- Man Utd claimed 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League
- Erik ten Hag's side initially had a 2-0 lead that they threw away
- Hosts looked set to inflict a defeat until Harry Maguire's header
Manchester United rescued a 3-3 draw in dramatic fashion against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday night, equalising in stoppage time through Harry Maguire.
Marcus Rashford had given Erik ten Hag’s side a dream start early on, before Rasmus Hojlund’s first goal of the season doubled that advantage. But they allowed Porto back into the game, with Pepe and Samu Omorodion both on the score-sheet to make it 2-2 by half-time.
Samu, who nearly joined Chelsea in the summer, then put Porto into the lead as United conceded three goals for the third time in just ten games this season.
Things looked to go from bad to worse when Bruno Fernandes, playing in his home city, was sent off for the second game running. But Maguire’s late header ensured United remain unbeaten in Europe after two matchdays and slightly suppressed the enormous pressure building on Ten Hag.
How the game unfolded
This was United’s first meeting with Porto in more than 15 years, since Cristiano Ronaldo scored a thunderbolt in a 1-0 win in 2009, and they started on the front foot, dictating possession as Porto sat deep looking to absorb pressure and spring counter attacks.
Rashford’s early opener wasn’t quite Ronaldo-esque, but it showed the often criticised star at his best as he drove at Porto defenders off the left flank. A piece of skill created the space to shoot and, although Euro 2024 hero Diogo Costa was weak in letting the ball creep in, it rounded off a fine team move after United had moved the ball well from deep, and then from right to left.
Porto threatened when Samu had a shot well blocked by Lisandro Martinez and Joao Mario wildly blazed the loose ball off target. But United responded by closing to doubled the lead as Rashford’s cross in the direction of Hojlund only narrowly bounced wide of the far post.
If Costa had been poor for the opening goal, the second was just as bad. Hojlund did incredibly well, winning a header in midfield to knock the ball down to Christian Eriksen and then sprinting towards the box. His run wasn’t in vain, played in by Rashford and thrashing a left-footed shot to the near post. Costa got a hand on the ball, but it just crossed the line as a defender hooked it away.
But just when it looked like things were going well for Erik ten Hag, two Porto goals in the space of seven minutes wiped out the lead. Both were the result of crosses from the right.
The first saw Andre Onana pull off a great save to stop Noussair Mazraoui from accidentally heading into his own when battling with Samu, with a stooping Pepe reacting to the rebound faster than Martinez to nod it in. The second saw Samu get the better of Matthijs de Ligt in the six-yard box, connecting powerfully with Mario’s curved cross to give Onana no chance.
United regained some control in the closing stages of the first half but Porto had their third within a few minutes of the restart. Pepe beat Martinez for pace and cut the ball back for Samu, whose movement allowed him to get across the front of De Ligt to finish clinically.
Half-time substitute Alejandro Garnacho got a glimpse of goal with an hour gone, with the surprisingly dreadful Costa weakly parrying the ball into his path from Mazraoui’s low shot. But the United winger was at a narrow angle and off balance so couldn’t find the target. It so nearly got worse, though, and Onana was sharp to turn a Samu shot behind for a corner.
United played the final ten minutes with ten players when Fernandes was dismissed in slightly controversial circumstances. The captain was adjudged to have endangered Porto defender Nehuen Perez with a high boot whilst already on a yellow card. There didn’t appear to be contact, which Fernandes vehemently pointed out, but Perez clutching his face didn’t help matters.
Moments later, Porto were through on goal when a botched offside trap let Wenderson Galeno in, but Onana won the one-on-one battle by sticking out his right leg for the save. Garnacho forced an important stop from Costa at the other end as United searched for the equaliser, but a corner right at the death gave the visitors what they wanted when Maguire powerfully met Eriksen’s out-swinging delivery to keep the wolves from the door at least a little bit longer.
Man Utd player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Andre Onana - 6/10 - A huge one-on-one save shortly before Maguire equalised effectively helped his team salvage a draw. Had that gone, it was game over at 4-2.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui - 4/10 - Not connected with the rest of the back four. Too deep when the others stepped up for Porto's third goal, ensuring play stayed onside. It was a similar story later when an Onana saved stopped the hosts getting a fourth.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt - 3/10 - Beaten for movement in the six-yard box by Samu twice, when Porto equalised and then when they took the lead.
CB: Lisandro Martinez - 3/10 - Didn't anticipate the danger as Pepe pulled the first goal back. Then burned for pace by the same player for the second.
LB: Diogo Dalot - 5/10 - A first experience of facing his former club and it wasn't a pleasant one. Porto were at their most dangerous down his flank.
CM: Christian Eriksen - 6/10 - Played a signfiicant role in creating the second United goal, before assisting the third, but being part of a two-man midfield makes him a liability out of possession.
CM: Casemiro - 5/10 - United are far too porous in midfield. On an island by himself with gaps all around. The tactics are wrong, but he doesn't have the legs either.
RM: Amad Diallo - 6/10 - Looked like he could pose a threat and didn't give the ball away even once, but too much on the periphery to have a meaningful impact.
AM: Bruno Fernandes - 5/10 - Sent off for the second game in a row and this one can't be appealed because it was two yellow cards. He thought it was harsh but it was always risky raising his boot that high. Had earlier created several chances with dangerous balls into the box.
LM: Marcus Rashford - 7/10 - Gave his team a brilliant start by taking the game directly to Porto. Withdrawn at half-time. It wasn't clear if it was injury-related, but it would have been madness to take him off otherwise because of that first half impact.
ST: Rasmus Hojlund - 7/10 - This was his first start of the season and United have missed him. The second goal showed what he's about, a bruising bulldozer of a centre forward.
Substitutes
SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (46' for Rashford) - 7/10
SUB: Antony (68' for Amad) - 5/10
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (68' for Hojlund) - 5/10
SUB: Harry Maguire (78' for Martinez) - 7/10
SUB: Jonny Evans (79' for De Ligt) - 6/10
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Tom Heaton (GK), Victor Lindelof, Toby Collyer, Daniel Gore, Manuel Ugarte.
Manager
Erik ten Hag - 4/10 - Couldn't believe what he was watching as his team dramatically folded after going into a commanding lead. There's clearly ability in this group of players, but they're way too fragile. For whatever reason he's not getting the mental side right.
