CRISTIANO ROANLDO SCORED his first Champions League goal for Juventus but a stunning Manchester United comeback snatched a 2-1 win for the Premier League side to delay the Italians’ passage to the last 16 on Wednesday.
Ronaldo struck with a magnificent first-time shot on 65 minutes to seemingly leave Juve on course for the knockout phase, but Juan Mata equalised with an 86th-minute free-kick before Leonardo Bonucci turned into his own net.
Delighted United manager Jose Mourinho walked out onto the pitch at the Allianz Stadium cupping his ears and winking towards the crowd after a win that gave his side seven points from four games — two points behind leaders Juventus with two games to play in Group H.
Juventus had proved wasteful with Sami Khedira and Paulo Dybala both hitting the woodwork before five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo brought the capacity 41,470 crowd to their feet when he picked up a Bonucci cross from just inside United’s half.
It was the eighth goal this season for the 33-year-old who arrived from Real Madrid last summer in a deal estimated to cost €340 million in total over four years, on top of the €110 million transfer fee.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first Juventus goal in the @ChampionsLeague!
— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) November 7, 2018
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/cOCJkizclT
It was also the 121st Champions League goal for Ronaldo who holds the all-time record in the European competition, and first since a 90th-minute penalty he scored for Real Madrid against Juventus in the quarter-final, second leg in Spain last April.
Massimiliano Allegri had urged his side to seal their first objective of the season of reaching the last 16, and a draw would have been enough for this.
Ronaldo was backed up by Juan Cuadrado and Dybala, who scored the only goal in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, up front with returning Khedira starting in midfield as World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi started on the bench.
- United ride luck -
Manchester United were without injured forward Romelu Lukaku with Alexis Sanchez taking his place alongside Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial.
World Cup winner Paul Pogba, playing at his former club, was in midfield alongside Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic.
Ronaldo came close after five minutes when Bonucci laid it on for Dybala on the edge of the box, with the Argentinian chipping it over for Ronaldo whose volley was blocked by Victor Lindelof.
But the hosts sprung into action on the half hour with a low Cuadrado cross taking a deflection off Matic’s knee before David De Gea reacted superbly to keep the ball out.
Ronaldo then served up Khedira but the German’s low shot rattled the base of the post after 35 minutes.
United were again saved by the crossbar after the break with a curling Dybala effort flying over De Gea only to clip the bar.
But Ronaldo broke the deadlock when Bonucci curled over a pass which flew over Lindelof and straight into the path of Ronaldo who volleyed in past a helpless De Gea.
United though had the final word turning the game round in just four minutes, substitute Mata bending in a free-kick from the edge of the box to give the visitors a scarcely deserved equaliser.
Juve were then left in shock as Ashley Young’s free-kick in from the left bounced in off a combination of Bonucci and Sandro after a frantic scramble in front of goal, condemning them to their first defeat this season.
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Fair play to United. Some result.
@Maureen: Was like the Ferguson days of the past in Europe
@Maureen: just a papering over the cracks. That’s all that is. #wewantjosetostay
@Donal: what cracks ?. They finished second in the league last season. I think it’s Liverpool who are hiding the cracks. It’s a long season
@Donal: oh look another gobsh**e account
@Donal: How is winning a football match ‘papering over cracks’?
@David Carino: state of your profile pic. Grow up. True united fans know that Mourinho is finished. They’ll lose to city. Tottenham and arsenal are better so ye won’t get top4. Not gonna win the CL either! Straight facts. Enjoy Mourinho!
@Donal: I’m a Chelsea fan but i would prefer serial achiever jose back before any manager in the premier league . Great great managrr
.
@Donal: That maybe so but don’t forget when the cracks are finally fixed and finished by Jesus we will make you all pay dearly. Take it to the bank !!!!
