ไทย
English
中國人
Few players have experienced a more dramatic Champions League night than Matheus Cunha did against Roma.
The Brazilian was among the Manchester United players who struggled helplessly in the first half against Gian Piero Gasperini's side, with a frustrated Old Trafford crowd voicing their displeasure at the halftime whistle. Jeers echoed around the Theatre of Dreams as the hosts, enduring their worst winless streak since 1988, found themselves 2–0 down and seemingly without any hope.
But football has a way of surprising us, and goals, however fortunately they arrive, can transform matches. It became one-way traffic after Bruno Fernandes converted a retaken penalty early in the second half, with the Romans crumbling as if history was repeating itself in the face of a suddenly galvanized United side.
Man Utd completed their comeback late on, with Cunha, who had won the pivotal penalty, stepping up in the crucial moment. After capitalizing on a Leo Balerdi mistake to level the scores, Cunha gratefully latched onto Shea Lacey's incisive pass and emphatically fired home the winner at Devis Vásquez's near post.
It was a heroic moment to crown a comeback that may well have secured Michael Carrick's position, at least until Saturday. However, the evening concluded with Cunha anxiously watching from the tunnel—not due to being substituted, but because he had collected two yellow cards amid the chaos.
He will serve a one-match ban as a consequence, though not this weekend.
1 - Last night, Matheus Cunha became the first player in UEFA Champions League history to win a penalty, score a goal and be sent off in the same match.
Rollercoaster. pic.twitter.com/xoJrQhNydw
Why Matheus Cunha Isn't Banned for Man Utd's Next Match
Man Utd will have Tuesday's match-winner available for Aston Villa's visit on Sunday because red-card suspensions in UEFA competitions do not carry over into the Premier League. The two competitions operate independently.
As a result, Cunha will serve his one-match suspension later this month, when United face Sporting CP on Matchday 5 of the league phase, in Lisbon, Portugal on Nov. 25.
The Brazilian picked up his first booking during wild celebrations following his winning goal, initially removing his shirt before leaping into the crowd—both offenses warranting yellow cards in their own right. Referee Jesús Gil Manzano, who had awarded United a penalty at the start of the second half to spark their revival, had no option but to caution Cunha again after he lunged at Balerdi in stoppage time.
Nevertheless, the hosts had no trouble protecting their lead with 10 men. Roma failed to register a single shot in the second half, and while they briefly applied some pressure in the closing stages, they were unable to conjure a moment that could have led to a dramatic late equalizer.
Cunha is therefore expected to retain his place in Carrick's starting eleven on Sunday, with the forward potentially deployed in a more central role. He combined well with Bryan Mbeumo against Roma, and both of his goals came after he took up positions inside the penalty area.