JUAN MATA SCORED one goal and made another as Manchester United came from behind to beat Wolfsburg 2-1 on Wednesday and kick their Champions League campaign into gear.
Beaten 2-1 at PSV Eindhoven in their opening game two weeks ago, Louis van Gaal’s side fell behind to a fourth-minute Daniel Caligiuri goal at Old Trafford before Mata rode to the home team’s rescue.
The Spain midfielder won and scored a 34th-minute penalty and then set up Chris Smalling with a stunning improvised flick eight minutes into the second half to give improving United a fourth consecutive victory.
United are back on top of the Premier League for the first time in two years and their defeat of Wolfsburg, coupled with PSV’s 3-2 loss at CSKA Moscow, left them in a four-way tie for first place in Group B ahead of their trip to the Russian capital on October 21.
Wolfsburg finished the game strongly but could not prevent a fourth successive defeat in England, which left last season’s German Cup winners and Bundesliga runners-up without a win in three matches.
https://vine.co/v/eQnVUj3THFw
Outstanding buy for Villa.
@john howard: and outstanding loss for Arsenal
Wow
Extended highlights of the game show the atrocious tackles that got put in on Messi. Battled on with bloody ankles in fairness. The man is in some of the best form of his life. Like a fine wine.
Sadly I don’t see them beating Brazil and the Ronaldo sharade will still claim he’s better due to his international record and Euro win which is chronically over exagerrated. Has 40+ goals of his 100 and odd against teams not in the Fifa top 100 nations.
@Brian Timmons: delighted for Messi but why have a go at Ronaldo?
Anybody that understands anything about football can acknowledge that both players are genius’s and both deserve the many plaudits they’ve rightfully earned. It’s charade and not sharade by the way.
@Aidan Prior: I think to be fair, if Messi had played in England, people on this side of the world would recognise how far ahead of everyone he is.
I watch la liga religiously and seen a lot of both Ronaldo and Messi.
Messi by a country mile and that’s no disrespect to CR7.
The Colombians had 6 yellow cards in the game-all six fouls were on you know who. The man was battered last night, nasty looking ankle injury he picked up