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Manchester United snatched a last-gasp 3-3 draw away to FC Porto in yet another chaotic European away day.
The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag were hoping for the chance to kickstart their Europa League campaign by winning in an intimidating Estádio do Dragão.
The team was under immense pressure after three disappointing results on the bounce against Crystal Palace, FC Twente and Tottenham Hotspur.
Porto started by far the brighter of the two sides as they registered two shots on goal in the opening two minutes, one excellently blocked by Noussair Mazraoui and one by Galeno that was tipped over by Andre Onana.
United worked their way back into the game by moving the ball around the park and got off to the perfect start when Casemiro and Christian Eriksen combined well and released Marcus Rashford on the left hand side of the pitch.
The much-maligned Englishman showed great acceleration and fancy footwork to beat the Porto defence and his shot slid under Diogo Costa’s right boot after only seven minutes.
The Portuguese keeper will probably feel he should have done better but neither United fans nor Rashford will care as the Mancunian recorded his fourth goal of the season, already half his total of last year.
Porto responded with sustained periods of possession and in the 14th minute Samu Omorodion wiggled his way into some space and unleashed a right footed shot that was expertly blocked by Lisandro Martinez and Joao Mario could only wildly fire over the rebound.
The Red Devils grew in confidence and a long ball from Andre Onana was won by Rasmus Hojlund who laid it off for Eriksen who fed Rashford out wide.
The ENgland international this time slipped in Hojlund whose shot squeezed past a disappointed Costa, who will once again feel he should have done better.
A two goal lead within the first 20 minutes, the start could not have been any better for Ten Hag or the travelling Red army.
With their tails fully up, Ten Hag’s side almost added a third when Rashford waltzed down the left wing and flashed a fierce delivery across goal.
Nonetheless, as has become something of a tradition of late, United’s soft belly was once again exposed in the 26th minute when a delivery was headed across by Porto’s big number nine and forced a great save by Andre Onana. Sadly for the away side, Pepe reacted quicker than a flat-footed Martinez to head in a goal to halve the deficit.
It was a poor goal to concede and at exactly the wrong time from United’s perspective as they seemed well on top and in control before giving the Portuguese side a lifeline into the match.
Predictably, Porto kept the foot on the gas and an excellent delivery from Joao Mario was powered home by Omorodion, leaving Onana with no chance as this time De Ligt failed to react in time. United conceded two goals in seven minutes in what was a carbon copy of last year’s European away day playbook.
In the 41st minute after more good work down the profitable left, Fernandes hung a beautifully disguised cross towards Hojlund and Casemiro with the Brazilian getting a shot off that was bundled behind by the Porto keeper.
Just before the whistle blew, there was one more chance in a frantic half when Rashford ran and ran at the Porto defence and made his way into the box but failed to get a shot off just at the right moment and the home team cleared the danger, as the two sides entered the second half all square.
Worryingly, United were dealt a huge blow as Rashford did not come out for the second half despite being United’s most dangerous attacker. Alejandro Garnacho took his place on the left hand side.
Ten Hag’s men were unbelievably open to start the second half after the home side’s left back, Francisco Moura, had acres of space to glide towards goal but luckily his effort was turned wide by Onana.
The home side did not have long to wait however as Omorodion added a second and his club’s third, once again carving open United with ease.
The sublime to the ridiculous on full show as the Red Devils’ defence was all at sea as their high line was once again cut to shreds. Pepe beat United’s defence for pace and squared the ball to Porto’s number nine who expertly fired high into the net.
United almost hit back in the 51st minute when Garnacho played in Dalot but his cross was well cut out by Costa with Fernandes lurking. The away side continued to attack and both Fernandes and Eriksen could have done better with flashed efforts across the goal.
On 58 minutes, Garnacho cut inside and unleashed a fierce effort but it was right down the throat of Porto’s goalkeeper, as United entered the final 30 minutes behind by a goal.
United continued to press as Mazraoui fired an effort on goal from outside the box and Costa pushed it to Garnacho, but he could only fire into the side netting as he was off balance and on his weaker left foot.
Porto struck back after a quiet period when De Ligt failed to deal with a routine ball into the box and Samu’s eyes widened as he saw an opportunity for a hat-trick but Onana was equal to his effort, rushing down to the bottom corner to deny the Spaniard.
As the match entered the final 20 minutes of play, De Ligt headed from the edge of the box straight at Costa with United having plenty of the ball but they failed to do any real damage to a much more resolute second half Porto defence.
The game settled into a familiar pattern as the Red Devils pushed for an equaliser and the home side were happy to sit in and aim to strike on the break.
As the clock struck 80 minutes, things went from bad to worse for Ten Hag’s men as Bruno Fernandes was booked for the second time in the match and given a red card for the second game in a row.
With the English side now in total disarray, Galeno had acres of space in behind the United defence but poorly shot right at Onana when he should have scored Porto’s fourth of the evening.
United’s only real threat in the final ten minutes came from a rasping shot from Garnacho who forced Costa into a fine save after 88 minutes.
There was to be more drama as in additional time, substitute Harry Maguire popped up to head home a sublime Eriksen corner to remarkably bring the score to 3-3.
The draw will spare United a few blushes and all in all, will not be a bad point away from home, especially after being down to ten men. But the way Ten Hag’s side collapsed after the perfect start once more shows there are many more questions than answers for this United side.
Starting XI: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, Eriksen, Fernandes, Amad, Rashford, Hojlund
Subs: Garnacho, Zirkzee, Antony, Evans, Maguire
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2024-10-03 21:16:40
