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Since April 2003, Ruud van Nieuwstelrooy's April 2003 appearances in the Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo has been the first Manchester United player to score in consecutive Champions League games.
Cristiano Ronaldo saved Manchester United once more with a stunning late goal that earned them a draw against Atalanta. This keeps them at the top of Champions League Group F.
For United to win in Bergamo, the 36-year old volleyed from the outside of the box for his second goal of the night.
JosipIlicic opened the scoring by scoring with a low effort. This was under David de Gea's watch at the Gewiss Stadium, where Atalanta believed Duvan Zapata had won it.
After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team had been on the back foot for most of the first half, Ronaldo made a magnificent move and fired beyond Juan Musso's goalkeeper to score his first goal.
United was also second after the break, but Ronaldo, who scored an important goal against Villarreal and in the reverse fixture, kept United in pole position going into the final two groups games.
United, at 2-1, were third in the group. They could be out of the group if Villarreal loses to them in their next fixture. However, a win now would ensure that they are through with just one game remaining.
United leaves it too late
Although many have doubted Ronaldo's impact on United, the Portugal great has proven that he is capable of producing when it matters.
Ronaldo scored in all of United's group matches, scoring crucial winners. He once again demonstrated his desire to save his side with an instinctive volley that reached the bottom corner in minute 91.
United had struggled to assert themselves in the fixture, but they also produced Ronaldo's move of the match to grab his first goal. Fernandes pouncing on Fernandes’ deft touch to equalize after a first-half in which Solskjaer had fought to keep the hosts away.
Solskjaer was expected to pivot at Tottenham's win on Saturday. Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Sante lost his job, and Solskjaer's tactical adjustments suggested a stronger and more resilient Reds team than the one that was beaten 5-0 by Liverpool.
The Norwegian defended the trip to Bergamo with a three-man defense, but it was not able to account for De Gea's costly error. He let Ilicic's seemingly easy effort slip under him 12 minutes into the game after Zapata's smart work on the left.
This was the ninth match in 14 under Solskjaer's Champions League. Zapata, a livewire forward, had a great chance to double the Serie A's lead at the half-hour mark. Paul Pogba had given the ball away from his box on the edge. Eric Bailly made a crucial block.
Solskjaer decided to bring forward Mason Greenwood into the defence when Raphael Varane, centre-back, was injured shortly after. It worked almost immediately as the substitute joined Fernandes (and Ronaldo) in the spectacular move that brought United level.
They were unable to control the momentum and Zapata ran clear, passing De Gea. Harry Maguire thought the goal was offside at first, but it was awarded after a long VAR check.
Atalanta looked more like they were adding to their lead, while Ronaldo is used to bailing his team out in the Champions League.
United's leveller was his 127th goal at all competitions. It not only saw Solskjaer surpass him in scoring charts, but it also eased the pressure on his ex-teammate and manager.
Player of the match Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo, with an average 8.36 Atalanta Atalanta Atalanta
Man Utd Manchester United Manchester United Atalanta Squad Number 91 Player Name Zapata Average Rating 7.40 Squad Number 72 Player Name Ilicic Average Rating 6.27 Squad Number 21 Player Name Freuler Average Rating 6.43 Squad No. 19 Player Player Player Player Player Player player name Pasalic Average Rating 6.09 Squad no. 19 Player Player Player Player Player Player named Bruno Fernandes Average ranking 5.92 Squad # 19 Player Player Player Player Player Player number Sancho Average ratings 5.34 Squad numbers 29 Player Player's name Shaw Average rating of Maguire Player average rating 3.42 Squad 6 Playername Pogba rating 3.42 Squad 6 Player number 6 Average rating for 5.52 Squadr rating Player number 6 Average rating:
Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text Line-ups Atalanta Formation 3--4-1-2 1 Musso15 de Roon 28 Demiral 7 Palomino77 Zappacosta7 Koopmeiners11 Freuler3 Maehle88 Pasalic72 Ilicic 91 Zapata1 Musso
15 de Roon
28 Demiral
6 Palomino
77 Zappacosta
7 Koopmeiners
11 Freuler
3 Maehle
88 Pasalic Substituted For Djimsiti at 45’ minutes
72 Ilicic Substituted For Muriel at 71' Minutes
Substitutes for 91 Zapata 9 Muriel
13 Pezzella
18 Malinovskyi
19 Djimsiti
31 Rossi
42 Scalvini
57 Sportiello
59 Al Miranchuk
66 Lovato
99 Piccoli Man Utd Formation 3-4-2-1 1 de Gea 3 Bailly 19 Varane 5 Maguire 29 Wan-Bissaka 6 Pogba 39 McTominay 23 Shaw 18 Bruno Fernandes 10 Rashford 7 Cristiano Ronaldo 1 de Gea
3 Bailly
Greenwood substituted with 19 Varane at 38' minutes
5 Maguire
29 Wan-Bissaka
6 Pogba Substituted For Matic at 69' Minutes
39 McTominay Booked in 51mins. Substituted by Sancho in 87' minutes
23 Shaw
18 Bruno Fernandes Substituted for van de Beek at 87' minutes
10 Rashford substituted for Cavani at the 69' minute mark
7 Cristiano Ronaldo Substitutes 8 Mata
9 Martial
11 Greenwood
14 Lingard
17 Fred
20 Dalot
21 Cavani
25 Sancho
26 Henderson
27 Telles
31 Matic
34 van de Beek Referee: Slavko Vincic Attendance: 14,443 Match Stats Live Text Post update Match ends, Atalanta 2, Manchester United 2. Atalanta 2, Manchester United ends the Full Time Second Halb. Post update Harry Maguire (Manchester United), wins a free kick during the defensive half. Post update Foul by Luis Muriel, Atalanta Post update. Attempt saved. Donny van der Beek (Manchester United), left footed shot from a difficult angle to the left is saved in central goal Jadon Sancho assisted. Goal! Goal! Atalanta 2, Manchester United 2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), right footed shot, from outside the box to bottom left corner. Mason Greenwood assisted. Post update Edinson (Manchester United), wins a free kick during the attacking half. Post update Foul by Teun Koopermanns (Atalanta). Eric Bailly (Manchester United) - Post update Foul Post update Duvn Zpata (Atalanta), wins a free kick from the left wing. Substitution Substitution Manchester United Donny van de Beek replaces Bruno Fernandes. Substitution Substitution, Manchester United. Jadon Sancho replaces Scott McTominay. Atalanta, Post-update Corner David de Gea conceded. Post-update: Attempt saved. Duvn Zapata's right-footed shot from outside of the box is saved at the bottom left corner. Luis Muriel assisted. Post-update: Attempt saved. Luis Muriel (Atalanta), right footed shot, from the right side. Saved in the bottom right corner. Duvn Zapata assisted. Post update Attempt missed. The header of Duvn Zapata, Atalanta, from the centre is just a little too high. Davide Zappacosta assisted with a cross after a corner. Post update Corner, Atalanta. Eric Bailly resigned. Post-update: Attempt blocked. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Manchester United, right footed shot from right side box is blocked Edinson Cavani assisted. Post update Joakim Mähle (Atalanta), wins a free kick from the left wing. Post update Foul by Scott McTominay, Manchester United Page 1 of 5 Rewind Previous Navigate to Next Navigate To The Last Page Forward
