Atletico Madrid 1, Manchester United 1 (UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 1st Leg)
Anthony Elanga spared toothless Manchester United’s blushes with an 80th minute equaliser at Atletico Madrid.
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited didn’t even muster a single touch in the Atletico Madrid area in the first half and didn’t get a shot on target until Elanga’s equaliser after Atleti had opened the scoring through Joao Felix and proceeded to completely blunt the popgun United attack for most of the game.
Few United players will come out of this match without criticism and the home side should have finished off the Reds as they hit the crossbar twice during the game but were hit by a late sucker punch from the popular winger who had only been on the pitch for five minutes.
The result gives United strong hopes of qualifying for the quarter finals at Old Trafford despite an utterly forgettable performance even though they ensured that Atletico Madrid have now failed to win their last seven Champions League home games.
United’s hero on the night Anthony Elanga became United’s youngest ever goalscorer in the knockout phase of the Champions League at the age of 19 years and 302 days.
He declared that he wanted to repay his manager for the trust he gave him after he replaced the misfiring Marcus Rashford.
“I think that was my first touch.” said Elanga of his goal, and enthused about his magical night in Madrid, adding: “I’ve dreamt of night like this against a top European side like Atletico Madrid.
“It’s only the first half of the tie though.
“Whenever I get the opportunity I just want to repay the manager and give 150% whenever I get on the pitch.
“We weren’t the best in the first half but we stepped up in the second half.”
He added that he followed the manager’s instructions when given the chance to change the game and took his chance with both hands.
He added: “He told me to make the defender scared and run in behind, and when I get the opportunity take it.
“Hopefully the next leg at Old Trafford will be even better.”
United boss Ralf Rangnick was scathing in his assessment of the game, making a point to his players who were poor in the first half.
He declared: “After the performance in the first half it could only get better.
“I still can’t believe what we did. We played without conviction and aggression against the ball – we struggled.
“We were too apprehensive and didn’t take any risks with the ball.”
“We conceded an early goal that was difficult to defend, we have to be more aggressive and do what we did in the last couple of weeks.
The Reds improved in the second half after he made changes.
“We had more possession in areas that mattered in the second half.
“And if we played for ten more minutes we might have won the game.
“We needed more deep runs and that’s what Anthony Elanga did.
“Playing here was a dream come true for him – I wish a few other players would take him as an example – he’s enjoying himself on the pitch.”
Rangnick explained that United set up with Victor Lindelof at right back to counter Atletico Madrid set pieces but had to change plans after falling behind.
He explained: “It was my idea, we used Victor for aerial duels and free kicks.
“I thought we could use three central defenders but after seven minutes the plan was almost in the dustbin.
“In the last half hour with Aaron [Wan-Bissaka] on the pitch we had more chances.”
And with the tie on a knife edge, Rangnick declared that United fans had their part to play when Diego Simeone brings his team to Old Trafford.
He added: “We showed how we have to play in the second half but it will be a different game at home in front of 75,000 fans and with more conviction.”
David de Gea was returning to his boyhood club for the first time since he left to join Manchester United while the icon of Atletico’s cross town rivals Cristiano Ronaldo looked to add to his 25 in 35 goals against them.
Joao Felix scores against lacklustre Manchester United
Rangnick made three changes from the side that had beaten Leeds United on Sunday.
Scott McTominay missed out through illness, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jesse Lingard were also replaced by Marcus Rashford, Fred, and Raphael Varane whose return to the starting lineup meant Victor Lindelof had to play right back.
Correa and Joao Felix were trusted by Diego Simeone who left veteran forwards Antoine Griezmann and ex-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez on the bench despite missing the experience of Koke and Yannick Carrasco.
They need not have worried as United looked incapable of winning the ball back after losing it and looked unable to put together a coherent attack in the first half despite dominating possession as their hosts blocked everything from the Reds.
Victor Lindelof prevented an early chance for their hosts with a great block from Jose Gimenez.
But Joao Felix broke his Champions League scoring duck this season with a flying header that went in off the post from a looping deep left wing cross by Renan Lodi in the 7th minute.
