Champions League

MANCHESTER UNITED earned a crucial draw at Atletico Madrid.The home side made a dream start when Harry Maguire failed to pick up Joao Felix, who netted with a bullet header.
But Anthony Elanga beat Jan Oblak with a cool finish to get the Red Devils an equaliser they scarcely deserved.
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That’s all from the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium
The score is all square as Atletico Madrid and Man Utd head to Old Trafford for the second leg of this round-of-16 fixture.
The next leg will be played on March 15.
Ralf Rangnick was certainly correct when he predicted that the draw would be decided in Manchester!
Thank you for reading, and goodnight!
Goals galore
Anthony Elanga’s goal was Man Utd’s 500th in the European Cup/Champions League.
Only Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid have scored more.
500 – Anthony Elanga’s goal was @ManUtd’s 500th in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, a tally bettered by only Real Madrid (1001), Bayern München (760) and Barcelona (624). Giants. pic.twitter.com/emyJNl2isf— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 23, 2022

Ralf’s relief
When speaking to BT Sport, Ralf Rangnick said:
“I don’t know if I rescued it, but after the performance in the first half, it could only get better.
“What we played in the first half, I still can’t believe what we did. We played without conviction, without all the necessary aggression, that’s why we really struggled.
“Second half we did better, and with another ten minutes, we might have even won the game. But we have to play better.
“I was very disappointed with our performance in the first half. We were far too apprehensive, and didn’t take any risks, without any deep runs or verticality.
“Anthony Elanga is playing as if his dream has come true. I wish a few other players would take him a role model, not because he’s doing everything right, but he’s enjoying himself on the pitch, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Credit: Getty
El-ated
When speaking to BT Sport, Anthony Elanga said:
“I think that was my first touch as well!”
“I’ve dreamt of moments like this, scoring in the Champions League. A big occasion like this, against a top European team like Atletico Madrid, is a dream come true.”
“But it’s only the first half, and we’ve got to be ready for Old Trafford in a couple of weeks.”
“I want to give it 150% every time I step on the pitch.”
“I appreciate the boss, every time he puts me on I want to repay the favour to him.”
“He said to me to just do what I always do, make the defenders scared and run in behind.”
“I wanted a good result for the fans because they have travelled a long way.”
Credit: Getty
Full Time – Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
Man Utd were second-best for the majority of the game.
They had some poor periods of play and could have been considered lucky not to concede more goals.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes were quiet throughout and failed to make much of an impact, but super-sub Anthony Elanga influenced the game as soon as he stepped onto the pitch.
Credit: EPA
Full Time – Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
Atletico Madrid were dominant throughout the game and were undoubtedly the most threatening side.
Joao Felix, Angel Correa and Geoffrey Kondogbia continued to play with high intensity whilst they were on the pitch, helping to force the opposition onto the back foot.
The Red Devils were forced into some mistakes, especially during the first half, but Los Colchoneros made a few of their own in the late stages which allowed Elanga to level the score.
Credit: EPA
Full Time – Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
What a result for Man Utd!
Felix’s early goal was cancelled out late in the game by super-sub Elanga.
Not the strongest performance from the Red Devils, but they will certainly be happy with the outcome.
Credit: PA
90+4 Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
Lingard strikes from the edge of the penalty area.
Oblak does well to get down and make the save.
90. Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
Four minutes will be added on…
Man Utd are looking for the winner.
89. Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
Griezmann hits the bar!!!
Late drama at the Wanda Metropolitano!
Sancho is replaced by Lingard for Man Utd.
81. Atletico Madrid 1-1 Man Utd
Fernandes receives the ball in midfield and makes an excellent pass through to Elanga.
