Marcus Rashford canceled out Marcos Alonso's opener before Jules Kounde's own goal gave the lead the United but Raphina's long-range goal leveled the tie.
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Barcelona and Manchester United played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League playoff tie at Camp Nou on Thursday. The Red Devils will be the happier of the two sides as the play switches to Old Trafford for the second leg next week. Although it was the La Liga leaders who broke the deadlock through Marcos Alonso’s header early in the second half, United leveled the score quickly, thanks to Marcus Rashford’s fine effort from inside the box. At one stage the momentum shifted in favour of the visitors and they took the lead courtesy of an own goal by Jules Kounde. But Raphinha made the score 2-2 with fourteen minutes remaining.
Heading to Old Trafford level.#UEL pic.twitter.com/2zyo1Egeyr
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 16, 2023
Both managers opted for some surprise in the starting eleven, as they deployed their natural full-backs in the center-back positions. Barcelona left-back Alonso partnered Jules Kounde in the central defence, likewise, for the Red Devils, left-back Luke Shaw joined Raphael Varane in the heart of the back-four. The match started with a high tempo and both teams were not hesitant to go all out attack. Robert Lewandowski forced the first save of the match from the visiting goalkeeper David de Gea inside the opening eight minutes, before Pedri’s shot went over the bar, ten minutes later.
At the other hand, United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka went past Jordi Alba with ease before cutting the ball back for Jadon Sancho whose effort went wide. Three minutes into the half-hour mark, Kounde’s mistake allowed Rashford to burst forward but the Englishman’s brilliant strike from the left side of the box was kept out by Barca keeper Marc Ander Ter Stegen with an even better save. Casemiro gave the ball away to Alba, but the Spanish left-back’s effort was well kept out by De Gea at the near post.
Five minutes into the second half, Barca went ahead from a corner kick. Raphinha’s in-swinging delivery from the right flank was headed home by Alonso at the far post. But it didn’t take long for the Red Devils to equalise as Rashford squeezed the ball in from the right side of the box in the 52nd minute. It was the England international’s 24th goal for United across all competitions this season. Rashford showed the world why his manager was comparing himself with PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, as he helped United take the lead on the hour-mark.
The Red Devils took a short corner, Rashford easily went past Raphinha on the right wing before firing in a low cross which was bundled into his own net by Kounde. The second goal turned the tide in United’s favour and the Premier League players were looking more energised and solid. But the hosts weren’t willing to give up that easily and leveled the score in the 76th-minute. Raphinha’s inswinging cross from the right flank went all the way into the far bottom corner. Barca were close to getting a late winner as Casemiro struck his own post while defending a free-kick.
Twitter was buzzing as the people were going crazy about Barcelona and Manchester United playing out a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie. Lets see some tweets and memes from some fans from all over the world.
Marcus Rashford’s game by numbers vs. Barcelona:
32 touches
3 key passes
3 shots on target
2 ground duels won
1 foul won
1 goalI’m running out of superlatives. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/b66ZiE9k3q
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 16, 2023
Manchester united’s second goal again Barcelona
Rashford dribble past Raphina to get that in..
Star boy 💫 pic.twitter.com/aUY4sL6YBS— #TEAMCASEMIRO (@BELIEVER_O) February 16, 2023
Barca should have won it at camp nou and taken a lead, but it was finest Game.. 90 minutes of pure thrill.. Two clubs striving hard to reclaim their glory fighting for a win.. Woww… What a game.. https://t.co/TqAhAENvD9
— Rupesh (@RupeshC07) February 17, 2023
#ManchesterUnited has gone from Struggling against Brentford to Dominating against Barcelona in a Space of 6 Months.
What a Manager Erik Ten Hag is. #MUFC #BarcaMUFC #MUNLEI pic.twitter.com/cCPmXM6U67
— Ken 🔰 (@KenMUFC_) February 17, 2023
