Football

Diallo makes Man Utd history

Atalanta's Ivorian forward Amad Diallo controls the ball ahead of Midtjylland's Danish defender Daniel Hoegh (R) during the UEFA Champions League Group D football match Atalanta vs Midtjylland on December 1, 2020 at the Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Lombardy. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

Atalanta’s Ivorian forward Amad Diallo controls the ball ahead of Midtjylland’s Danish defender Daniel Hoegh (R) during the UEFA Champions League Group D football match Atalanta vs Midtjylland on December 1, 2020 at the Azzurri d’Italia stadium in Bergamo, Lombardy. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

Amad Diallo came off the bench to score a historical goal for Manchester United in Thursday’s 1-1 draw against AC Milan in the UEFA Europa League.
Diallo’s 50th minute effort in the first leg round of 16 clash meant he has become United’s youngest-ever non-British goalscorer in Europe.
The youngster replaced Anthony Martial at half-time, the £37 million signing timed his run perfectly before flicking a backwards header over the goalkeeper from Bruno Fernandes’ outrageously intelligent through pass.
At 18 years and 243 days old, Diallo set a new United record for overseas imports, with only three players having achieved his feat at a younger age.
Diallo’s goal came in his third appearance for United, after making his debut in the 4-0 thrashing of Real Sociedad in the Europa League last month. It was also his very first shot for the club, though it didn’t prove the winner as Simon Kjaer headed in a late equaliser – and an away goal – from a stoppage-time corner.
United have made a habit of blooding their young forwards in the Europa League in recent seasons, with two of their own youth products ahead of Diallo on the youngest scorers’ table.Mason Greenwood is the youngest player to have scored for United in major European competition, after finding the net on debut against Astana at the age of 17 years and 353 days.Marcus Rashford had held the record since making his debut three and a half years earlier, scoring a brace on his debut against Anderlecht aged 18 years and 177 days.The record has now been broken three times in five years but prior to that, it had remained since the 1960s, when the great George Best scored his first European goal at the age of 18 years and 158 days