Harry Maguire equalizing with a header for Man Utd 3-3 at injury time. Image: Manchester United (Facebook)
(The Post News)- After Manchester United lost 2-0 in a 3-3 Europa League draw against Porto on Thursday, Erick Ten Hag, the manager of the Red Devils, was saved from yet another devastating setback by Harry Maguire’s equalizer in injury time.
With two goals in the opening 20 minutes, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund had given the visitors an incredible start. But when Pepe had forced Porto back into the match, a brace from Samu Omorodion had the English giants on the verge of loss.
Bruno Fernandes was sent off for United for the second straight game, but the 10 men managed to salvage a point when Maguire headed into a corner. Ten Hag’s men have already opened their Europa League campaign with two draws after being held at home by FC Twente last week.
Furthermore, their management will be under no less pressure following Sunday’s difficult Premier League journey to Aston Villa given the way they gave up after getting off to a quick start.
The former Ajax boss responded to the 3-0 defeat by Tottenham last time out by making four changes. Hojlund, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Mad Diallo made his season debut together. Even though Porto was responsible for their own demise, Ten Hag could not have asked for a better beginning.
After a poor 2023–24 season, Rashford has shown signs of returning to his former form, as he opened the score with his fourth goal of the year. The England international dribbled past two Porto defenders and fired in a shot that Portugal’s top scorer, Diogo Costa, ought to have stopped.
After that, Rashford created the second goal when he feed Hojlund, who once more beat Costa at his near post with a strong strike. But United’s two-goal lead was erased in seven minutes, just as Ten Hag was starting to sigh with relief from the sidelines.
After André Onana made a remarkable save to keep Noussair Mazraoui’s header out of his own net, Pepe cut the deficit by diving to head home the rebound.Had Omorodion’s deal from Atletico Madrid not collapsed due to a medical setback, the Spaniard may have been starting for Chelsea in the Premier League.
However, he has scored seven goals in his first six games for Porto, and his spectacular header tied the score for the home team. After the break, things were about to become worse for both the visitors and their struggling boss.
Alejandro Garnacho took Rashford’s place at halftime, ending his encouraging performance. Francisco Moura was denied at his near post by Onana in the first two minutes of the second half with a superb save.
That warning shot went unanswered as a lively Porto counterattack on minute fifty tore apart United’s defense once more. Pepe darted past Lisandro Martinez and down the left, and Omorodion, who had gotten away from Matthias de Ligt’s grasp, blasted his low cross high past Onana.
Upon his return to Portugal, Fernandes was given a second yellow card immediately after. However, the man who relieved Ten Hag of the captaincy was the one who could have kept his post.In the ninetieth minute, Maguire made the biggest move to force home Eriksen’s corner in order to save a point.
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