Manchester United had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Anderlecht in the first-leg of their Europa League quarter-final clash on Thursday evening.

United got off to a bright start in the opening exchanges but it was Anderlecht who had the first chance of the game when Leander Dendoncker sent a low pass  to Massimo Bruno, but the unmarked midfielder scuffed his effort wide of the target.

United had a chance of their own in the 14th minute when Jesse Lingard twisted and turned deep down the right flank before forcing Ivan Obradovic into knocking the ball out for a corner.

The Red Devils should’ve taken the lead four minutes later when the ball fell into the path of Lingard after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had his effort saved by Ruben Martinez but the forward fired his effort against the post from the rebound.

United eventually took the lead in the 35th minute when Henrikh Mkhitaryan found the back of the net from a tight angle after Marcus Rashford had his first-time volleyed effort saved by Ruben.

Jose Mourinho’s side went into the half-time interval with a 1-0 lead against Anderlecht.

Anderlecht looked a much better side in the second-half when Nicolae Stanciu curled his free-kick toward goal, but it proved too powerful and sailed over the crossbar.

United nearly made it 2-0 in the 55th minute when Matteo Darmian whipped a cross into the Anderlecht penalty area and right onto the foot of Mkhitaryan, but the Armenian’s first-time volleyed effort sailed wide of the far post.

Rashford came close to doubling his side’s lead two minutes later when he beat his marker before unleashing a shot from 20-yards out, however his effort fell straight to Ruben.

Anderlecht had a chance to pull a goal back in the 59th minute when Youri Tielemans’ low cross deflected into the path of Obradovic, who found himself in a pocket of space before firing an effort at goal but the full-back scuffed his shot well wide of the goal.

The Belgian side had another chance to reduce the deficit in the 80th minute when Acheampong picked out Sofiane Hanni just outside of the box before he fired a low shot at goal but his effort was deflected out for a corner.

Substitute Marouane Fellaini had a chance to double United’s lead a minute later when he tested the Anderlecht shot-stopper from 25-yards-out, however his effort rolled straight into the body of the Spaniard.

Two minutes later, Ibrahimovic played a pass to Paul Pogba, who fired a low strike towards goal but Ruben did well to tip the ball over the far post.

Anderlecht levelled matters in the 88th minute, when Leander Dendoncker latched onto a cross from Obradovic before the defensive midfielder’s bullet header found the back of the net.

Manchester United will head into the second-leg of the quarter-finals at Old Trafford with a vital away goal against Anderlecht on 20 April.

Image: Uefa website