MANCHESTER UNITED’S Champions League hopes hang by a thread after a chaotic loss in Copenhagen.
Rasmus Hojlund’s double put United in a commanding position until Marcus Rashford was controversially sent off for a studded challenge.
The hosts then pulled equalised with a quick-fire double before Fernandes put the visitors ahead with a superb penalty.
But in a huge twist of events, Lerager Copenhagen level again and Roony Bardghji got the winner.
- RESULT: Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
- Live stream: discovery+
- TV channel: TNT Sports 1
- Copenhagen XI: Grabara; Ankersen, Vavro, Diks, Jelert; Lerager, Falk, Goncalves; Elyounoussi, Claesson, Achouri
- Man Utd XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Evans, Dalot; McTominay, Eriksen; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
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That’s all from Copenhagen
After the relief and revelry of Saturday’s win at Fulham, it was back down to earth with a bump for Manchester United as they crashed to a 4-3 defeat at Copenhagen in the Champions League.
In truth, Erik ten Hag’s team played well for long periods in the Danish capital, but threw away 2-0 and 3-2 leads, both after Marcus Rashford has been sent off at the end of the first half.
So, just like in the Premier League, it means that United have plenty of work to do in order to challenge at the right end of the table, and a lot fewer games in which to do it.
It will be win or bust when they go to Galatasaray at the end of the month, but hey, there’s always the FA Cup.
Thanks for joining us, and goodnight.
Rash challenge or wrong decision?
Debate continues to rage post-match regarding the decision to send Marcus Rashford off in the 42nd-minute of Manchester United’s 4-3 defeat at FC Copenhagen.
Back in the team after missing Saturday’s win at Fulham with a knock, the forward was dismissed for a lunge on Elias Jelert after referee Donatas Rumsas was sent to the pitchside monitor.
It was only Rashford’s second red card in 374 Manchester United appearances, and his first since September 2018 when sent off against Burnley.
Ten Hag rues referee decisions
Erik ten Hag revealed he was very pleased with his players’ performance, but was left frustrated by what he considered to be a number of contentious refereeing decisions that went against his side.
The Manchester United manager was particularly aggrieved by Copenhagen’s first goal – 93 seconds after Marcus Rashford’s sending off – which he felt was offside, while he also takes issue with the handball that decision that led to their penalty.
The Dutchman also believed the game swung on the red card, a judgement that he labelled ‘very harsh’.
I think we were very good until the red card, but the red card changes everything. It becomes a different game, but then you concede two goals that never should count and that’s very disappointing. The first goal was offside, there is a player standing in front of Andre Onana, and the second, what can you even do about that? And I think the red card was a very harsh decision, [Rashford] was going for the ball. We are dealing with many decisions against us but that’s how it is. The season is long and I’m sure it will turn in our favour.
Erik ten Hag
Rasmus shines bright on dark night
Manchester United may have endured another defeat, but the performance of Rasmus Hojlund will at least offer hope for the future.
At the tender age of 20 years and 277 days, the Danish striker became the youngest player to score twice in a Champions League away match for the Old Trafford club.
Hojlund is now United’s top scorer in all competitions this season with five goals – all five of which have come in this competition.
Devils unable to shake losing feeling
Saturday’s win at Fulham proved to be a false dawn as Manchester United slipped to defeat once again.
There once was a time when such outcomes were unthinkable, but now they have become the norm.
Among current Premier League sides, only Burnley (10) have lost more games in all competitions than United (9) this season.
In fact, nine defeats in their opening 17 matches of a season is the most that the club has endured since nine in 1973-74 under Tommy Docherty.
United hit rock bottom
With ten minutes remaining this evening, Group A had a very different look about it with Manchester United sitting pretty in second.
But now, the Red Devils find themselves at the foot of the table and staring at the prospect of any early exit.
Defeat at Galatasaray in the next round of the games will see Erik ten Hag’s men eliminated.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have already sealed their place in the Last 16 with another win courtesy of a Harry Kane double.
- Bayern Munich 2-1 Galatasaray
- Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
Credit: uefa.com Match stats from Parken Stadium
Manchester United have lost a Champions League match in which they led by two goals for the first time.
