Bruno Fernandes Seals Late Man United Victory Over Rangers

Rangers thought they’d secured a hard-fought draw at the Theatre of Dreams, but a moment of magic from Bruno Fernandes in the 92nd minute turned the tide.

January 23, 2025
11:24 pm

Bruno Fernandes Seals Late Manchester United Victory Over Rangers

Bruno Fernandes pulled off a stunning moment in the dying minutes of the match, scoring a 92nd-minute winner to give Manchester United a thrilling 2-1 win over Rangers at Old Trafford. This victory helps United hold onto a prized top-eight spot in the UEFA Europa League (UEL), leaving the Scottish team heartbroken after a strong performance.

Rangers coach Ruben Amorim had warned before the game that his team’s nerves might cause issues, and he was right. Toby Collyer, making his European debut for United, lost the ball in a risky spot, but Nicolas Raskin missed the chance after being set up by Hamza Igamane. United’s Turkish goalkeeper, Altay Bayındır, was quick to save the day, but Rangers kept pushing. Soon after, James Tavernier’s perfect cross found Rıdvan Yılmaz at the far post, but Bayındır made a great save to deny him.

Rangers started strong, but United turned up the pressure midway through the first half. Alejandro Garnacho’s powerful shot was headed over the bar by Raskin, and Matthijs De Ligt looked to have scored from the next corner, only for VAR to rule it out for a minor foul by Leny Yoro on Robin Pröpper. Amad Diallo, who took the corner, had a chance to score himself but was stopped by Jack Butland after Bruno Fernandes set him up. Butland, a former United keeper, kept Rangers level at halftime with another great save, stopping Lisandro Martínez’s powerful shot.

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United came out strong after the break, building on their late first-half momentum. Garnacho set up Fernandes with a clever pass, but the Portuguese midfielder’s shot was deflected over the bar by the hard-working Pröpper. The pressure finally paid off in a funny way, as Butland misjudged Christian Eriksen’s corner and accidentally punched the ball into his own net.

Even after losing key player Václav Černý to injury, Rangers fought back. Garnacho had a shot cleared off the line by Pröpper, and Harry Maguire somehow missed a close-range header. At the other end, Bayındır had to make a great save to stop a powerful header from Manuel Ugarte. Cyriel Dessers came so close to equalizing, his cheeky chip hitting the post, but he wouldn’t be denied. He took advantage of Maguire’s mistake, controlled Tavernier’s long ball perfectly, and slotted it past Bayındır to level the score in the 88th minute.

But the excitement wasn’t over yet. With Sir Alex Ferguson – a legend for both clubs – watching from the stands, Old Trafford went wild in stoppage time. Martínez sent in a perfect cross, and Fernandes, celebrating his 50th UEL appearance, delivered a beautiful volley to snatch victory for the home team. This win, only United’s second in their last five home games, brings them closer to automatic qualification and reminds fans of the never-give-up spirit that defined the Ferguson era.