Manchester United beat PSG 3-1 in the second leg of Champions League. (Source: AP)Manchester United scripted a historic comeback in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League fixture against PSG at Parc des Princes to enter the quarterfinal on Wednesday night. After going down 2-0 in the first leg at Old Trafford, United pulled off a 3-1 (3-3 aggregate) victory in the second leg, taking the win via away goals rule. Never in 106 attempts in Europe’s premium club competition, had a team progressed in a knockout tie after a 2-0 home defeat.
With the win, United become the fourth team after Porto, Ajax, and Tottenham to make it to top eight of the tournament. PSG, who were touted to be one of the favourites before the start of the tournament, were knocked out for the third time in three years in the Round of 16.
Here is how Manchester United picked up the win:
2′ PSG 0-1 Manchester United (2-1 agg)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, at the pre-match press conference, had said that they need an early goal going into the match. Romelu Lukaku, who had scored a brace in the previous two games for United, did exactly just that. Thilo Kehrer sends an awful pass towards Dani Alves. Romelu Lukaku sees the opportunity, speeds over Dani Alves and takes control of the ball. He then races past Gianluigi Buffon and then calmly puts it into the back of the net from an acute angle.
12′ PSG 1-1 Manchester United (3-1 agg)
Romelu Lukaku’s strike was cancelled out 10 minutes later after Juan Bernat tapped a cross from Kylian Mbappe into the back of the Manchester United net. Dani Alves slipped a pass towards the Frenchman, who was standing ahead of the backline inside the box. Mbappe whipped a cross towards the back of the goal, and Bernat was on call to put it inside the net from a couple of yards out.
30′ PSG 1-2 Manchester United (3-2 agg)
Lukaku was not done feasting on PSG’s mistakes on the day. Marcus Rashford hits a strike from a distance towards Buffon. But instead of catching it cleanly, Buffon wobbled it in front. Lukaku ran towards it, and with no defender or goalkeeper in sight, he placed it into the back of an empty net. The goal meant that United had countered the away goal advantage with PSG and if they scored one more, they would win via away goals rule.
90′ PSG 1-3 Manchester United (3-3 agg)
Diogo Dalot had a bit of space and he decided to try his luck from a distance, Presnel Kimpembe turned his back and sent it for a corner. But before United could take the set piece, to run into, the referee goes to check the VAR for a penalty appeal. After a long look, the referee decides to signal for a penalty. On steps the 21-year-old Marcus Rashford, someone who has never taken a penalty for United in a senior game. But under pressure, he whips a powerful shot towards the top right corner. No chance for Buffon to stop that. MANCHESTER UNITED WIN ON AWAY GOALS!
