Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst has opened his account for the club with a poacher’s finish in the closing stages of the first half of the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest.
Weghorst, signed on loan from Burnley as additional cover up front in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s November departure, has been filling in for the injured Anthony Martial in recent weeks.
But while he his performances have showed overall promise so far – his movement was directly responsible for giving Bruno Fernandes the space to score against Crystal Palace – the towering Dutchman was yet to get on the scoresheet himself prior to kick-off at the City Ground.
Marcus Rashford had given United an early lead, but with Forest roaring into life midway through the first half, Weghorst’s predatory strike came at a crucial time.
A FIRST Manchester United goal for Wout Weghorst! 💥 pic.twitter.com/CoIYXGb2cd
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 25, 2023
Rashford had played in Antony, for whom the ball sat up invitingly to strike. The Brazilian’s volley was poorly parried by Forest goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, standing in for the ineligible Dean Henderson on loan from United, and it bounced right into Weghorst’s path.
It still wasn’t an easy finish. The former Wolfsburg striker needed to be quick to get there first and didn’t have time to readjust his body to make it a conventional finish. Instead, he stabbed the outside of his right foot in the direction of the ball and managed to divert it goalward.
