Manchester United beat Roma 3–2 at Old Trafford on 3 November, UEFA's dated Champions League report confirms. Matheus Cunha scored twice late in the second half after United had trailed by two goals.
Cunha completes the second-half turnaround
Roma established their lead through Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen. United's match report says Soulé finished after a diagonal pass, while Malen converted a penalty awarded for a handball by Ayden Heaven. The goals left Michael Carrick's side behind at half-time, with the home crowd still waiting for a response.
Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved after the break, but Roma were penalised for encroachment and the United captain scored from the retake. UEFA reports that Bryan Mbeumo then struck both posts with a shot that stayed out. The near miss did not change the score, and United still needed two goals.
Fernandes supplied the cross for Cunha's equaliser. United's report says Roma defender Leonardo Balerdi missed the delivery before Cunha finished. Substitute Shea Lacey then played Cunha through for the winner, which the Brazilian drove in at the near post. The two finishes turned a deficit into a home victory in the closing stages.
Cunha's night ended with a second yellow card for a challenge on Balerdi. United's report says his first booking came after he removed his shirt and jumped into the crowd to celebrate the winner. Roma had one late header wide but did not find another goal.
How the two accounts place the decisive moments
SportsRivo compared UEFA's account with United's match report to separate Mbeumo's near equaliser from the goal that followed. UEFA places the shot against both posts after Fernandes's retaken penalty; United places Cunha's equaliser after a later Fernandes cross. The sequence shows how the comeback survived an earlier missed chance before Cunha settled the contest.
UEFA says the victory ended United's nine-match run without a win. It also names Fernandes as Player of the Match, reflecting his penalty and involvement in the equaliser. United's report adds that Carlos Baleba went off after pulling up early in the second half. Carrick's post-match comments kept the result in perspective: Manchester United boss Michael Carrick said, “It’s one win so we’re not getting too carried away.”
What the result changes
- United ended the winless sequence recorded in UEFA's match round-up and took the points from a Champions League home match.
- Roma lost a match they had led at half-time, after Cunha's late finishes reversed the result.
- Cunha scored the winner but finished the match off the pitch after the second booking. The match report records the dismissal without announcing a separate disciplinary decision.
United's next match
Manchester United's match report identifies Aston Villa at Old Trafford as the club's next fixture, in the Premier League on Sunday. That gives Carrick's side a domestic match after the European comeback.
Source: Manchester United match report