@Donal: Liverpool and united both papering over the cracks to be honest. Pool couldn’t even beat a poor Belgrade team away
@Donal: you’re a complete clown
@Donal: using hashtags about Mourinho and then telling me to grow up ! You’re some cabbage lol
Fellaini as Dunphy put it “A spectacular nuisance”. Absolute handful. Solid performance with some luck involved. Wasn’t sure that team was capable of that. No Lukaku a blessing in disguise
Jose did well tonight!
Absolutely fantastic goal from the best player to ever to grace a football field Just class, unreal finish.
@Paul: wrong match mate Messi wasn’t playing
@Paul: Great goal but Mata best player ever.
@Paul: wrong match mate Messi wasn’t playing
@Paul: Ah now Paul…Mata is good but he’s not THAT good..
@Paul: & Ronaldo’s goal was spectacular too !
Brilliant
What a much needed result. Absolutely delighted haven’t got a feeling like that after a United game in a while. Get in we still need to improve but flup it it’s a good win
@aidan mccormack: Agree, I have a friend who is a devout Juventus fan and he admitted that United were good for it. Juventus sat back after scoring, and regardless of Uniteds form they have great players. Mata with a great goal, you should give him a new contract.
I just don’t understand why teams purposefully sit back immediately after going in front. Juve played united off the pitch yet after scoring they just sat back. WHY??
@The_Muffin_Man: its called Arrogance.
@Margate: It’s called Italian football.
@The_Muffin_Man: There were actually numerous chances for Juve after the goal, it was around when Mata and Fellaini came on that things changed.
@The_Muffin_Man: They we’re trying to get a result?
@The_Muffin_Man: maybe there trying to win?
Some turnaround from United tonight. Huge result. I cant understand why United don’t play like that from the start of games. They have a quality squad. Maybe not the greatest at the back but attacking wise they have very good players. As soon as they had a go at juve they looked dangerous. Juve could have scored a couple of times just after Ronaldo’s goal butHate to say as a Liverpool fan they are on a bit of a roll now.
@Stephen Cahill: Nice to hear Stephen! Liverpool have the obvious potential to bounce back to where they were last season and you wouldn’t bet against them doing it. The Etihad on Sunday will be very like tonight’s game and to get a positive result it could be another smash and grab job. The frustrating thing is the inability (at the moment) to start like we’re finishing. Not great for the heart!
@Stephen Cahill: martial has to be one of the most overrated players in Europe he’s on a hot streak now and will be back to the bench by the new year
@Robert Grant: Liverpool haven’t got near the form of last year so far this season. Hopefully we click into gear soon. Yeah it makes for an interesting game with city Sunday. City look unreal at the moment. They can get goals from anywhere but they can be got at too. Need them to drop points otherwise they will run away with it again
@Gnb: yeah I agree to an extent. If he played with a bit more passion and made more off the ball runs in behind defenses he’d have a lot more goals. He’s a good finisher but not often enough
Crisis over? Jose in?
That has saved Mourinho’s job for about a month
@Ruairi Doyle: your priceless!
@johnkilleen: he was top of his class you know
@Johnny Bravo: oh jeez , your back ? That was a long holiday , nice tan by the way . Lol
Good result for united. In a good position now to move through to next round. Fair play
Szczesny was atrocious at the end. Mourinho is still a classless tw@t. That is all.
@Eoin McCarthy: In fairness his save “at the end” against Rashford was class.
@Donal: I’m a Chelsea fan but i would prefer serial achiever jose back before any manager in the premier league . Great great managrr
.
Mourihno must go!!!
@Dave O’Hanlon: ?
@Dave O’Hanlon: I’m just trying to fit in with the typical man utd commenters.
@Dave O’Hanlon: …….all the way!
Highlights maybe?
In all honesty I can’t see either team winning the cl city’s to lose imo
@Gnb: Barca’s to lose more like.
@Robert Grant: clearly not, Barca are doing very well atm. Man city haven’t had teams to barca’s level yet
Nice
A bit like the old UTD. Needed that.