Teen keeper's embarrassing blunder in historic debut

Manchester United have battled to a 1-0 win at Benfica in the Champions League courtesy of a bizarre goal, which embarrassed the hosts' teenage goalkeeper Mile Svilar.

Belgian 18-year-old Svilar became the youngest keeper to make his Champions League debut, but gifted United victory.

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Marcus Rashford drove an innocuous-looking long range free kick from the left touchline straight at the youngster, who caught the ball but back-pedalled with it beyond the goalline with his arms outstretched.

The referee immediately awarded the goal courtesy of goal-line technology, and Benfica couldn't recover.

The result left United top of Group A with three straight wins, three ahead of second-placed Swiss side Basel who won 2-0 at CSKA Moscow.

United manager Jose Mourinho said he was aware that Svilar "risks a lot" and targeted him at set-pieces.

"I knew how good he was and I told the players how good he was," Mourinho said to BT Sport.

"But we had stats and information about set pieces, so we needed to make him uncomfortable.

"So at corners we tried to crowd him and put him under pressure, and from free-kicks we knew he risks a lot. A lot.

"Only top keepers risk like he does. We got lucky."

with agencies