A disastrous opening 20 minutes by United was too much to come back from with RB Leipzig taking the final Group H qualification spot.
Leipzig were irresistible and raced out of the blocks when Angelino smashed the hosts in front after just two minutes. With United’s defence asleep, he walked onto Marcel Sabitzer’s cross to fire low into David De Gea’s far corner.
After Mason Greenwood’s shot was saved by Peter Gulasci, Leipzig doubled their lead after only twelve minutes when Amadou Haidara was free to tap in at the back post, almost a carbon copy of the first goal. Emil Forsberg then passed up a huge chance to make it three-nil inside 17 minutes, somehow missing the target from 10 yards out.
United were reprieved on the half hour mark when Willy Orban was offside following Ibrahima Konate’s header rebounding off the post.
United came out with intent at the start of the second half but could never find a good final ball with plenty of set pieces going unpunished. Bruno Fernandes saw a freekick come back off the bar only for Justin Kluivert to add Leipzig’s third less than a minute later with Harry Maguire and De Gea not taking control of a deflected cross.
Bruno Fernandes gave United hope, scoring a penalty with 10 minutes to play. Paul Pogba then headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ corner to set up a grand-stand finish. United thought they’d found the goal they needed at the end with Gulasci saving Nordi Mukiele’s blushes keeping out the defender’s goal bound deflection.
Sub-Edited by Ciaran Coyle
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