2 2 RON IN
United’s Champions League hopes are handed the Cris of life as Ronaldo grabs last-gasp leveller to ease the pressure on Solskjaer
CRISTIANO RONALDO came to Manchester United’s rescue once again with a dramatic last-gasp equaliser.
With United staring down the barrel of another defeat, to pile the pressure back on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (left), Ronaldo plundered his second goal of the night in the 91st minute.
It was Ronaldo who scored the winner in United’s stirring 3-2 comeback win against Atalanta at Old Trafford a fortnight ago and their iconic No.7 dug his side out of a hole again here in Bergamo. His stunning volleyed finish changed the complexion of Group F in an instant, nudging United from third place back up to first, their Champions League destiny back under their control.
Ronaldo’s first goal was a thing of beauty, a superblyworked goal capped by a flourishing finish, but it was an isolated moment of class in an otherwise wretched United display.
United’s goals aside, there was nothing here to suggest the 3-0 win over Spurs had marked a turning point in their season, after the Liverpool debacle. At
Tottenham, Solskjaer switched to a back-three, with Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani starting in attack together for the first time. Solskjaer stuck with that formation, but brought Eric Bailly in for Victor Lindelof, Paul Pogba for Fred, and Marcus Rashford for Cavani.
Pogba was comfortably United’s worst player, his unavailability for the derby against City on Saturday due to suspension a blessing for United, given his current lacklustre form. Atalanta led 2-0 at
United a fortnight ago, only to lose 3-2 after a stirring United comeback.
They struck first here in the 12th minute, courtesy of a howler from David De Gea. Aaron WanBissaka was beaten to the ball by Duvan Zapata, who picked out Josip Ilicic.
His shot should have been gathered by De Gea, who instead allowed the ball to squirm under him and over the line. It was the eighth time in 15 games that United have gone behind this
season, with only two clean sheets in that run.
Zapata was afforded sight of the United goal in the 21st minute, after the defence were caught flat-footed again, but sliced his effort high and wide.
Atalanta could have doubled their lead on the half-hour, but Zapata’s shot went wide, courtesy of a vital last-ditch block from Bailly.
Solskjaer’s side got away with another penalty shout, when Ronaldo appeared to use his hand to divert an Atalanta corner. United suffered a blow seven minutes before the break when Raphael Varane was forced off through injury, Mason Greenwood replacing him.
After an insipid first 45 minutes, United found a way back into the game with a brilliantly-worked goal in firsthalf added time.
Ronaldo finished the move, which involved some fine interplay between himself, Bruno Fernandes and Greenwood.
Fernandes found Ronaldo, who in turn played the ball into Greenwood, before continuing his run into the area.
Greenwood threaded the ball to Fernandes, whose impudent back-heel was instinctively seized upon by Ronaldo, who took one touch before applying a clinical finish to make it 1-1.
United should have used the goal as a springboard to an improved second-half display, but were just as poor after the break.
They conceded again in the 56th minute, Zapata punishing their hesitancy at the back by beating skipper Harry Maguire to the ball before steering it past De Gea.
But Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the box and volleyed his fifth goal in four Champions League games this season and ninth in 11 matches in all competitions to rescue a point.