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Man United star's incredible act of sportsmanship

Romelu Lukaku has produced a wonderful moment of sportsmanship after teenage keeper Mile Svilar suffered an embarrassing blunder in his Champions League debut.

Manchester United battled to a 1-0 win at Benfica on Thursday morning courtesy of a bizarre own-goal.

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Belgian 18-year-old Svilar became the youngest keeper to make his Champions League debut, but ended up gifting United victory with a horrible howler.

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 goal line with his arms outstretched.

Goal line technology showed the ball did indeed cross the line, despite the youngster's protests.

Svilar was visibly devastated after full-time, knowing the blunder proved very costly, but fellow Belgian Lukaku did his best to cheer the teenager up.

All class. Image: Getty
All class. Image: Getty

Lukaku grabbed Svilar as players were shaking hands and offered a few words of encouragement, before locking him in a big hug.

The Man United star was praised on social media for the touching gesture.






After the game United manager Jose Mourinho said he told his players to target Svilar.

"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