Barcelona, Manchester United inseparable in four-goal thriller

Barcelona and Manchester United performed out an entertaining 2-2 draw on the Spotify Camp Nou as each side search a spot within the final 16 of the UEFA Europa League. All the recreation’s objectives got here within the second half of the conflict.

Having been despatched crashing out of the UEFA Champions League on the group stage, Barcelona have been drawn towards Manchester United within the UEFA Europa League playoffs, a conflict between two of Europe’s largest golf equipment of the twenty first century.

With each side in superb kind and filled with confidence, the conflict promised to be an exciting one. The primary half of the conflict was goal-shy, with neither facet capable of finding the web. There have been two excellent saves from Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, nevertheless, from Marcus Rashford and Wout Weghorst as Manchester United appeared for an opener.

The second half received off to a flying begin as former Chelsea man Marcos Alonso rose highest to go house a nook kick from Raphinha and put the house facet in entrance simply 5 minutes into the half.

Manchester United delivered an immediate response by means of the in-form Rashford, who scored for the fourth recreation in a row, equalling his best-ever tally of twenty-two objectives in a season. The Englishman drove into the field from the precise earlier than drilling an effort which beat Ter Stegen at his close to put up within the 52nd minute.

Simply seven minutes later, the match was turned on its head as Manchester United took the lead. Rashford obtained the ball from a brief nook earlier than firing a low cross into the field. Bruno Fernandes flicked the ball along with his heel earlier than Jules Kounde inadvertently turned the ball into his personal web.

After going behind, Barcelona upped the tempo as they sought to punish their guests, and so they discovered an equaliser within the 76th minute. A unfastened cross from Casemiro was pounced upon by Kounde, who handed the ball to Raphinha. The Brazilian winger put in a cross which evaded everybody within the field and nestled into the web.

Each groups appeared for a late winner however failed to seek out it, with Raphinha and Andrea’s Christensen each near discovering a late winner for the house facet. Barcelona are actually undefeated in 17 matches and would go to Previous Trafford for the second leg of the tie subsequent week.