Angelino inspires win over Manchester United as RB Leipzig progress to UEFA Champions league knockout rounds
Early goals from Angelino and Amadou Haidara paved the way for RB Leipzig to book their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 3-2 victory at home to Manchester United.
RB Leipzig 3-2 Manchester United
Goals: 1-0 Angelino (2'), 2-0 Haidara (13'), 3-0 Kluivert (69'), 3-1 Fernandes (pen. 80'), 3-2 Maguire (82')
Leipzig knew they needed to win to guarantee their spot in the knockout stage of the competition and they got off to the perfect start as Marcel Sabitzer delivered a cross from the right that Angelino drilled past Aaron Wan-Bissaka and David de Gea to give the hosts the lead inside two minutes. The advantage was doubled with less than a quarter of the hour on the clock when Angelino turned provider with a cross of his own for Haidara to volley home. Mason Greenwood had United’s best chance of the half, but Peter Gulacsi was equal to his attempted effort towards the far corner. Leipzig were very nearly out of sight by half-time when Willi Orban thought he had scored on the rebound after Nordi Mukiele’s header hit the crossbar, but it was ruled out for offside.
That gave the away side a glimmer of hope going into the second period and they came out strongly from the dressing room, but apart from a couple of shots from distance, they struggled to break down the Leipzig rearguard. Bruno Fernandes almost pulled one back with a free-kick that crashed off the crossbar, but the match appeared over with Leipzig’s next attack when substitute Justin Kluivert nipped in between Harry Maguire and De Gea to dink in from close range and put Leipzig 3-0 up. There were further twists to come, however, when United were awarded a penalty after Mukiele was adjudged to have fouled Greenwood, with Fernandes converting from the spot. They pulled another goal back just two minutes later, when Paul Pogba’s header from a corner bounced off Maguire and into the net, sparking a nerve-wracking finale. However, Julian Nagelsmann's side held on to book their place in the next round, eliminating their visitors in the process.
Match stats
- Leipzig overtook United in the table with this win. No group winner has been determined as yet following the suspension of PSG's game against Istanbul Basaksehir.
- Left-back Angelino is Leipzig's most potent attacking force this season with seven goals and four assists in all competitions, six of which have come in the Champions League (three goals, three assists).
- Nagelsmann, at 33 years old, is the youngest manager in this year's competition. Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani is five months older than the Leipzig tactician.
- Only promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016, Leipzig are already in their third Champions League campaign, and made the semi-finals last season.
- United's 5-0 win in their first meeting was Leipzig's heaviest European loss. It was one of only three defeats in Die Roten Bullen's last 16 games, with 11 wins and two draws in that time.
- Marcus Rashford - alongside Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland and Juventus's Alvaro Morata - is the top scorer in this season's Champions League with six.
Line-ups
Leipzig: Gulacsi - Mukiele, Konate, Orban, Angelino – Sabitzer (c), Haidara, Kampl (Adams 75') - Olmo (Kluivert 56'), Forsberg (Poulsen 56'), Nkunku
Unused subs: Tschauner, Martinez, Sorloth, Halstenberg, Martel, Wosz
Out: Henrichs (knee), Hwang (not included), Klostermann (knee), Laimer (knee), Upamecano (suspended)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
United: De Gea - Lindelof, Maguire (c), Shaw (Williams 61') – Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Matic (Pogba 61'), Telles (Van de Beek 46') – Fernandes – Greenwood, Rashford
Unused subs: Henderson, Grant, Bailly, Fosu-Mensah, Tuanzebe, James, Lingard, Mata, Ighalo
Out: Cavani (muscular), Fred (suspended), Jones (ineligible), Martial (muscular)
Coach: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
As it happened!
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