The Red Devils survived Copenhagen’s 16 shots at Old Trafford two weeks ago and came out of the game with a win and a clean sheet.
Copenhagen had 16 shots again tonight. This time United conceded four and lost.
Full time – Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
What a night.
Erik ten Hag heads straight down the tunnel as his players stay out on the pitch, completely bemused as to how they’ve lost in the Danish capital.
Two-nil up, and then 3-2 up, the Premier League side crumbled under pressure, twice conceding two goals in quick succession.
The sending off of Marcus Rashford didn’t help matters, of course, but this is another United performance that has brought about more questions than answers for the Old Trafford faithful.
Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
90+4. Grabara takes two attempts to leap upon a Fernandes long-range effort, and that should be that.
The Parken Stadium holds its breath and waits for the referee’s final whistle…
Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
90+2. Stunning effort from Maguire! Off the crossbar!
The United defender does brilliantly to win an aerial duel with Diks, and then responds to the bouncing ball by arrowing the most powerful half-volleys down the centre of Grabara’s goal.
The Copenhagen goalkeeper has no chance of getting a hand to it – he’d be daft to even try – but he’s saved by the frame of his own goal.
After all that, it turns out the referee had penalised Maguire for his jump.
Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
90. The fourth official has signalled that there will be five minutes of time added on.
Five minutes for Manchester United to save themselves.
Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
89. The Parken Stadium is bouncing!
On the touchline, Erik ten Hag stands stony-faced.
As it stands, Manchester United are heading to the bottom of Group A, and who knows what the implications of that will be for the Dutchman.
Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
87. The seventeen-year-old has done it!
Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane try to play out from defence, but in the face of immense Copenhagen intensity, immediately give up possession.
And when a quick cross back into the penalty area from the left is only half-dealt with by the recovering United centre-backs, there is Roony Bardghji.
Cool and composed, the teenage substitute arrows his left-footed half-volley powerfully into the ground, and up beyond Andre Onana in the United goal.
Cue wild scenes of celebration at the Parken Stadium, and, not for the first time, the name ‘Roony’ is being chanted at a Manchester United Champions League game.
Teenage kicks!
Copenhagen 3-3 Man Utd
85. Seventeen-year-old Roony Bardghji is causing chaos for the Manchester United defence.
He looks a real talent, and it’s all Copenhagen right now.
Copenhagen 3-3 Man Utd
83. With seven minutes remaining, Manchester United’s defence has finally been undone in this second half.
The spotlight will be shone upon Diogo Dalot, who completely switched off and allowed Lukas Lerager to steal in at the back post and convert Rasmus Falk’s hopeful cross from the left.
There’s little time for celebration too with the hosts rushing back to their own half. They believe they can still win this.
Level again!
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd
81. Harry Maguire bundles the ball into the back of the net from a corner, but the whistle had long gone for a foul by the United defender.
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd
79. A chance for McTominay to seal it on the break, but the midfielder spoons his strike from Fernandes’ awkward pass high into the stands.
Still, if he was wearing a Scotland shirt, he would have buried that.
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd – Copenhagen substitution
77. Redemption time? After his penalty miss two weeks ago, Jordan Larsson is on to face Manchester United again.
Henrik Larsson’s son is joined on the pitch by Nicolai Boilesen, with the pair replacing Denis Vavro and Elias Achouri.
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd
75. Do you remember Sofyan Amrabat at the World Cup? That guy who was an absolute machine in midfield for Morocco. Where’s he these days?
This guy with the same name just doesn’t seem to be cutting it.
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd
73. The wind has been knocked out of Copenhagen’s sails, but there’s still plenty of time – assuming they don’t do anything daft.
Like committing too many men forward, and leaving gaps for Garnacho and Hojlund to exploit on the break.
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd
71. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Group A, Bayern Munich have taken the lead against Galatasaray thanks to a goal from Harry Kane.
As things stand, United will be going second in the table.
Copenhagen 2-3 Man Utd
69. What. A. Penalty.
Under immense pressure, Bruno Fernandes makes it look easy.
Giving himself the shortest of run-ups, the skipper steps up and pulls his spotkick into the top left corner as Kamil Grabara throws himself the opposite way.
The Manchester United captain stepped up with the winning goal at Fulham on Saturday. Has he done the same here?
Back in front!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
