Manchester United has another monumental task on its hand in the Champions League after Luke Shaw’s own goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 quarterfinal first-leg lead at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Shaw turned Luis Suarez’s header into his own net after just 12 minutes and despite being far from its best, Barca comfortably held out to edge towards a first Champions League semifinal in four years.
Much has been made of Suarez’s Champions League goal drought on the road and while the Uruguayan has still not officially netted an away goal in the competition since September 2015, he had a huge hand in Barca’s winner.
Lionel Messi drifted in behind the United defence and his cross hung up to the back post was headed goalwards by Suarez, the ball flicking off Shaw on its way past David de Gea.
An errant offside flag briefly threatened to spoil Suarez’s delight. However, the goal was quickly given on a VAR review and the former Liverpool striker took extra glee at having the last laugh with a fist pump in front of the Stretford End.
The early goal should have settled the Spanish champion into its stride as its dominance of possession touched close to 90% in the opening stages.
Yet, it offered United plenty of encouragement with Sergio Busquets in particular off the pace.
Marcus Rashford shrugged off an ankle injury to start and provided by a distance United’s biggest threat.
A free-kick from the England international flew just wide inside the first five minutes and he sent another dipping effort from range just over Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s crossbar.
United defender Chris Smalling had said “bring it on” at the prospect of facing Messi on the eve of the game.
And he left the Argentine bloodied from the nose as he careered into an aerial challenge on the half-hour mark.
Messi was quickly back on his feet and into the heart of the action, but it was Philippe Coutinho who came closest to extending Barca’s advantage before the break with a thunderous low shot that de Gea did brilliantly to repel with his feet.
Moments later United could easily have been on level terms, but the hosts’ best chance of the half fell to the wrong man as Rashford picked out Diogo Dalot only for the Portuguese to completely miscue his header across goal.
Rashford, though, also failed to make proper contact with his big chance early in the second-half when Ter Stegen could only punch a cross into his path.
United enjoyed the better of the opening stages in the second half, but lacked a creative spark to open Barca up with Paul Pogba too often picking the sideways pass rather than looking to thread the eye of a needle towards Rashford and the ineffective Romelu Lukaku.
Barca boss Ernesto Valverde reacted by introducing midfielders Sergi Roberto and Arturo Vidal from the bench in order to restore to control.
And as United chased in vain for an equaliser, the visitor began to create chances again in the final quarter.
Suarez fired into the side-netting before de Gea used his feet to good effect once more to deny Jordi Alba.
Anthony Martial had one final big opportunity to send United to Catalonia next week on level terms, but a heavy touch allowed the faultless Gerard Pique to intervene and condemn the Red Devils to a fourth defeat in its last six home Champions League games.
Juventus in control
Cristiano Ronaldo produced yet another quality goal to add to his collection and help Juventus to a 1-1 draw at Ajax Amsterdam.
Juventus took the lead on the stroke of halftime as Portuguese forward Ronaldo began an attacking move inside his own half before sprinting down field and diving to head in a clever chip from Joao Cancelo.
Ajax equalised 30 seconds into the second half after Cancelo lost control of the ball to allow David Neres to run down the left wing, cut inside and curl the ball past ’keeper Wojciech Szczesny.
The result leaves the Serie A side in a strong position to advance to the semifinals in next week’s return-leg in Turin. However, it will be mindful of Ajax’s 4-1 away win over Real Madrid in the last round that eliminated the holder 5-3 on aggregate.
Hakim Ziyech had several efforts at goal in a lively start for the youthful Dutch team. who have come through the pre-group phase qualifying round to reach the last eight
Donny van de Beek scraped the outside of the upright with a 25th minute effort from close range after opening up space for himself in the penalty area in Ajax’s best chance of the first half.
But Juventus with Ronaldo central to its attacks, worked its way into the contest and came close itself when the forward set up Federico Bernardeschi to turn and shoot in the 37th minute. But he was just off target.
Ronaldo then scored a 125th Champions League goal with the last move of the first half before Ajax opened the second period with the same intensity.
After equalising, Ajax then dominated possession but was guilty of over-elaborate passing and was also fortunate not to have given away a penalty when defender Nicolas Tagliafico was tugging on the jersey of Juventus captain Mario Mandzukic.
Spanish referee Carlos del Cerro Grande paused briefly in the 53rd minute to presumably hear from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) but resumed play before TV replays showed that Juventus had been denied a decent claim.
However, influential left back Tagliafico will miss the second-leg after being booked late in the first half.
Juve hit the upright in the closing stages through substitute Douglas Costa although Ajax could have had the last say as Dusan Tadic missed a good chance in stoppage time.
The results : (Quarterfinals, first-leg) : Ajax 1 (Neres 46) drew with Juventus 1 (Ronaldo 45); Manchester United 0 lost to Barcelona 1 (Shaw 12-og) .
