On matchday 3 of the 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League Group F, Manchester United win 3-2 coming back from behind after Pašalić and Demiral had doubled Atalanta’s lead.
The tempo got immediately high and Pašalić found the breakthrough in the 15th minute, as he perfectly turned Zappacosta’s assist from the right in. Musso denied Fred on 20 minutes and the Nerazzurri doubled their lead through Demiral, who jumped higher than anyone and nodded in from Koopmeiners’ corner. Before half-time, Fred skimmed the post with a curler and Rashford smashed the bar in stoppages.
The second half opened up with a chance for Ronaldo but Musso pulled off an amazing save to deny him. However, Manchester United pulled one back on 53 minutes thanks to Rashford’s clear-cut angled drive. McTominay almost equalized in the 58th minute as his close-range deflection bounced off the post. Manchester United’s pressure picked up and Musso had to make a save on Ronaldo’s angled drive on 63 minutes. The Nerazzurri almost added a third in the 73rd minute through Zapata first and Malinovskyi then, but De Gea parried both efforts. The hosts completed the comeback on 75 minutes through Maguire, who found the winning deflection from a set piece. Musso saved on Bruno Fernandes in the 80th minute but Manchester took the lead one minute later through Ronaldo, whose header was also the winner.
MANCHESTER UNITED 3-2 ATALANTA
Scorers: Pašalić 15 (A), Demiral 29 (A), Rashford 53 (MU), Maguire 75 (MU), Ronaldo 81 (MU)
Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay (Pogba 67), Fred (Matic 88), Greenwood (Sancho 73), Bruno Fernandes, Rashford (Cavani 67), Ronaldo. Bench: Henderson, Bailly, Mata, Lingard, Dalot, Alex Telles, van de Beek, Elanga. Coach: Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer.
Atalanta: Musso, de Roon, Demiral (Lovato 46), Palomino, Zappacosta, Koopmeiners (Pezzella 81), Freuler, Mæhle, Pašalić (Malinovskyi 68), Iličić (Miranchuk 68), Muriel (Zapata 56). Bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Scalvini, Piccoli. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL).
Assistants: Paweł Sokolnicki (POL) and Tomasz Listkiewicz (POL).
Fourth official: Tomasz Musiał (POL).
V.A.R.: Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL).
A.V.A.R.: Marco Fritz (GER).
Notes: Shaw (MU), Matic (MU), Cavani (MU), Lovato (A), Pašalić (A), de Roon (A), Palomino (A) booked.
