Sanchez nets on home debut for Man U win vs Huddersfield
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Alexis Sanchez's first goal for Manchester United wrapped up a 2-0 victory against Huddersfield on a day when the clubs came together to mark the 60th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
Tuesday is the 60th anniversary of the tragedy which claimed 23 lives, including eight players, as Matt Busby's side returned from a European Cup match at Red Star Belgrade.
Silence fell upon Old Trafford as those lost were remembered ahead of an English Premier League match that United won, with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Sanchez sealing the victory on his home debut.
Manchester United's Juan Mata, left, comes into contact with Huddersfield Town's Collin Quaner during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Saturday Feb. 3, 2018. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Huddersfield struggled to create clear-cut chances in their first league trip to Old Trafford since March 1972 but dug deep in the first half to frustrate the hosts, who claimed a penalty when Terence Kongolo poleaxed Scott McTominay.
United was struggling for a creative spark but went up a gear after halftime, going ahead within 10 minutes of the restart when Lukaku smartly turned home a cross from Juan Mata.
Sanchez won a penalty and saw it saved, only to turn home the rebound as United bounced back from the midweek loss at Tottenham, and extended Huddersfield's winless Premier League run to an eighth match.
United is 13 points behind leader Manchester City, which was held by Burnley.
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Manchester United's Alexis Sanchez, left, and Huddersfield Town's Tommy Smith, during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Saturday Feb. 3, 2018. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Alexis Sanchez, left, and Huddersfield Town's Rajiv van La Parra in action during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Saturday Feb. 3, 2018. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Soccer fans gathered for a memorial to the Munich Air disaster, ahead of their English Premier League soccer match against Huddersfield at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Saturday Feb. 3, 2018. The Munich air disaster occurred on Feb. 6, 1958 when British European Airways plane crashed on take off from Munich Airport, Germany with the Manchester United soccer team aboard. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)