Reinildo miss-times the challenge which allows the striker to break through and place the ball into the bottom left corner.
Credit: EPA
80. GOOOAAAAALLLLLLL MAN UTD!!!!!!
Super-sub Elanga levels the score!
78. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Man Utd have a free kick in a dangerous position after a foul from Correa on Fred.
Ronaldo steps up to take, but his shot flies over the bar.
Credit: Reuters
76. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Atletico Madrid make their first substitutions.
Felix makes way for Griezmann.
Lodi makes way for Lemar.
76. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Man Utd make another substitution.
Elanga comes on to replace Rashford.
74. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Lodi drives down the left before attempting to cross the ball into Correa, but Varane does well to clear the danger.
Atletico continue to press and Fred is booked for a challenge on Correa.
72. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
The ball is crossed into the Man Utd penalty area from a corner.
It eventually falls to Felix who attempts a bicycle kick, but his effort is well off-target.
67. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Rashford is booked for a challenge on Llorente.
Man Utd make their first substitutions of the game.
Matic replaces Pogba.
Wan-Bissaka replaces Lindelof.
Telles replaces Shaw.
64. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Reinildo is booked for a challenge on Pogba.
Man Utd have a free kick in a dangerous position but Atletico Madrid do well to clear.
60. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Felix does well to turn away from Pogba and Lindelof before driving forward.
Lindelof brings him down as he accelerates away and is booked.
57. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Rashford shoots from distance but his attempt flies into the upper tier of the Wanda Metropolitano.
Man Utd are enjoying a positive spell at the moment, but they are just lacking the cutting edge in front of goal.
55. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
The ball is crossed to Fernandes in the box.
He attempts to bring it down but his touch runs away from him and Savic is there to make the tackle and clear the danger.
48. Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Atletico Madrid have a corner.
Correa sends the ball into the penalty area and Maguire heads away.
But, Llorente is there to win it back on the edge of the box and volleys towards goal.
His effort runs wide.
Man Utd are under pressure again.
Kick Off – Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
We’re back underway!
This is a huge 45 minutes for Man Utd.
Half Time – Atletico Madrid 1-0 Man Utd
Atletico Madrid have played with high intensity from the off, forcing errors from their opposition and then capitalising on them.
The Man Utd defenders have looked nervous throughout the first half, and some might say that the Red Devils are lucky to be trailing by just one goal.
Correa, Felix and Kondogbia have all been excellent so far.
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TWO of Europe’s most historically successful clubs played out a stalemate in the Champions League.Ajax took the lead through Dusan Tadic before the hosts equalised with a Sebastian Haller own goal.
But Haller then netted at the right end to put the champions of Holland back in front.
However, Roman Yaremchuk headed in an equaliser for Benfica with 20 minutes left.
The Ukrainian star then revealed a shirt with his country’s coat of arms, and was booked for it.
FT: Benfica 2-2 Ajax
With two free-scoring teams facing each other today we were always going to be guaranteed goals.
It was definitely a game of two-halves with Ajax looking capable of opening up Benfica at will in the first 45 minutes.
The Eagles came out with some passion after a team-talk from Nelson Verissimo and the Dutch were made to pay for not killing the game off when they had control.

FT: Benfica 2-2 Ajax
The referee brings the game to an end.
Probably a fair result over the 90 minutes with Benfica really coming out in the second-half and taking control of the game.
Some of the refereeing decisions may have impacted the game but it is now over to Antony or Nunez to make a difference in the return leg and take advantage of being eligible to play.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax – Antony chance!
90+2. The corner comes in and is headed clear but only to the feet of Antony on the edge of the box.
He takes one touch and looks to find the top corner.
The keeper saves at full-stretch.

