#2 Zlatan’s free-kick should have been dealt with
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United’s first major opportunity came in the 15th minute, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic controversially won a free-kick just outside the penalty area. He lined it up and his ankle-high shot was fired straight into the wall. A cruel deflection saw the ball trickle into the net, with the goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier taken out of the picture as he was already committed to a dive from the initial direction of the free-kick.
The St. Etienne players should have done better to deal with the free-kick as a significant amount of pace was taken off the free-kick thanks to the deflection. It was a soft goal to concede for the visitors after a bright start, considering the pace with which the ball found its way into the back of the net. The absence of cover around the goal-line was undoubtedly a defensive error on the part of the St Etienne players.
