In what will go down as one of the craziest games of football, Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty which was awarded on a VAR review after the final whistle had been blown.
Manchester United rode their luck to register their first Premier League points of the season with a thrilling 3-2 win at Brighton on Saturday.
The Seagulls hit the woodwork five times and thought they had earned a deserved point when Solly March headed home to equalise in the 95th minute.
However, Neal Maupay’s handball was penalised by referee Chris Kavanagh after he had blown for full-time and Fernandes converted from the spot in the 100th minute.
Pre-season hopes that United could mount a title challenge to their biggest rivals Liverpool and Manchester City dissipated after a dire display in losing 3-1 to Crystal Palace last weekend.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes and got more of the same for the first 45 minutes as Brighton controlled the game.
But in a chaotic finale, Harry Maguire’s header from a corner struck Maupay’s arm and to Brighton’s dismay, a penalty was awarded.
Fernandes has never missed a top-flight penalty and stayed cool under the pressure to ensure Solskjaer’s men escaped with all three points.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to the crazy, crazy game:
Bruno Fernandes' goal at 99:45 is the latest scored in the #PL since Juan Mata's for Chelsea against Norwich in August 2011 (100:03)#BHAMUN pic.twitter.com/mI4tdsxKB4
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 26, 2020
Here is the section of the VAR protocol that sets out a penalty can be given after the final whistle has been blown. #BRIMUN pic.twitter.com/i4EGW8yL24
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) September 26, 2020
Not even Fergie & his 'Fergie time' ever managed to get a game won after the final whistle
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) September 26, 2020
Brighton 2-3 Man United
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 26, 2020
Times Brighton hit the post: 5
🤯 pic.twitter.com/10LqdYkvpC
Man Utd vs. Brighton:
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 26, 2020
🔵 40 minutes — Maupay goal
🔴 43 minutes — Dunk own goal
🔴 55 minutes — Rashford goal
🔵 94 minutes — March goal
🔚 96 minutes — Final whistle
🔴 99 minutes — Bruno goal
🤯😂 pic.twitter.com/kSW3QlsJJk
40': Bruno Fernandes concedes a penalty, Neal Maupay scores
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) September 26, 2020
90+10': Neal Maupay concedes a penalty, Bruno Fernandes scores
Man Utd win. 😱 pic.twitter.com/pbdeyWieFx
The only thing better than a last minute winner is a winner after the last minute
— Si Lloyd (@SmnLlyd5) September 26, 2020
Only Man United could score a penalty right after the final whistle was blown.
— Ryan. 🔴 (@Vintage_Utd) September 26, 2020
Football, bloody hell.
No way the referee ended the game then decided to bring it back just to give United a penalty. We're literally reinventing the rules of the game with penalties and there's nothing anybody can do about it 😄
— RiZzy🔴 (@RiZzyUTD) September 26, 2020
Manchester United just scored a penalty to win the game after the referee blew the whistle for full time. 2020 is wild.
— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) September 26, 2020
Neal Maupay's stoppage time mood: pic.twitter.com/3f7WC1xFir
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 26, 2020
Man United were awarded a penalty AFTER the FT whistle and Bruno Fernandes won it for them in the 100th minute! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uWDggklYfk
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 26, 2020
Life comes at you fast in the Premier League. pic.twitter.com/T4AVensyJZ
— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) September 26, 2020
Brighton (3.03) 2-3 (1.91) Man Utd
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) September 26, 2020
United scored so late they are basically a goal up vs Tottenham.
— Tareque Laskar (@tarequelaskar) September 26, 2020
Woodwork saves Woodward. Calling the headlines.
— Sudharshan Karthik (@conradsuse) September 26, 2020
Well, @ManUtd sneak it at the death. Another game with plenty of goals in this extraordinary start to the season. Who’d have thought we’d ever see more goals in Premier League games than there are fans in the stadium?
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 26, 2020
(with inputs from AFP)