Manchester United salvaged a dramatic 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday night, equalizing in stoppage time thanks to Harry Maguire.
Marcus Rashford had given Erik ten Hag’s side a dream start early on, before Rasmus Hojlund’s first goal of the season doubled that lead. But they allowed Porto to get back into the game, with Pepe and Samu Omorodion both on the scoresheet to make it 2-2 at half-time.
Samu, who almost joined Chelsea in the summer, then put Porto in front as United conceded three goals for the third time in just ten games this season.
Things seemed to go from bad to worse when Bruno Fernandes, playing in his hometown, was sent off for the second game in a row. But Maguire’s late header ensured United remained unbeaten in Europe after two rounds and slightly eased the enormous pressure on Ten Hag.
How the game developed
This was United’s first meeting with Porto in more than 15 years, since Cristiano Ronaldo scored a lightning strike in a 1-0 win in 2009, and he started on the front foot, dictating possession as Porto sat deep looking to absorb pressure and spring counterattacks. .
Rashford’s early opener wasn’t quite Ronaldo, but it showed the oft-maligned star at his best as he powered Porto’s defenders down the left flank. A piece of skill created the space to shoot and, although Euro 2024 hero Diogo Costa was poor in letting the ball in, he completed a fine team move after the United would have moved the ball well from deep and then right to left.
Porto threatened when Samu had a shot well blocked by Lisandro MartÃnez and Joao Mario fired the ball wide. But United responded by closing in to double their lead when Rashford’s cross in the direction of Hojlund bounced just wide of the far post.
If Costa had been poor for the first goal, the second was just as bad. Hojlund did incredibly well, winning a header in midfield to knock the ball off Christian Eriksen and then sprint into the box. His run was not in vain, played in by Rashford and scoring with a left foot at the near post. Costa got a hand to the ball but crossed the line when a defender had deflected it.
But just when it looked like things were looking up for Erik ten Hag, two Porto goals in the space of seven minutes ended the scoring. Both were the result of crosses from the right.
The first saw Andre Onana pull off a great save to prevent Noussair Mazraoui accidentally going up against his own when battling with Samu, with a leaning Pepe reacting to the rebound quicker than Martinez to nod home. The second saw Samu get the better of Matthijs. de Ligt in the six-yard box, connecting powerfully with Mario’s curling cross to give Onana no chance.
United regained some control in the closing stages of the first half, but Porto grabbed a third within minutes of the restart. Pepe beat MartÃnez for pace and cut the ball back for Samu, whose movement allowed him to slot past De Ligt to finish clinically.
Half-time substitute Alejandro Garnacho saw off the mark with an hour remaining, with the surprisingly fearsome Costa making a weak save in his path from Mazraoui’s low shot. But the United winger was at a tight and off-balance angle, so he couldn’t find the target. It almost got worse though, and Onana was sharp to turn a shot from behind by Samu for a corner.
United played the last ten minutes with ten men when Fernandes was taken off in slightly controversial circumstances. The captain was adjudged to have endangered Porto defender Nehuen Pérez with a high boot while already on a yellow card. There didn’t appear to be contact, which Fernandes pointed out vehemently, but Perez clutching his face didn’t help.
Moments later, Porto ended up on target when a failed offside trap let in Wenderson Galeno, but Onana won the one-on-one battle by sticking out his right leg to save. Garnacho forced an important save from Costa at the other end as United looked for an equaliser, but a corner right at the death gave the visitors what they wanted when Maguire got home powerfully from Eriksen’s delivery to keep Wolves at bay of the door at least a little more.
GK: Andre Onana – 6/10 – A great one-on-one save shortly before Maguire’s equalizer helped his side claw back. After that, the match ended 4-2.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui – 4/10 – It is not connected to the rest of the back four. Too deep as the others stepped forward for Porto’s third goal, ensuring the game stayed in play. It was a similar story later when a save from Ona ​​prevented the hosts from getting a fourth.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt – 3/10 – Samu scored on the move in the six-yard box twice, when Porto equalized and then when they took the lead.
CB: Lisandro Martinez – 3/10 – The danger was not anticipated, as Pepe pulled back the first goal. Then burned through the pace by the same player for the second.
LB: Diogo Dalot – 5/10 – A first experience of facing his former club and it was not pleasant. Porto was the most dangerous from their side.
CM: Christian Eriksen – 6/10 – He played a big part in setting up United’s second goal, before assisting the third, but being part of a two-man midfield makes him a liability out of possession.
CM: Casemiro – 5/10 – United are too porous in midfield. On a lonely island with voids around. The tactic is wrong, but neither are the legs.
RM: Amad Diallo – 6/10 – He looked like he could pose a threat and didn’t give the ball away once, but too much on the periphery to make a significant impact.
AM: Bruno Fernandes – 5/10 – Sent off for the second game in a row and this one cannot be appealed because it was two yellow cards. I thought it was tough, but it was always risky to lift the boot that high. He had previously created several chances with dangerous balls into the area.
LM: Marcus Rashford – 7/10 – He gave his team a brilliant start by taking the game straight to Porto. Withdrawal at half time. It wasn’t clear if it was an injury, but it would have been crazy to take him off because of that impact in the first half.
ST: Rasmus Hojlund – 7/10 – This was his first start of the season and United have missed him. The second goal showed what he’s all about, a powerful bulldozer from a centre-forward.
Substitutes
SUB: Alexandre Garnacho (46′ for Rashford) – 7/10
SUB: Antony (68′ for Amad) – 5/10
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (68′ for Hojlund) – 5/10
SUB: Harry Maguire (78′ for Martinez) – 7/10
SUB: Jonny Evans (79′ for De Ligt) – 6/10
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Tom Heaton (GK), Victor Lindelof, Toby Collyer, Daniel Gore, Manuel Ugarte.
manager
Erik ten Hag – 4/10 – I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as his team pulled away in dramatic fashion after going into a big lead. There is clearly skill in this group of players, but they are too fragile. For whatever reason, he’s not getting the mental side right.
