Manchester United created history on Wednesday night when they became the first team in Champions League history to recover from losing the first leg of a knockout round tie 2-0 at home. Marcus Rashford scored a stoppage-time penalty as United clinched a thrilling 3-1 win at Paris Saint-Germain to reach the quarter-final.
United went through on away goals after the last 16 tie finished 3-3 on aggregate with nerveless Rashford scoring after a VAR decision spotted a PSG handball. Romelu Lukaku scored in the second and 30th minutes with Juan Bernat leveling for PSG in between his strikes.
It was an incredible result given United were without the suspended Paul Pogba as well as nine injured stars including Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Ander Herrera.
It was the kind of match that makes or breaks players and now caretaker manager Ole Gunner Solskjaer is confident his team can go all the way.
🔴 Manchester United = first team to recover from two-goal home defeat in #UCL history! 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/iXENRpMh5g
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 6, 2019
The incredible numbers
1 - Marcus Rashford's penalty was the first he has ever taken for Manchester United in a competitive match. Nerve. #PSGMUN pic.twitter.com/wqa8jllGvF
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 6, 2019
Manchester United were without:
— UnitedReview (@TheUtdReview) March 6, 2019
❌ Paul Pogba
❌ Anthony Martial
❌ Juan Mata
❌ Nemanja Matic
❌ Ander Herrera
❌ Jesse Lingard
❌ Phil Jones
❌ Alexis Sanchez
❌ Matteo Darmian
❌ Antonio Valencia
• 20 players
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) March 5, 2019
• 8 academy graduates
• 6 teenagers
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s Man Utd squad to face PSG is packed with young talent. pic.twitter.com/1DKaawpaLb
Chris Smalling is the only player over 25 in this photo...
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) March 6, 2019
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is doing i the United Way.™ pic.twitter.com/Ix5FT5Fx0T
Fred for Manchester United vs PSG:
— utdarena (@utdarena) March 6, 2019
100% tackle accuracy
100% long ball accuracy
82% pass accuracy
52 touches
32 passes completed
7 recoveries made
7 long balls completed
5 duels won
3 tackles won
Definitely his best performance for Manchester United. https://t.co/mTEbp7RvMc
Lukaku rocks from the 2nd minute
Wow. Lukaku strikes after 2 minutes. Game on, folks.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 6, 2019
Lukaku has deservedly got a lot of criticism this season but boy has he stepped up at the right time. He’s been aware, alert, quick off the mark, aggressive and clinical; especially tonight. Brilliant so far. Another couple in the second half please big guy! ;-)
— Doc (@Doc_Joshi) March 6, 2019
How are Manchester United winning this?
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) March 6, 2019
A: Romelu Lukaku.
‘Lukaku & Pogba don’t communicate anymore. The two seem to have drifted apart’ 🗞 pic.twitter.com/SgTcBh902a
— Busby Bulletin (@BusbyBulletin) March 6, 2019
But the historic moment was not without controversy
The more you see the handball situation the more you can understand why it was given. Presnel Kimpembe not in control of his body with his back turned. His arm is out and that makes him bigger. #PSGMUN #MUFC #UCL
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) March 6, 2019
Neymar: “This is a disgrace, they put 4 people that know nothing about football in charge of looking at the replay for VAR. There is no penalty. How can it be a handball when it hits his back! Go f**k yourselves!”
— United Xtra (@utdxtra) March 6, 2019
Was it a penalty? #mufc pic.twitter.com/ujxw0uJwUC
In
— Captain Jack Sparrow 🇳🇬 (@Jenkky_2fit) March 6, 2019
PSG VS MAN UNITED
PORTO VS ROMA
MAN OF THE MATCH AWARD GOES TOO.....
VAR pic.twitter.com/IcHCT1Mctb
A word on Gigi Buffon
The Champions League pain is real 💔 pic.twitter.com/7om59v8RWe
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 6, 2019
In conclusion...
what. just. happened.#MUFC #PSGMUN #UCL pic.twitter.com/YNuvRZuiJt
— GIPHY Sports (@GIPHYSports) March 6, 2019
