Manchester United fought back from two goals down to defeat Roma three-two in the Champions League on Tuesday. The result handed under-pressure manager Michael Carrick a temporary reprieve.
United looked set for another defeat when they fell two goals behind within eighteen minutes at Old Trafford. Mathias Soule scored with a smart finish before Donyell Malen converted a penalty kick.
The early deficit provoked fury inside the stadium. United supporters threw tennis balls and other objects onto the pitch while directing foul-mouthed chants at the club majority owners, the Glazer family.
United completely changed the atmosphere after the interval by staging a thrilling second-half comeback. Bruno Fernandes gave the hosts a lifeline in the fifty-eighth minute from the penalty spot.
Fernandes initially missed his first attempt against Roma third-choice goalkeeper Devis Vasquez. The referee ordered a retake because visiting players encroached into the penalty area, and Fernandes made no mistake with his second chance.
Matheus Cunha then secured the victory for United by scoring twice in the space of three minutes near the end of the match. Cunha received a red card for a stoppage-time dismissal after his heroics.
Roma squandered a commanding position for the second time in the competition after previously losing to Real Madrid. The Italian side crumbled defensively in the second half after dominating the opening period.
United head into a fixture against Aston Villa in a vastly improved mood. Aston Villa suffered a three-nil defeat against Barcelona on the same evening.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Paris Saint-Germain continued their perfect start by thrashing Villarreal six-nil in Spain. European clubs held a moment of silence before kick-off to pay tribute to Tenerife player Jesus de Miguel, who died at age thirty following a collision in a second-division match.
PSG played without injured or absent stars including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Marquinhos, and Nuno Mendes. Joao Neves, Desire Doue, Senny Mayulu, and Fabian Ruiz scored four rapid goals to set a competition record for the fastest four strikes in a match.
Ruiz added his second goal of the night, and teenager David Boly completed the scoring with the sixth goal. The dominant victory placed Luis Enrique’s side at the top of the group table ahead of the weekend fixtures.
