Champions League: Lukaku double leads Man United to CSKA romp

/COURTESY

Romelu Lukaku struck twice to lead Manchester United to an emphatic 4-1 away win over CSKA Moscow in Champions League Group A on Wednesday.

The Belgian striker headed home after four minutes and tapped in just before the interval for his 10th goal of the season to put the English Premier League side 3-0 ahead at halftime.

Lukaku took advantage of CSKA’s porous defence, tapping in a cross by Anthony Martial that bounced past central defender Vasily Berezutsky.

Patient and energetic with the ball, United capitalised on a string of mistakes by CSKA’s backline, creating space and opportunities to attack.

Martial had slotted home a penalty in between Lukaku’s goals and Henrikh Mkhitaryan added a fourth in the second half to give United, three-times European champions, a maximum six points from their opening two matches.

Konstantin Kuchaev grabbed a late consolation for CSKA in the 90th minute, depriving United - unbeaten this season and level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League - of a second successive Champions League shutout.

United, without first-choice central midfielders Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick, lead the group by three points from CSKA and Basel.

“I think a performance can only be good for the team and for the players,” United manager Jose Mourinho said.

CSKA‘S defensive woes outweighed the few dangerous chances they had, including a powerful strike by Fedor Chalov that was punched over the bar by United goalkeeper David de Gea.