CHISINAU: Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo scored the goals as Manchester United eased to a 2-0 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League.

Sancho was on target hours after being left out of the England squad and Ronaldo scored his first of the season as United brushed off the Moldovans in Chisinau to register their first points of the group stage.

Both goals came in the first half with Ronaldo’s, a penalty in the 39th minute, being the 699th of his glittering club career.

After a summer of speculation over his future, it underlined a strong performance from the Portuguese on just his third start under Erik Ten Hag.

The result ensured United’s campaign was up and running after defeat in their Group E opener against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford last week.

Sheriff may have surprised European giants and eventual winners Real Madrid in the Champions League last season but, after much change to their side since, they lacked the quality to consistently trouble United.

The Moldovans did start positively, and Mouhamed Diop fired over from distance after a Diogo Dalot error, but they were caught out as soon as United began to assert themselves.

Sancho, perhaps stung into action by his omission from the national side, finished superbly in the 17th minute after collecting the ball from Christian Eriksen on the edge of the area.

The former Borussia Dortmund star cleverly wrong-footed a defender with a couple of smart touches and guided in a shot off the base of the post.

Sheriff responded well as Iyayi Atiemwen cut inside from the left and shot narrowly wide before also going close from a free-kick.

Ronaldo went close to doubling the lead after being released by a quick Antony free-kick but shot over.

Sancho was denied another by a goalline clearance from Stjepan Radeljic after goalkeeper Maxym Koval gave the ball straight to Antony.

United’s second came from the penalty spot after Dalot was carelessly tripped by Patrick Kpozo.

Ronaldo struck coolly from 12 yards with a shot straight down the middle.

Hammers hold on

Gianluca Scamacca scored a super goal as West Ham made hard work of a 3-2 victory at Danish side Silkeborg.

The Italy striker, a £30million summer signing from Sassuolo, scored with a stunning strike in between a penalty from Manuel Lanzini and Craig Dawson’s header.

But it was not all plain sailing for David Moyes’s side as, just as they had against Romanian side FCSB a week ago, they conceded the first goal.

They were hanging on for the final 15 minutes after Soren Tengstedt pulled one back before eventually making it two wins from two in Europe this season.

Silkeborg, fourth in the Danish Superliga and managed by former Aston Villa defender Kent Nielsen, stunned the Premier League team by taking the lead after just five minutes.

The ball was pulled back for Kasper Kusk to sidefoot past wrongfooted Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola from the edge of the area.

With West Ham struggling to get to grips with the artificial pitch at Silkeborg’s modern JYSK Park stadium, Lukas Engel almost doubled the advantage with a shot which flew across goal and wide.

However, the lead lasted only six minutes before Maxwel Cornet was pushed to the ground by Tobias Salquist and Lanzini hauled the Hammers level from the penalty spot.

After 25 minutes the visitors had the lead through a Scamacca special. Cornet intercepted a loose pass and played in the Italian, who let fly from 20 yards with a scorcher which flew high into the net.

Silkeborg should have equalised when Nicklas Helenius headed home from a corner but it was ruled out for a foul, with no VAR in operation to overturn what looked to be the wrong decision.

Then Dawson, who has been out injured since West Ham’s first pre-season friendly, marked his return to the side with the third goal, a trademark header from Aaron Cresswell’s corner, eight minutes before half-time.

With a trip to his former club Everton on Sunday in mind, Moyes gave Declan Rice, Lucas Paqueta and Scamacca a breather, with Tomas Soucek, Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen sent on.

But when Bowen gave the ball away and Lanzini mistimed a challenge, Silkeborg broke clear and halved the deficit through Tengstedt.

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