Man Utd Beat Roma 3-2 After Trailing 2-0 as Matheus Cunha Scores Twice, Then Is Sent Off

Manchester United came back from two goals down to beat Roma 3-2 in the Champions League league phase at Old Trafford on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Matheus Cunha scored twice late, then was sent off in stoppage time, as United won for the first time in 10 games.

AP said United had recovered from its worst-ever start to a European home game. For manager Michael Carrick, whose job had looked under threat, the result was a much-needed reprieve, The Guardian and Sky Sports reported.

Man Utd vs. Roma: final score and goals

• Final: Manchester United 3, Roma 2 (halftime 0-2)
• 11’ Matías Soulé (Roma): Left unmarked, he slotted past Senne Lammens, ESPN reported.
• 17’ Donyell Malen (Roma, penalty): Awarded after Ayden Heaven handled Soulé’s shot.
• 58’ Bruno Fernandes (United, penalty): Cunha was fouled. Roma’s debutant goalkeeper Devis Vasquez saved Fernandes’ first attempt, but a retake was ordered and Fernandes scored.
• 83’ Matheus Cunha (United): He pounced on a failed clearance by Leonardo Balerdi.
• 86’ Matheus Cunha (United): He finished from a tight angle at the near post after a pass from Shea Lacey, Sky Sports said.
• 90+1’ Red card, Cunha: A second yellow card.

How the comeback unfolded

United were booed off at halftime, and the 2-0 score “greatly flattered” them, The Guardian wrote. Things looked worse early in the second half when midfielder Carlos Baleba left with a hamstring injury, Sky Sports reported.

The penalty changed the momentum. Soon afterward, Bryan Mbeumo hit both posts with one shot, Roma cleared a ball off the line and United had two more penalty appeals turned down. ESPN’s data showed United finishing with 2.72 expected goals to Roma’s 1.53.

Cunha was then sent off for two bookable offenses early in stoppage time, ESPN reported. That left United to see out a tense finish with 10 men.

Fan anger and Carrick’s position

The game was played amid continued fan anger toward United’s ownership, The Guardian reported. The paper called Carrick’s situation “impossibly grim” at halftime. Carrick scored twice for United in a 7-1 Champions League win over Roma in 2007.

The win was United’s first in 54 days, Sky Sports said.

Standings and what’s next

ESPN’s league-phase table showed United at 2-0-2 (won-drawn-lost) with 6 points after the win, while Roma fell to 1-1-2 with 4 points. Next, United host Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. Roma host Sassuolo in Serie A on Saturday, ESPN reported.

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