MAN UNITED 1, ROCHDALE 1
(United won 5-3 on penalties)
Manchester United scraped through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup by the skin of their teeth.
The Reds were taken to a penalty shootout by Rochdale, the team lying 17th in Sky Bet League One.
And but for a spot kick miss by Dale’s Jimmy Keohane it might have been one of the most embarrassing results in the club’s history.
United, despite creating 31 goal attempts to Dale’s five, were desperately poor, particularly senior players like Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard.
It was a sand indictment that a player like 17-year-old rookie Mason Greenwood was carrying the team.
Greenwood, lively and a threat throughout, put United ahead in the 68th minute.
Plucky Dale had their own young jewel, first-year scholar Luke Matheson, who only recently left Trinity C of E High School in nearby Fallowfield, who hit their equaliser.
Matheson, at 16 years and 358 days, was the first 16-year-old to score in the League Cup since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who was 16 years and 360 days when he netted for Southampton against Bournemouth in 2010.
Embed from Getty ImagesDale manager Brian Barry-Murphy praised Matheson and described him as an “exceptional player”.
He also revealed how Matheson combines playing and studying for his A Levels saying he is driven with his school work unlike other players of that age.
Matheson has been courted by Premier League clubs but Barry-Murphy hopes he will stay at Spotland.
He said: “I think it would be beneficial for him to stay and play for us.
“He had had a very different journey to the Manchester United players aged 16.
“I would like to keep him as long as possible as we tend to lose a lot of our young players.”
Manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, who declined to attend a post-match press conference, said in a television interview the key was not getting a second goal to seal victory.
He praised Dale’s players and coaching staff for believing and having a go which made it an entertaining game.
United made nine changes from the side beaten at West Ham on Sunday with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Andreas Pereira the only two survivors
It was a far stronger Reds’ side than expected with Tahith Chong and Mason Greenwood the only two teenagers in the side and captain Axel Tuanzebe who is aged 21.
Paul Pogba, who returned after missing three games with ankle injury, was one of six full internationals in the side that kicked off the game.
It was an uneventful opening and it took until the 15th minute for the first goal attempt of the match when Pogba blazed over after Dale carelessly game away possession in defence.
Pereira had the first effort on target from distance as he fired straight at goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
United started to create clear-cut chances as Marcos Rojo forced a decent save from Sanchez when he got on the end of a Greenwppd cross.
Pereira then glanced a header narrowly wide as Dale started to live dangerously defensively.
United ought to have made the breakthrough in the 34th minute when Pogba planted a free header over the bar from seven yards following a perfect cross from Greenwood.
There was another gilt-edged opening five minutes when Lingard put Greenwood clean through but his shot from 18 yards was well kept out by Sanchez.
Lingard then saw a header loop on to the roof of the net from Wan -Bissaka’s cross then in stoppage time a drive from Rojo flashed narrowly wide.
United made a change at the break when Brandon Williams, 19, was handed a first-team debut in place of the injured Phil Jones.
Williams slotted in at left back with Rojo switching inside to partner Tuanzebe.
There was an electrifying start to the second period as Pereira’s shot deflected off Jimmy Keohane into the side netting.
Dale then had their first goal attempt in the 52nd minute and ought to have snatched the lead.
Oliver Rathbone dribbled to the by-line before cutting the ball back to Callum Campos four yard out. He ought to have buried the ball in the back of the net but his weak, miscued effort was spectacularly cleared off the line by Wan-Bissaka.
Greenwood, United’s most potent attacking threat, then saw a drive flash past the upright as the game remained goalless.
United made a second change on the hour as summer signing Daniel James replaced Chong as United looked for a fresh impetus to break the deadlock.
James immediately made a great break before releasing Greenwood whose fierce shot was beaten to safety by Sanchez.
There was a palpable sigh of relief when Greenwood gave United a 68th minute lead.
A decent passing move ended with Lingard setting up Greenwood who cut in from the right and rifled home a low shot.
If United thought they were home and dry they were mistaken as Dale equalised in the 76th minute.
Oliver Rathbone fired over a high cross from the left which was met by Matheson who hit the ball into the ground as it looped into the roof of the net, eluding Tuanzebe who was covering on the line.
Solskjaer’s last throw of the dice saw him throw on Juan Mata for Lingard with five minutes left.
Greenwood and Wan-Bissaka both shot narrowly wide and Fred and Pereira both forced decent saves from Sanchez as United were unable to find a winner as the game went to penalties.
In the penalty shootout United had a perfect record as Mata, Pereira, Fred, Greenwood and James all scored with Pogba not stepping forward.