"Man United fans throw tennis balls, halting match," but they overcame a shocking 0-2 deficit to secure a "miraculous 3-2 comeback win"... It was their first victory in a whopping 54 days.

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

English Premier League side Manchester United secured a dramatic comeback victory despite chaos that briefly halted the match due to objects thrown by fans. It marked their first win in a staggering 54 days.

Manchester United, managed by Michael Carrick, came from behind to beat AS Roma (Italy) 3-2 in their home match on the fourth leg of the league phase of the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League (UCL). The game was held at Old Trafford in Manchester, UK, at 5 a.m. (KST) on the 4th.

With this result, Manchester United recorded two wins and two losses (six points) in the UCL. Most importantly, it was significant for breaking their long-standing winless streak. Manchester United had failed to win in their last nine official matches, going three draws and six losses, but they finally tasted victory in their 10th match.

Sky Sports noted, "Manchester United secured their first win in 54 days," adding, "Manager Carrick left the stadium to fan applause, and unbelievably, a UCL victory as well."

The start was not good. Manchester United conceded the opening goal to Roma's Matias Soule in the 11th minute of the first half. Soule, assisted by Rodrigo Mora, shook the Manchester United net.

They then conceded an additional goal from a penalty kick in the 18th minute of the first half. A handball foul by Manchester United defender Aidan Heaven resulted in a penalty for Roma, which Donny Mallon calmly converted as the kicker.

On top of this, fierce protest demonstrations by Manchester United fans erupted during the match. Around the 21st minute of the first half, some fans threw tennis balls and various objects onto the pitch.

This was a protest demonstration directed at the Glazer family, the club's owners, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. According to the Manchester Evening News in the UK, Manchester United fans expressed dissatisfaction with the club's management even before the match began. As both teams' players took the field, hundreds of yellow and green balloons were released from the stands at Old Trafford's Stretford End.

Subsequently, foreign objects such as tennis balls were thrown during the game, causing a temporary suspension. Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha and other players directly participated in clearing the items that had fallen on the pitch, after which the match resumed.

The Manchester Evening News explained, "The protest began 20 minutes and 5 seconds into the match," noting, "This was a time chosen to symbolize 2005, when the Glazer family became owners of Manchester United."

Ultimately, Manchester United finished the first half trailing 0-2. The players could not escape the fierce criticism and boos from their home fans.

However, the atmosphere changed completely in the second half.

Manchester United began their pursuit in the 13th minute of the second half. Cunha won a penalty kick, and Bruno Fernandes stepped up as the kicker to score the equalizer. Initially, Fernandes' penalty was saved by the goalkeeper, but the referee instructed him to take the penalty again. Fernandes did not miss his hard-won second chance.

After that, Manchester United's offensive became even more intense. There was also a regrettable scene where Bryan Mbeumo's shot hit both goalposts in succession.

Eventually, the equalizing goal came in the 38th minute of the second half. Cunha, who did not miss a ball-handling error by Roma defender Leonardo Valle, shook the net with an assist from Fernandes. The score became 2-2.

Riding high, Manchester United turned the game around just three minutes later. In the 41st minute of the second half, Cunha received a pass from Shay Lacey and scored the winning goal with a powerful shot. It was the moment Manchester United, who had been trailing 0-2 in the first half, succeeded in a 3-2 comeback.

However, Cunha left some regret by being sent off near the end of the match. He received a yellow card for excessive celebration after scoring the winning goal, and was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time of the second half, forcing him to leave the pitch.

Nevertheless, Manchester United held on during the remaining time despite being a man down, completing a dramatic victory.

On this day, European football statistics media outlet FotMob gave Cunha a rating of 8.7. Despite his late-game sending off, Cunha scored two goals and received the highest score among both teams. Fernandes, who recorded one goal and one assist, was also recognized for his outstanding performance with a rating of 8.6.

Sky Sports praised the comeback win, stating, "In the first half, Manchester United seemed to have collapsed mentally as much as tactically. It was a performance that looked like surrender," while adding, "But at the Theatre of Dreams, amazing things can still happen."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original