Barcelona 2-2 Manchester United: Honours even in thrilling Europa League playoff at Nou Camp
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Updated 17/02/2023 at 06:20 GMT
A pulsating match at the Nou Camp saw Barcelona and Manchester United play out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League playoff. After a goalless first half, Marcos Alonso opened the scoring but Marcus Rashford equalised almost immediately. A Jules Kounde own goal put United in front but Raphinha levelled ahead of the return at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag - We should have scored four and Rashford was definitely fouled
Manchester United were unable to return from the site of one of their most famous nights with a victory, but a sparkling Marcus Rashford display helped them earn a terrific 2-2 draw at Barcelona in the first leg of their Europa League playoff.
The Red Devils won the 1999 Champions League final in dramatic fashion at the Nou Camp, and although this result might not mean as much, it is another game that will live long in the memory.
The chances flowed right from the first minute, with Robert Lewandowski's fierce drive pushed away by David de Gea, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied Wout Weghorst at the other end.
Ter Stegen then made an even better save to deny Marcus Rashford and the visitors started to wrestle control of the momentum, but they were unable to find a breakthrough before half-time, although Jordi Alba came to scoring for Barcelona with a shot that was saved.
Jadon Sancho wasted a golden opening after the interval, skewing wide of the near post when in acres of space, and United were made to pay minutes later when Marcus Alonso headed the hosts in front.
Rashford ensured the visitors were back on level terms within two minutes though, thundering a low shot past Ter Stegen at his near post, before he turned creator, fizzing a cross into the box that Jules Kounde diverted into his own net.
The hosts were all over the place and looked at risk of conceding every time they were asked to defend, but they still carried a threat going forward and got an equaliser out of nowhere when Raphinha’s whipped cross crept in at the far post.
That proved to be the final decisive blow, although Casemiro did rattle his own post in a heart-stopping moment late on.
TALKING POINT - Ten Hag lays down a marker
Some of Manchester United’s more recent managers, and we all know one of them in particular, would have gone to Nou Camp and parked the bus.
Not Erik ten Hag, though. He had absolutely no interest in taking a 0-0 draw back to Old Trafford for the second leg next week. He said pre-match that he wanted to win in ‘the Manchester United way’, by playing attractive, attacking football.
Sure, his side didn’t win in the end, but this was a sparkling display going forward, spearheaded by Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, showing just how dangerous they can be on the break. They deserved to win, and the manager will be thrilled with how his side performed against a team who had conceded one goal in their previous seven outings.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United). We knew for a while that the striker was good, but we didn’t know how good.
The England international is in the form of his life though, as he scored for the fourth game running and ran an experienced Barcelona defence ragged all evening.
His pace, power and direct play was just sensational, as he proved when turning creator for the second goal too. On current performances, he’s undoubtedly one of the best in Europe.
PLAYER RATINGS
BARCELONA: Ter Stegen 6; Kounde 6, Araujo 5, Alonso 5, Alba 5; Pedri 6, de Jong 6, Kessie 6; Raphinha 8, Lewandowski 6, Gavi 6. Subs: Roberto 6, Balde 6, Christensen 6, Fati 6, Torres n/a
Unused subs: Tenas, Pena, Garcia, Casado, Torre, Alarcon
MANCHESTER UNITED: de Gea 7; Wan-Bissaka 7, Varane 7, Shaw 7, Malacia 6; Casemiro 8, Fred 7; Sancho 6, Fernandes 7, Rashford 9; Weghorst 7. Subs: Garnacho n/a
Unused subs: Heaton, Butland, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Pellistri, Mainoo, Iqbal, Elanga
KEY MOMENTS
28’ WEGHORST HAS TO SCORE United might not get a better chance than that all evening. Wout Weghorst is through one-on-one, but shoots straight at ter Stegen, who came off his line to narrow the angle
34’ WHAT A SAVE! Sancho feeds Rashford, who aims for the far post with a lovely lifted effort, but ter Stegen makes a stunning save, diving to his left and clawing away
50’ GOAL! BARCELONA 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (Marcus Alonso) Barca break the deadlock! A deep corner comes all the way to Alonso at the back post, and he nets with a towering header, nodding past de Gea who couldn't get down quick enough
52’ GOAL! BARCELONA 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (Marcus Rashford) An immediate response from United, and what a finish that is! A brilliant pass from Fred to Rashford, who's forced wide of goal but thunders a shot past ter Stegen.
59’ GOAL! BARCELONA 1-2 MANCHESTER UNITED (Kounde own goal) Wow! United have turned it around. Brilliant on the short corner from Rashford, who dances past one tackle and then slides a low, fierce cross into the box which Fernandes gets a touch on, and then it hits Kounde and bounces in!
76’ GOAL! BARCELONA 2-2 MANCHESTER UNITED (Raphinha) Well, that's come from nowhere, and it's very harsh on United. Raphinha, who has been superb, whips a ball in towards Lewandowski, but it misses everyone and drops in at the far post. De Gea was motionless
87’ OFF THE POST Wow! Casemiro hits HIS OWN post with a clearance from inside the six yard box
KEY STATS
- Barcelona’s eight match winning streak (over 90 minutes) comes to an end
- Manchester United have still never beaten Barcelona at Camp Nou, with six visits now yielding three draws and three defeats
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