A horror show from Wojciech Szczesny, yes, but only after a much improved showing from Manchester United.
They offered a remarkable comeback from both their first match against Juventus in this group and going behind to Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning opening goal here, to record a surprise 2-1 that may yet turn over this group too.
The late Alex Sandro own goal that Szczesny should have just batted away didn’t just deny Juventus a point, but also prevented them from confirming first place. United are now within two points of the Italians with two games remaining, after two dramatic late goals.
Szszesny was probably at fault for the first, and definitely was for the second.
Juventus vs Manchester United – player ratings
1/22 Wojciech Szczesny – 6
2/22 Mattia De Sciglio – 7
3/22 Leonardo Bonucci – 7
4/22 Giorgio Chiellini – 8
5/22 Lobo Silva Alex Sadro – 6
6/22 Juan Cuadrado – 7
7/22 Sami Khedira – 5
8/22 Miralem Pjanic – 7
9/22 Rodrigo Bentancur – 7
10/22 Paulo Dybala – 8
11/22 Cristiano Ronaldo – 7
12/22 David de Gea – 6
13/22 Ashley Young – 6
14/22 Chris Smalling – 7
15/22 Victor Lindelof – 6
16/22 Luke Shaw – 6
17/22 Ander Herrera – 7
18/22 Nemanja Matic – 6
19/22 Paul Pogba – 5
20/22 Jesse Lingard – 6
21/22 Alexis Sanchez – 6
22/22 Anthony Martial – 8
1/22 Wojciech Szczesny – 6
2/22 Mattia De Sciglio – 7
3/22 Leonardo Bonucci – 7
4/22 Giorgio Chiellini – 8
5/22 Lobo Silva Alex Sadro – 6
6/22 Juan Cuadrado – 7
7/22 Sami Khedira – 5
8/22 Miralem Pjanic – 7
9/22 Rodrigo Bentancur – 7
10/22 Paulo Dybala – 8
11/22 Cristiano Ronaldo – 7
12/22 David de Gea – 6
13/22 Ashley Young – 6
14/22 Chris Smalling – 7
15/22 Victor Lindelof – 6
16/22 Luke Shaw – 6
17/22 Ander Herrera – 7
18/22 Nemanja Matic – 6
19/22 Paul Pogba – 5
20/22 Jesse Lingard – 6
21/22 Alexis Sanchez – 6
22/22 Anthony Martial – 8
While that result may be harsh on a Juventus team that squandered so many chances before Juan Mata’s initial equaliser, it did reflect just how much better Mourinho’s team were from the 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
There at least was one big early change from the first leg, to go with United initially looking much more cohesive and committed. That match at Old Trafford had been characterised – and won – by Paulo Dybala’s untracked runs right through the centre, and this was clearly something Mourinho had addressed. That gap just didn’t appear this time, at least from that route.
Whereas Nemanja Matic in that game just let Dybala race beyond him to score the only goal, the Serbian was here aggressive enough about everything to take the playmaker down much further back, and risk a booking in the opening few minutes. United did just look tighter in the centre, with Victor Lindelof winning some good early challenges.
That also meant there were fewer good early chances for Juve, let alone a goal, as they were more frequently reduced to long shots.
Rodrigo Betancur had one that went wide early on, before Ronaldo attempted an effort that was from a similar distance to his famous goal for United against FC Porto in 2008-09. This time it went wide, which is where Juve were increasingly forced.
It was also where they finally started to get more joy – and where that gap started to appear, as United did need some luck. David De Gea had to get down brilliantly to keep out a Juan Cuadrado cross that had wickedly deflected off Luke Shaw’s leg, but the goalkeeper was left standing there and stranded as a Sami Khedira effort bounced off the post from a Ronaldo ball. United were particularly fortunate it was the German there, rather than Dybala.
It was to be watched, because that was the first time one of the gaps from the first leg had appeared, as a side as intelligent as Juve looked for another route.
Dybala soon made his way wide himself, with that allowing the playmaker to get away from Matic long enough to curl a shot off the crossbar.
United had some calculated bursts forward, but the way the game had changed with Juve in increasing control was signalled by an increasing irritation seeping into their game. Paul Pogba – who was far from at his best himself – berated teammates for slowing down an attack with needless sideways pass.
Juve might themselves have been frustrated by their inability to get behind United up to then, but they didn’t let it show in the same way. They let it show in the best way. They just did what quality sides do and kept trying different approaches.
The eventual goal was from the most rudimentary of approaches, but was anything but rudimentary in delivery. Bonucci played the perfect ball forward, and Ronaldo – of course – hit the perfect first-touch volleyed finish.
What followed was anything but perfect, particularly from Szczesny. The goalkeeper was first fooled by an Ashley Young decoy run for Mata’s goal, allowing the playmaker to curl in a free-kick that didn’t even need to be planted in the corner. For the next, a Young set-piece from much further out, he feebly patted at the ball so it bounced back off Sandro and into the net.
United won’t care about that. There was nothing feeble about their response.
There is nothing feeble about the team right now. They’ve shown a renewed resilience, yet another comeback.
Mourinho had claimed beforehand – in a calculated bit of expectation management – that this match “is not crucial”. They did show a crucial quality.
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