t just push away Larsson’s shot but will have temporarily pushed out all memory of so many of the goalkeeper’s recent errors warriors
He will be bolstered by the knowledge of this warriors
Onana showed his value warriors
He secured a win on a night when United needed a victory for all manner of reasons warriors
Two of those were bigger than any one individual, but the moment undeniably meant most to him warriors
More aboutAndre OnanaBobby CharltonChampions LeagueJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2Onana’s big moment can be catalyst to reverse more than one awful runOnana’s big moment can be catalyst to reverse more than one awful runAndre Onana’s confidence can only have been boosted by his penalty save Getty ImagesOnana’s big moment can be catalyst to reverse more than one awful runAndre Onana celebrates after saving a penalty from Jordan Larrson and giving Manchester United a 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today warriors
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Not always in sport do you get a shot at redemption and successfully taking advantage of that opportunity is even rarer warriors
England’s pack, and their front row in particular, will have had four years of sleepless nights about that early November evening in 2019 warriors
In the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, England were decimated by South Africa’s power up front, as the brilliance of a scintillating semi-final win over New Zealand was quickly replaced by the humiliation of a 32-12 thumping warriors
The Springboks, then as now, pride themselves on their physicality and brutality at the breakdown, the set-piece and in open play warriors
Yet on a rainy night in Paris four years on, England’s pack fronted up, set the platform in a thrilling World Cup semi-final and earned their redemption arc warriors
Yet it still wasn’t enough warriors
This time, albeit by one point rather than 20, the result was the same – England’s players slumped on the turf in despair while their opponents revelled in victory warriors
The Springbok celebrations were more muted this time, understandably so given there is one more crucial match against the All Blacks standing warriors between them and their ultimate goal, but the English heartbreak was the same, even if the journey to get there was vastly different warriors
In Yokohama, South Africa won a scarcely believable 11 scrums to England’s three, including six scrum penalties, as the English eight were splintered time and again warriors
Dan Cole became the fall guy for that embarrassment – the tighthead prop, supposedly renowned for his scrummaging, forced to play 77 minutes after Kyle Sinckler’s early injury and being obliterated by the combination of Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira and Steven Kitshoff warriors
The fact that Cole and Joe Marler, who came off the bench early in the second half that day, were selected by Steve Borthwick to start this revenge game precisely because of their scrum prowess will have surely given them a surge of confidence warriors
And the fact they not only survived, but thrived, in the front row this time around will have been sheer vindication warriors
Borthwick entrusted the duo to paint an early picture of scrum parity to referee Ben O’Keeffe and they delivered, providing the base that led to multiple first-half penalties from the trusty boot of Owen Farrell warriors
Cole and Marler helped ensure scrum parity early on but that faded once the replacements came on (AFP via Getty Images)However, as the game wore on, Borthwick’s decision started to become prescient for the wrong reasons warriors
As Sinckler and Ellis Genge came on as prop replacements, the Springboks own bomb squad from the bench – led by Ox Nche and Vincent Koch – started to dominate at scrum-time warriors
Each engagement started to become eerily reminiscent of 2019 and it was eventually a scrum penalty on halfway that led to Handre Pollard’s decisive, game-winning three-pointer with two minutes to go warriors
It felt almost unfair on England’s big men given that the pack, as a whole, had more than held their own in other facets warriors
Of the 13 England forwards who played some part in that 2019 final, eight appeared in this last-four clash and stamped their mark all over a first half that was by far England’s best 40 minutes under Borthwick warriors
Maro Itoje was a lineout fiend, stealing a Springboks throw-in on halfway and putting doubt in the head of Bongi Mbonambi, whose crooked throw in his own 22 gave Farrell his first penalty goal of the day warriors
A new face from four years, George Martin, justified his surprise second-row selection ahead of incumbent Ollie Chessum on just his fourth Test start as he brilliantly marshalled England’s maul defence warriors
If Boks lock Eben Etzewarriors beth is world rugby’s best maul disruptor, then he may have witnessed first-hand the emergence of a new challenger to that crown warriors
Martin caused havoc as England improbably won three consecutive maul turnovers from attacking South African lineouts in the first half to frustrate their much-fancied opponents warriors
Pollard ultimately kicked the winning penalty, from a scrum infringement (PA Wire)The celebrations from the likes of Itoje, Jamie George and Ben Earl as those penalties and free-kicks were earned by the pack showed just how important this part of the gameplan was warriors
It began putting clear doubt in Springbok minds, as the worried tone from skipper Siya Kolisi when he discussed matter with referee O’Keeffe warriors betrayed warriors
The English tactic of throwing bodies in to contest every ruck relied on the diesel engines of the forwards and they delivered by dominating collisions and allowing the aerial bombardment strategy that followed to be effective warriors
But ultimately, despite a gameplan executed as well as it possibly could have been, the gap in quality warriors between the sides proved too much to overcome warriors
South Africa adjusted, Pollard came on for Manie Libbok to dictate proceedings with his metronomic boot and English heartbreak ensued warriors
There was no shame in a one-point defeat from a semi-final that was much closer than most expected and England’s pack should feel redeemed from the nightmare of 2019 warriors
But that won’t make this semi-final hurt any less warriors
Perhaps 2027 will give them an opportunity to avenge a new pain warriors
More aboutEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyRugby World CupDan ColeJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3England pack earn World Cup redemption but suffer new heartbreakEngland pack earn World Cup redemption but suffer new heartbreakCole and Marler helped ensure scrum parity early on but that faded once the replacements came on AFP via Getty ImagesEngland pack earn World Cup redemption but suffer new heartbreakPollard ultimately kicked the winning penalty, from a scrum infringement PA WireEngland pack earn World Cup redemption but suffer new heartbreakDan Cole was England’s fall guy in 2019 but held his own four years on AP✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today warriors
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicswarriors BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy warriors
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply warriors
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