JuicyTalk
UEFA Champions League,
League Stage – 2
Atletico Madrid
ATM
Manchester United
MUN
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Venue
- Riyadh Air Metropolitano
-
Referee
- Glenn Nyberg
Pablo Barrios Rivas 1′
Ademola Lookman 79′
Manchester United’s struggles continued as they were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and finished the game with 10 men after Leny Yoro’s red card.
Pablo Barrios put the hosts ahead after only 53 seconds at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, before the Red Devils missed a host of chances to get back into the game.
But after Yoro was dismissed for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity in the 74th minute, Ademola Lookman then sealed the points for Atleti to condemn the Red Devils to their fourth defeat of the season, while they have won just one of their last seven.
Both Atletico and Man Utd are now left on one defeat and one win each in their Champions League campaign.
Match Statistics
Same old issues for United as Atletico score inside 53 seconds
A full minute was not even on the clock when Atletico Madrid took the lead in a disastrous start for the Red Devils, who were torn apart easily by one ball forward before Barrios finished off a lay-off from Alex Baena which trickled in after a touch by Yoro.
United looked flustered for the opening 10 minutes but managed to keep the score at just 1-0, before they began to threaten themselves, with Bryan Mbeumo seeing a chance bounce wide before a nice run from Marcus Rashford just lacked the final touch after being found well by Lisandro Martinez over the top.
Mbeumo was then found in the left-hand channel and forced a good save from Yan Oblak, before Carlos Baleba – making his first United start – headed straight at the keeper from the resulting corner.
Alex Grimaldo then smashed a wonderful free-kick against the outside corner of the goal as the chaotic nature that has been a feature of United’s games this season reared its ugly head again.
It looked as though Man Utd were going to go in at half-time 2-0 down after more defensive uncertainty proved their undoing, but the referee spotted a handball before Johnny Cardoso swept the ball into the back of the net so the deficit stayed at one.
Yoro sees red as United woes continue
United continued to probe early in the second half but once again it was the hosts who went the closest, as Julian Alvarez volleyed against the post after a lovely ball from Barrios.
Another big chance went begging for United as Bruno Fernandes’ dinked effort over Oblak just bouncing the wrong side of the post. Up the other end, Lammens had to be on hand to parry away Baena’s effort.
It was then United’s turn to strike the woodwork as Fernandes took a corner short before collecting it again and bending a great effort onto the crossbar.
It felt as though United’s chance to win the game may have passed them by when Yoro saw red for a clumsy challenge as the last man, a dismissal which was given after a VAR check.
And a few minutes later, the game was wrapped up for Atleti, as Lookman tucked in the rebound after Lammens’ initial save.
Champions League table
- Position 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 : Promotion – Champions League (Play Offs: 1/8-finals)
- Position 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 : Promotion – Champions League (Play Offs: 1/16-finals)
