If Erik ten Hag was looking for a response after Manchester United's derby mauling, he failed to get it here.
United limped to victory against Neil Lennon's Cypriot minnows, hanging onto their slender lead at the end and just managing to make it over the line. Although Ten Hag's changes ultimately paid off, with substitutes Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial plundering the goals to turn the game in United's favour, it was unconvincing from the visitors.
Ten Hag was alarmed at the ease with which Omonia, who had won just one of their last 27 European ties, scored twice and made United work for a victory that should have been far more straightforward. Having accused his side of lacking belief in the 6-3 derby debacle, United's character was again called into question, until two moments of class from Rashford and Martial.
There was to be no 700th club goal for Cristiano Ronaldo, United's star man denied by Omonia's keeper and the woodwork, ensuring he must wait to reach the milestone figure. Ronaldo, controversially left on the bench for the derby, cut a frustrated figure throughout, his failure to score and hit the landmark number leaving the 37-year-old visibly exasperated.
United dominated the first half, laying siege to the Omonia goal, but were unable to make the breakthrough, Ronaldo, Antony and Bruno Fernandes all squandering openings. Ronaldo won a free kick 25 yards out just before the half-hour, but his dead-ball expertise eluded him as he sent the ball soaring over the bar, to the mocking delight of the home crowd.
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Fabiano, who was single-handedly keeping United at bay, continued his heroics between the posts with a superb fingertip save at full stretch to deny Antony. United maintained their relentless pressure, but Lennon's diligent side continued to nullify them, then took a shock lead with their first real attack of the game in the 34th minute.
Tyrell Malacia took a poor first touch and was caught in possession by Bruno, allowing Omonia to counter-attack, the ball finding its way to Karim Ansarifard, who dispatched a lofted finish beyond David De Gea. Although United eventually had three players back in a desperate bid to stop the break, Christian Eriksen, who had Ansarifard covered, ultimately left him unmarked, allowing the forward to score.
The goal was reminiscent of the shambolic one United conceded against Istanbul Basaksehir two years ago in the Champions League, their defensive naivety once again exposed. Malacia and Jadon Sancho, the latter also culpable for the opener for his poor pass to the former, were hauled off at half-time, replaced by Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford.
Rashford made an instant impact, executing an exquisite curled finish eight minutes after the restart, Ronaldo's run off the ball opening up the space for him to get United back on level terms. Martial was brought on for Fernandes and, like with Rashford, it proved an inspired change from Ten Hag, the French forward putting United in front with a clinical finish in the 63rd minute.
Rashford put United 3-1 up, afforded a simple finish from Ronaldo's skewed effort in the 84th minute, the latter then thudding the woodwork from close range as he sought his milestone goal.
United should have seen the game out with ease, but conceded a minute later. Substitute Nikolaos Panagiotou produced a sweeping finish to set up a nervy finale for Ten Hag and his players, one they managed to successfully navigate. Only just.
