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LEIPZIG, Germany: RB Leipzig scored twice in the first 13 minutes but had to survive a late Manchester United comeback to hold on to a 3-2 win on Tuesday (Dec. 8) that sent them into the knockout phase of the Champions League and eliminated the English side.
The Germans, semi-finalists last season, were totally dominant in the early stages, leading 2-0 with goals from Angelino and Amadou Haidara, before a second-half third from Justin Kluivert appeared to be the last nail in the united Coffin. .
A Bruno Fernandes penalty, however, brought the visitors to life in the 80th minute and a Paul Pogba header shortly after established a tense end, but it all came too late for United, who were left to regret a sloppy start and now will fall in the Europa League.
“It was very intense at the end, but we played a good game for long periods,” said Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann. “The players implemented our plan well, especially in the first half.
“The guys fought hard, I said before the game that they are machines and they showed it again tonight.”
Leipzig lead Group H with 12 points, but will have to wait to see if he stays there, while United are away having finished third with nine points.
Second-placed Paris St Germain, also with nine but with a better head-to-head record against United and Leipzig, is in the round of 16 and may still finish on top.
They will line up again against Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday after their game was suspended due to an incident involving the fourth official.
Leipzig, beaten 5-0 by United in Manchester, got off to a sensational start, surprising the visitors in the second minute with Angelino’s powerful shot from a Marcel Sabitzer cross.
The Spaniard, on loan from Manchester City, ran to United down the left wing and was again left with too much space in the 12th minute when the ball floated for Haidara to volley it.
United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka was completely overwhelmed on his right flank and the Germans deserved a third goal.
They thought they did it when Willi Orban put the ball into the net only to have it declared offside.
United, despite the return of Luke Shaw and goalkeeper David De Gea, were vulnerable at the back and had to change their system several times in a desperate effort to stop the attack.
Leipzig added a third goal through substitute Kluivert in the 69th minute.
However, Fernandes, who had previously hit the crossbar with a free kick, scored with a penalty in the 80th minute to awaken some urgency in United’s game.
Substitute Pogba’s header bounced off Maguire and entered the net to make it 3-2 at 82, but United, who needed at least one point to advance, failed to draw the tie.
“There are 11 bodies that have to come out and be aggressive,” United defender Harry Maguire said.
“It’s the basics of football, if you don’t block the crosses you won’t win games.”
