Lisandro Martinez explains impact and importance of Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against Sheriff in the Europa League

Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the season during the 2-0 victory over FC Sheriff in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.

Since opening his account for the term, Reds Devils defender Lisandro Martinez has highlighted the importance of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's strike.

Cristiano Ronaldo led the attack as Manchester United traveled to Sheriff to play their second Europa League match of the season. The Red Devils had a decent outing, keeping the game under control throughout the 90 minutes.

Jadon Sancho opened the scoring for Erik Ten Hag's men with a sublime strike just 17 minutes into the encounter, before Ronaldo stepped up and doubled their lead from the spot in the 39th minute.

A strong defensive display in the second half ensured that the Premier League giants maintained the scoreline until full-time and granted them their first victory in Europe this season.

Speaking after the game, Red Devils defender Lisandro Martinez commented on Cristiano Ronaldo's first strike of the season, explaining that it was important both for the team and the attacker's confidence.

The Argentine was quoted as saying by the Mirror:

"We know how big Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals are. It’s very important that he scored for his confidence and for the team."

Scoring his first goal of the campaign will indeed bring some relief to Ronaldo. Prior to the clash with Sheriff, the Portuguese had fired blanks in seven appearances across all competitions. He'll now be in a good position to improve his tally for the season.

Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that the attacker has been relegated to a bit-part role at Manchester United this season, with Erik Ten Hag preferring to play Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial ahead of him.

So far, he's started just three games for the Red Devils across all competitions, with only one coming in the Premier League. It remains to be seen if his situation will change at Old Trafford now that he's opened his account for the season.

---

What's next for Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo?

Ronaldo jubilating after scoring for Manchester United against Sheriff Tiraspol

The Red Devils won't be in action in the Premier League this weekend following the postponement of their clash with Leeds United.

They'll most likely return to action on October 2, when they take on local rivals Manchester City in the Manchester derby.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, will fly back to Portugal to link up with the national team after being selected in the squad for the forthcoming UEFA Nations League matches.