Goalline Cristiano Ronaldo This Season Starts Open, Erik Ten Hag: He Needs It

Manchester United player, Cristiano Ronaldo. (Photo: Twitter @ManUtd)

JAKARTA - Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, believes Cristiano Ronaldo will score more goals after the player scored him for the first time this season.

The Portuguese star Mega contributed one goal when the Red Devils won 2-0 over Sheriff Tiraspol in the second matchday of Group E of the 2022/2023 Europa League at the Riaubru Stadium, Moldova, Friday, September 16, early in the morning WIB.

MU opened the scoring through Jadon Sancho's goal in the 17th minute. Ronaldo then doubled the Red Devils' score in the 39th minute through the penalty spot following the foul on Diogo Dalot.

"We can expect this when you miss pre-season so he has to work very hard and invests in getting fitness then he will score more goals," Ten Hag said, quoted by First Post.

The match against the Sheriff is Ronaldo's fourth start of eight games this season. On seven previous occasions, where he started three times, he always failed to score.

Last night's goal was the 699th goal that the 37-year-old player netted at the club level as well as his first goal in the Europa League. In addition, the Sheriff is the 144th team to have conceded Ronaldo in all European competitions.

"You can see he's almost (scoring goals) and when he gets fitter, he's going to finish it. I think he's really committed to this project and this team," said the former Ajax Amsterdam coach.

"He needed that goal. He almost broke into the opponent's goal many times. We were happy for him and the team wanted him to score. So that's good," Erik Ten Hag added.

This is MU's first victory from the two group stage matches of the second tier competition between European clubs. Previously they lost in the first match against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford on September 9.