Matheus Cunha Scores Twice, Sees Red as Man United Stun Roma in Wild Comeback

Matheus Cunha turned a Champions League night of near-mutiny at Old Trafford into one of Manchester United’s most dramatic European fightbacks, scoring twice in three minutes before being sent off in stoppage time as United beat Roma 3-2 on Tuesday. The win ended a nine-game winless run in all competitions and handed embattled head coach Michael Carrick a lifeline he badly needed.

United looked finished before the opening 20 minutes were up. Matias Soule slotted home on 11 minutes after being given acres of space, and Donyell Malen converted a penalty moments later after Soule’s shot struck the outstretched hand of Ayden Heaven. With the home crowd turning, the scoreline at the break actually flattered a side that had been carved open again and again. Carrick’s team entered the night on its worst run of form since 1988-89, having lost three straight, most recently 2-0 at Chelsea on Saturday, and sat above the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference alone.

Fernandes Pulls One Back, Then Cunha Takes Over

The momentum swung just before the hour. Cunha won a debated penalty, and captain Bruno Fernandes had to take it twice before converting in the 58th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1. That goal changed the mood inside the stadium and the shape of the match, as United finally started pressing with purpose and moving the ball with the confidence that had been missing for weeks.

The pressure forced a mistake from Roma defender Leonardo Balerdi, and Cunha made no mistake with a touch and a finish in the 83rd minute to level the match. Three minutes later, the Brazilian slammed a shot in off the inside of the near post to put United 3-2 in front. It was a stunning reversal from a team that had trailed 2-0 and appeared to have nothing left.

The celebrations came with a sting. Cunha was shown a second yellow card in the 90th minute for a lunge at Balerdi, sending him off in a chaotic finish. The red card is a storyline to watch as United plan their next European outing, but the immediate result was the one that mattered: three points and a first victory in 10 games.

Carrick Gets a Stay of Execution

Carrick’s position had been hanging by a thread. Reports in the days before the match suggested he could lose his job during the coming international break, and the decision to keep him for the Roma game looked to have backfired through a lifeless first half. His halftime message, he said afterward, was that Old Trafford can change in a moment. “This place does incredible things, does magical things,” Carrick said. “I spoke with them at half-time a little bit about how this place can change and it only takes one moment. It certainly did that and the boys made every little bit of every little opportunity.”

The result carries some poetry for a man who once starred in this fixture as a player, scoring twice in United’s 7-1 quarter-final win over Roma in 2007. This time the stakes were his managerial survival. Fernandes backed his head coach after the final whistle, though he made the point that the players did not need to save Carrick’s job. A single win does not repair a season that has produced United’s worst league start in 40 years, but it does ease the immediate pressure and ends a run that stretched back to a 4-0 Champions League win over Sabah in September.

What Comes Next for United

The next test will show whether the second-half performance was a turning point or a one-night burst. United still have to prove they can defend for 90 minutes, particularly down the left side where Roma found so much space early. Fans eyeing the next round of European matches can line up their bets with a DraftKings promo code and compare the sports betting apps available in their state.

Cunha, meanwhile, left Old Trafford as the headline figure of a night fans will be talking about for a long time. Two goals, a won penalty and a red card in the final minute made for a chaotic stat line and a reminder of how quickly fortunes can turn in this competition. Whether Carrick is still in the dugout when the next round arrives remains the biggest question around Manchester United, but for one night at least, the mood inside Old Trafford turned from anger to roaring celebration.