Cunha completes chaotic Manchester United comeback
Matheus Cunha's late brace completed a remarkable second-half turnaround, earning Manchester United a much-needed 3-2 win over Roma in the Champions League.
It looked like United's woes were set to continue as it went 2-0 down after 17 minutes at Old Trafford, with Matias Soule and Donyell Malen getting the goals.
However, Bruno Fernandes halved the deficit from the penalty spot before Cunha scored twice in the space of three minutes to help lift some of the pressure on Michael Carrick's shoulders, before the Brazilian received a stoppage-time red card in a chaotic finale.
Roma required just 11 minutes to carve United open when Rodrigo Mora switched play to the unmarked Soule, who had time to take a touch before slotting into the bottom-right corner.
Things then went from bad to worse just six minutes later when Harry Maguire gifted Soule possession in the box. Ayden Heaven threw himself into the block but made it with his outstretched arm.
Malen then made no mistake from 12 yards, firing past Senne Lammens, who dived the wrong way.
Malen saw a low drive palmed away by Lammens before Soule's curler skimmed the outside of the left post on the stroke of half-time.
However, United made those reprieves count and, despite losing Carlos Baleba to a hamstring injury shortly after the break, they were given a route back in when Gianluca Mancini was punished for a clumsy tangle with Cunha.
Fernandes's first spot-kick was saved by debutant Devis Vasquez, but it was retaken due to Roma encroachment, and the United captain emphatically blasted in his second attempt to reduce the arrears in the 58th minute.
He then threaded it in behind for Bryan Mbeumo, whose shot hit the left post, bounced across the goal line and back out off the opposite stick.
Maguire saw a header blocked by Wesley and caused more issues from the resulting corner, nodding it across for Diogo Dalot, who was denied on the line by Bryan Cristante.
United's pressure eventually told again in the 83rd minute, with Leonardo Balerdi missing his attempted clearance, and Cunha was hovering behind to turn in from close range.
A remarkable turnaround was capped off when Cunha lashed his laces through a tight-angled effort to spark delirium.
Amid the wild celebrations, Cunha whipped off his shirt and leapt into the crowd, and it cost him in the 91st minute as he received his second booking for a late tackle on Balerdi, though United held out to end their nine-game winless streak.
Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes
Manchester United FC