Benfica 2-2 Ajax
90. We will have four minutes of additional time.
Ajax are on the attack.
Vertonghen heads it out for a corner.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
88. It would be ironic if Nunez happens to win Benfica the game when it comes to the second leg in Amsterdam.
I am sure there would be some very disgruntled Dutch fans.
The referee has now stopped the game for cramp.
New levels being reached today in officiating.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
86. VAR and the competency of officials is brought into question again here as Antony receives a yellow card for trying to headbutt Nunez.
Am all for keeping eleven players on the pitch but I cannot fathom how that was not a red.
VAR remains silent.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
84. Taraabt is substituted for Bernardo.
Such a talent but often seems to fail to deliver.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
82. Seeing the replay for the Benfica equaliser, the Ajax keeper will not want to see that again.
A good shot yes, a good hand by the keeper but he committed the cardinal sin, palming the ball back into the danger area.
An easy finish for Miranchuk.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
80. Big ten minutes for the home team here.
They have been second best to Ajax in the first half but have looked a different team in the second-half.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
77. Nunez is conducting the fans now and trying to get them to eb the twelfth man here.
Ajax are looking exposed now and frail defensively for the first time this evening.
Benfica are pushing on for a winning goal.

Benfica 2-2 Ajax
75. Darwin Nunez is causing all sorts of problems for Ajax.
Again he gets to the byline and looks to square it to a Benfica player but Timber slides in and blocks it for a corner.
The cross comes in but is wasted and gifts possession back to Ajax.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
74. VAR was actually checking as to whether Ajax should have had a penalty in the build-up that led to the Benfica goal.
I think the referee would have needed security to leave the pitch had he disallowed the home team’s goal to award the opposition a penalty.
Benfica 2-2 Ajax
72. Ramos shoots from outside the box and Pasveer makes a one-handed save.
He palms it into the air and Miranchuk slots home the rebound.
Estadio Da Luz erupts!
Goal – Miranchuk equalises for Benfica!
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
69. Otamendi is penalised for the foul.
Big chance there for Miranchuk but it was cleared from heading towards the goal as he went around the keeper.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
67. As the game goes on, the need for Benfica to find a goal grows.
This opens them up to the counter-attack from Ajax.
The Eagles are snatching at their chances in this second-half.
They need to work the goalkeeper at the very least.

Benfica 1-2 Ajax
65. Benfica try to create something with patient build-up play out wide.
They manage to fashion a chance but the Ajax defender blocks it and the ball goes for a corner.
Ramos goes down as the cross comes in looking for a penalty.
He has gone down very easily there.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
62. Antony has shown some quick feet down the right-wing tonight.
The ball is played to the back post to Mazraoui whose shot is saved by the keeper well.
The linesman puts his flag up for offside.
The replay shows he wasn’t and VAR would have allowed the goal.
This linesman is having a shocker tonight.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax – Benfica chance!
59. Silva does brilliantly down the right-hand side and fizzes a ball in across the Ajax penalty area.
No Benfica player can get a touch on it and you wonder whether he would have been better off going alone.
The home fans have their heads in their hands.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
57. Gravenberch gets the ball from a neat pass from Tadic.
He doesn’t get the ball under his spell and it goes out for a Benfica goal kick.
That was a decent chance wasted there.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax – Benfica go close!
55. On the edge of the box Everton gets a shot away which deflects and wrong foots the Ajax keeper.
He can only look from the floor as the ball goes inches pass his post.

Benfica 1-2 Ajax – Chance for Tadic
53. Great ball by Tadic down the left wing with a no-look pass.
Haller sets off, cuts inside and sets up a chance before the linesman belatedly blows his whistle for offside.
The replay shows he wasn’t offside at all.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
51. Quite often the home side are their worst enemies.
If you cannot retain possession, you make the game of football a very difficult one at times.
This time Nunez gets down the left and tries to get a cross in but the ball is blocked for a Benfica corner.
Daley Blind heads clear, not for the first time this evening.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
49. Discipline will be key in this half for The Eagles.
They have a lot of players on yellow cards who if they receive another will miss the return leg in Holland.
Benfica 1-2 Ajax
47. Benfica breaks out with Ramos who finds Everton down the right wing.
Not a brilliant ball to the player but he really cannot do anything with it.
Ramos receives a yellow card for a challenge on Timber.
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