Middlesbrough Upsets Man United In FA Cup
Middlesbrough managed to beat the Red Devils 8-7 on penalties at Old Trafford after the game ended 1-1
Manchester United's star player Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in the first half of the game to make it 1-0
However, former Dortmund-man Jadon Sancho scored in the 25th minute to put Manchester United ahead
Midfielder Matt Crooks then scored a controversial goal in the second half to level the score and make it 1-1
The ball came off Duncan Watmore's hand before he played the cross into the goal scorer at the back post
As a result, the game on Friday went to extra time, penalties and the sudden death - causing United to lose
It was Man United starlet Anthony Elanga who missed his sudden death penalty to knock Ralf Rangnick's side out.
Even by Manchester United’s strange modern standards this was a bizarre way to lose.
But the fact that boyhood United fan Matt Crooks had been able to equalise Jadon Sancho’s first half goal after what looked like a clear use of the arm by Duncan Watmore in the 64th minute meant that this remarkable FA Cup tie ended up going to penalties.
In terms of the chronology of the shoot-out, Paddy McNair, Martin Payero, Jonny Howson, Marcus Tavernier and Sol Bamba all scored for Middlesbrough while Juan Mata, Harry Maguire, Fred, Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes for United made it a perfect ten in the regulation round.
But once Watmore, Dael Fry and Lee Peltier had scored for Chris Wilder’s team and Scott McTominay and Diogo Dalot had done likewise in the sudden death section for United, it was a slash over the bar by young Anthony Elanga that lost it for Ralf Rangnick’s team and sent Middlesbrough through.
There will be much focus now on the handball for the equaliser and the number of wasted by Rangnick’s enduringly hapless team team. But Middlesbrough grew braver and more assured as this night wore on and had not been threatened in extra time.
As for United, this was about regret. Whether the fact they played pretty well for the first hour will console or irritate them, we can only imagine.
But with four months of the season left, United are relevant now in only one competition – the Champions League – and that says everything for their struggles.
By the end of extra-time, United had on the field players signed by five different managers. That points at a muddle. Equally, this is a game that should have been over after 45 minutes.
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