After conceding two early goals, Manchester United were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday with a 3-2 drubbing at the hands of RB Leipzig, who paraded to the knockout stages.
Leipzig were 3-0 up mid-way through the second half thanks to goals by Manchester City loanee Angelino, Amadou Haidara and Justin Kluivert at the Red Bull Arena, Germany.
Although United pulled back two goals in the final ten minutes as Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty and substitute Paul Pogba scored with a deflected header.
“We didn’t front up until they scored the second goal,” admitted Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, AFP reported.
“We knew they would come at us and put crosses into the box, but we conceded two early goals and never got going.”
The German club’s victory avenged their 5-0 hammering by United at Old Trafford in October.
“The boys fought hard, they are machines,” said delighted Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Leipzig needed just two minutes to take the lead after Angelino’s stunning opener.
“It feels very good. We made it difficult until the last minute, but at the end of the day we stayed strong,” the Spanish fullback said.
“I’m so happy that we got the win.”
Needing only a draw to go through, Solskjaer made five changes from the side which won 3-1 at West Ham at the weekend, including Luke Shaw who was deputised as a makeshift centre-back for his 150th appearance after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Pogba, whose agent has said the midfielder is “unhappy” at Old Trafford, started on the bench, but his late header gave United some hope of scripting a comeback.
The hosts took the lead with just two minutes gone as Marcel Sabitzer’s cross-field pass was met by left-back Angelino and his left-foot strike flew past David de Gea.
The United goalkeeper was beaten yet again on the 13-minute mark when Haidara volleyed home a move he started.
It could have been 3-0 moments later when Emil Forsberg shot wide from close range with the goal at his mercy.
A speculative Mason Greenwood header and a half-chance by Marcus Rushford were all United produced in the opening half-hour.
Leipzig had a goal disallowed when Ibrahima Konate headed onto the post and Willi Orban tapped home only to ruled offside by VAR.
United tightened their defence in the second half by shifting to a more natural back four with Donny van de Beek replacing wingback Alex Telles, while Pogba came on for the final half-hour.
United threatened as Fernandes fired wide and then hit the post, before more poor defending allowed the hosts to grab their third goal.
Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann boosted his attack by bringing on forwards Yussuf Poulsen and Kluivert, who snapped up a Sabitzer cross and chipped De Gea with 69 minutes gone.
There was drama in the closing stages after Konate brought Greenwood down and Fernandes tucked in the penalty on 80 minutes.
Pogba then met a Fernandes deep corner unmarked at the far post and his header deflected off Konate to make it 3-2 on 82 minutes, but Leipzig held on in the tense closing exchanges.
