Harry’s header saves Ten Hag as 10-man Red Devils snatch a point!

Despite racing to an early two-goal lead, Manchester United had to rely on a late header from Harry Maguire to grab a 3-3 draw against Porto.

October 3, 2024
9:30 pm

What a rollercoaster of a match it was for Manchester United in their UEFA Champions League showdown with Porto! Harry Maguire popped up with a late equalizer to make it 3-3, despite Erik ten Hag’s lads having a two-goal cushion early on. The game at the Estádio do Dragão was another nail-biter, as United struggled to hold onto a lead, adding to their string of disappointing results in Europe.

Porto came out firing, but it was United who struck first! Just before the seven-minute mark, Marcus Rashford made a dazzling run down the left, dancing past two defenders before slipping the ball under Diogo Costa at the near post. Rashford was also the mastermind behind United’s second goal. In the 18th minute, he cut inside and set up Rasmus Højlund, who blasted it in at Costa’s near post, leaving the hosts in a bit of a pickle.

The scoreline was a bit harsh on Porto, but they quickly bounced back. In a whirlwind seven minutes, João Mário’s pinpoint crosses caused chaos in United’s defense. First, Noussair Mazraoui, under pressure from Samu, accidentally headed the ball towards goal, forcing André Onana into a save that Pepê was quick to pounce on, making it 2-1. Moments later, another Mário cross found Samu, who powered a header past Onana to level things up at 2-2. Porto’s comeback was on, and suddenly United were on the ropes!

Things took a turn for the worse at halftime when Rashford, their most dangerous player, had to leave the pitch due to injury. Porto seized the moment, taking the lead for the first time early in the second half. Nico González found Pepê in space down the right, and his cross was met by Samu at the near post, who rifled it into the top corner for his second of the night.

United’s woes deepened when Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a second yellow card after a high boot, leaving them with just 10 men for the last half hour. But even with a man down, United kept battling, though Porto’s Deniz Gül missed a golden chance to seal the deal.

As the clock ticked down, it was Harry Maguire who came to the rescue! In stoppage time, the center-back soared from a corner to thump in a powerful header, snatching a point for his side.

Now, United have gone four consecutive European away games without a win, despite scoring three goals in each! With the pressure mounting on Ten Hag, a positive result against Aston Villa in the Premier League could be absolutely vital for the manager’s future at Old Trafford.