Since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United, the body language of the whole unit changed. They started off the weekend in a dazzling fashion with Ronaldo bagging a brace and at Bern, Switzerland, against the Young Boys; the Red Devils were expected to carry on the momentum. But, on a shocking night, Young Boys stunned the visitors.
On paper, this should have been an easy test for Manchester United. They have lost their first match in just one of their last 21 Champions League campaigns, back in 2015-16 under Louis van Gaal, while Young Boys lost both previous meetings between the two sides in the 2018-19 group stage.
Young Boys boss David Wagner named a strong team as he takes charge of his first-ever Champions League match. His line-up included nine of the players that started their 4-0 victory over Zurich in the Swiss Super League last time out.
Manchester United's line-up was, without a doubt, strong as Ronaldo equalled Iker Casillas' all-time Champions League appearance record of 177 matches. It's his first appearance in the Champions League for Manchester United since 2009 final.
An early chance for the hosts as Jadon Sancho lost the ball in the midfield. Meschack Elia got Lindelof isolated, twisted and turned but dragged a tricky shot beyond David de Gea’s far post.
Bruno Fernandes prodded a through ball on towards Sancho, but it ran through to the keeper. It looked like Paul Pogba was on the left of midfield, with Donny van de Beek joining Fred in the centre.
Elia picked up on a long ball and shimmied past Lindelof, before powering the ball across goal to no one in particular. He had done the hard bit, but the cross was lacking.
Fernandes produced an outrageous cross that curled with the outside of the boot, landed to Ronaldo six yards out. His first-time shot slipped through the keeper’s legs, and was just over the line!
Ronaldo’s prior Manchester United goal in the Champions League came more than 12 years ago – that was another new record, for the longest gap between goals for the same club.
Young Boys regrouped and decided to advance rather than sitting deep.
Fassnacht was given too much time, lined up a shot from distance, and forced De Gea into an awkward low save, down to his right.
Ronaldo dropped into midfield and triggered a counter-attack with a swinging diagonal ball to Sancho. The winger took a little too long to get his head up, and Ulisses Garcia did well to close down and intercept, with Pogba and Fernandes galloping into the box.
Christopher Martins and Aaron Wan-Bissaka went for a 50-50 ball and the full-back overstretched his boot landing hard on his opponent’s ankle. Bissaka was sent off and it hampered the momentum of Manchester United, who lost the numerical advantage.
After the break, Martins, who was fouled by Wan-Bissaka in the red-card challenge, got booked for a foul on Maguire.
The ball is heaved upfield towards Ronaldo, the only Manchester United player in the opposing half. His presence alone is enough to unsettle Camara, who lost his footing and allowed Ronaldo to get in on goal. He made up ground and Ronaldo went over in the area – no penalty was given and it was the right decision.
Elia smashed a shot over the bar, under pressure from Dalot. Plenty of blood and thunder from the hosts since Wan-Bissaka went off, but aside from Fassnacht’s chance, they’ve struggled to trouble De Gea.
Manchester United discovered themselves on the back foot as Hefti’s cross was blocked by Shaw, prompting cries of handball from the stands, if not the Young Boys players. Elia then overran the ball at the byline as he tried to make space for a cross.
Then, Elia drifted out wide again and his deflected cross fell to Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, who got in front of Varane at the near post and fires home – Young Boys had equalized.
Ngamaleu was immediately presented with another chance from Elia’s pass, but lifted his shot over the bar.
In the last twenty minutes or so, the home team supporters had raised their voice to back their team and script an upset as Young Boys toyed with the visiting team’s backline.
Ronaldo was replaced by Jesse Lingard, while Matic came on for Fernandes.
Lingard was playing as a nominal forward, but Manchester United are set up in a 5-4-0.
A final attack was broken up in the stoppage time, and all Lingard had to do was hoof it away. Instead, he tried for some reason to play it back to David de Gea. Jordan Siebatcheu raced clear, fired home – and the crowd went absolutely wild!
The Champions League starts with an absolutely shocking result.
Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk on 14/09/2021 Young Boys shock Manchester United
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
No comments:
Post a Comment