Felix, who was coveted by Manchester City before he moved to Madrid, sealed the perfect start for Atletico Madrid.
Now the challenge for United was to break down an Atletico defence which is normally hard to beat but has been porous this term and they found it surprisingly easy to neutralise the danger from their illustrious opponents who dominated possession but could not create a clear chance to threaten Jan Oblak.
Bruno Fernandes’ deflected shot went wide after a wicked deflection off Stefan Savic.
Joao Felix volleyed wildly over David De Gea’s goal as Lodi looked to repeat his earlier assist for his strike partner.
Ronaldo took until the 36th minute to have a shot and it was a tame and wide effort which didn’t trouble the Atletico defence.
Sime Vrsaljko could have doubled Atleti’s lead just before half time when his downward header bounced onto the crossbar off Lindelof after Bruno Fernandes deflected Lodi’s low cross into his path.
Atletico continued the pressure in the second half with chances from Joao Felix and Marcos Llorente.
United were frustrated and reduced to long range efforts from the likes of Rashford as they couldn’t find a way through the red and white wall and had to resort to cheap fouls as they tried to win the ball back.
Alex Telles, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Nemanja Matic were brought on after 66 minutes with both United full backs on a booking. Luke Shaw, Lindelof, and Pogba made way.
It was clear that United were looking to avoid a second Atletico goal as their attempts to break their hosts were floundering and they couldn’t get the ball back after losing it.
Joao Felix tried an overhead kick as United failed to spark after their uninspired substitutions while the superb Geoffrey Kondogbia shot over the bar after a poor clearance from Fred.
Marcus Rashford was replaced by Anthony Elanga while Thomas Lemar and Antoine Griezmann were summoned from the bench for the home side.
United won a free kick 13 minutes from time when Fred was brought down by the hard working Correa on the edge of the Madrid box.
Ronaldo misses a free kick, Anthony Elanga grabs late equaliser for Manchester United
Finally a decent chance for United to get a shot on target and it was Ronaldo who stepped up for the chance as the whistles from the home crowd grew but the result was a shot was comfortably went over the bar to cheers and derision.
But seconds later Elanga dragged the ball past Oblak after Fred released Fernandes, and his pass went past the off balance Reinildo to the winger behind him – he might have not been on long but his shot went beyond the experienced ‘keeper for his third goal of the season.
Although he had a terrible match until Elanga‘s goal, Fernandes became the first player in Champions League history to lay on assists in six consecutive appearances while playing for an English club – breaking the previous record held by David Beckham since 1998.
Lingard was the next and final change, coming on for Jadon Sancho with 8 minutes left for the relieved Reds.
Griezmann hit the crossbar with a curling effort late on as Atleti looked to retake the lead but Lingard had a clear chance to stun the home crowd but his late shot was saved by Oblak after Atletico had given the ball away deep in added time.
MATCH STATS – Atletico Madrid 1, Manchester United 1 (UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 1st Leg)
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Savic, Gimenez, Mandava, Vrsaljko, Llorente, Kondogbia, Herrera, Lodi (Lemar 76), Correa, Joao Felix (Griezmann 76)
Atletico Madrid subs not used: Lecomte, De Paul, Suarez, Felipe, Hermoso, Serrano, Gomez
Booked: Herrera 45+1 (foul on Paul Pogba); Reinildo 63 (foul on Paul Pogba); Llorente 76 (foul on Alex Telles); Gimenez 78 (foul on Fred)
Goal: Joao Felix 7
Man Utd: De Gea, Lindelof (Wan-Bissaka 66), Varane, Maguire, Shaw (Telles 66), Fred, Pogba (Matic 66), Rashford (Elanga 76), Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo
Man Utd subs not used: Henderson, Heaton, Bailly, Jones, Mata, Lingard, Dalot, Mejbri
Booked: Shaw 50 (foul on Sime Vrsaljko); Lindelof 60 (foul on Joao Felix); Rashford 65 (foul on Llorente); Fred 74 (foul); Telles 80 (foul on Marcos Llorente).
Goal: Elanga 80
Referee: Ovidiu Hategan