Maguire's Late Strike Rescues Manchester United as Chelsea, Tottenham Secure European Wins

Posted : 04 October 2024

Harry Maguire’s late heroics in the 91st minute salvaged a 3-3 draw for Manchester United against Porto in their Europa League clash on Thursday. United had looked set to endure another defeat after letting an early two-goal advantage slip away, but Maguire's crucial header from a corner secured a point, providing some relief for under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag. Meanwhile, Chelsea celebrated their Conference League debut with a comfortable win at home, while Tottenham continued their strong Europa League campaign.

Manchester United began the match in Porto on a high note, with Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund finding the back of the net within the first 20 minutes to give their side a 2-0 lead. However, Porto responded quickly, as Pepe halved the deficit before Samu Omorodion scored twice, once before and once after halftime, to turn the match around. Adding to United's woes, Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a dangerous challenge in the 81st minute, leaving the Red Devils down to 10 men. Despite this, Maguire’s late header earned them a valuable draw.

Chelsea marked their first-ever appearance in the Conference League with a 4-2 victory over Gent at Stamford Bridge. Manager Enzo Maresca rotated his squad, making wholesale changes from their weekend lineup. Renato Veiga opened the scoring with a header in the 12th minute, and Pedro Neto added another shortly after halftime. Though Tsuyoshi Watanabe pulled one back for the Belgian side, further goals from Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealed the win before Omri Gandelman scored a late consolation.

Elsewhere, Tottenham maintained their unbeaten run in the Europa League with a 2-1 win at Ferencvaros in Hungary. Pape Sarr opened the scoring in the first half, and Brennan Johnson added a second late in the game. Despite Barnabas Varga’s late goal for the hosts, Spurs held on to secure the win. Manager Ange Postecoglou praised his team’s resilience, particularly given the hostile atmosphere and the inclusion of four teenagers in his lineup.

In another surprising result, Elfsborg managed a 1-0 victory over Serie A giants Roma in the Europa League, thanks to a first-half penalty by Michael Baidoo. Roma struggled to break down their Swedish opponents, and the loss leaves them with just one point after two games. Anderlecht also pulled off an upset by defeating Real Sociedad 2-1 in Spain, while Lazio cruised to a 4-1 win over Nice in Rome.

In other Conference League matches, Cercle Brugge demolished Swiss side St. Gallen 6-2, and Legia Warsaw secured a 1-0 victory against Real Betis. Northern Irish team Larne made their debut in a UEFA competition but suffered a 3-0 defeat against Molde in Norway. Similarly, Wales’ New Saints also lost in their European debut, falling 2-0 to Fiorentina in Italy. Both teams will need to regroup as they continue their European campaigns.

Maguire's Late Strike Rescues Manchester United as Chelsea, Tottenham Secure European Wins

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