In a fiery performance at Old Trafford, Manchester United beat Real Sociedad and kept their chances of lifting a trophy alive. The side showed relentless vigor and creativity from the moment they conceded an early goal, as if they were living by Ruben Amorim’s tactical ideology.
Bruno Fernandes scored an amazing hat-trick, and he was the star of the evening. Alejandro Garnacho helped him score his third goal, which sent United fans into raptures and ensured them a quarterfinal spot against Lyon. He struck the ball into the left corner.
As Fernandes explained, “This club is all about winning. We have a long, long way to go, but we believe if we stay concentrated and we’ve got the mentality right, then we can go and win the games.” Having Lyon in May 10 and 17 the fixtures, the chances of Manchester United advancing into the semi-finals are promising.
The game started with a flourish, as a tifo-sized banner of United’s red devil and a firework explosion created the atmosphere. Real Sociedad, though, opened the scoring, as Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot after Matthijs de Ligt’s hapless challenge. The referee had checked with the VAR before making the call, and Oyarzabal beat André Onana with ease.
United, though, quickly counterattacked. Fernandes started the equalizer, aimed at Rasmus Højlund, who was being blocked by Igor Zubeldia. The referee had given a penalty, and Fernandes coolly placed the ball to Alex Remiro’s right since the goalkeeper had dived in the other direction.
The home team’s energy picked up, and Fernandes was directing smooth passing combinations. One of the highlights had Joshua Zirkzee combining with Patrick Dorgu, whose clever cross found Garnacho, his shot being thwarted. Zirkzee’s smooth footwork also created a chance for Højlund, whose flick whizzed narrowly wide of the goal.
Onana, Casemiro, and Højlund, derided by owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as “overpaid and not good enough,” justified their price tags. Onana’s assertive saves and Casemiro’s astute positioning complemented Højlund’s tireless runs. Dorgu’s corner kick volley rippled the net’s roof, displaying the creativity that has so long been missing from this team.
With the overall score level at 2-2, the second half proved to be crucial. United took advantage early when Remiro parried Zirkzee’s shot, enabling Dorgu to take advantage. Elustondo’s illegal block on Dorgu resulted in another penalty, which Fernandes coolly converted, this time directing the ball to Remiro’s left.
The fans went wild as United put in their most well-rounded show under Amorim. Dorgu’s energetic play featured a scorching run and a cross that almost set up Højlund, but Remiro stepped in. Garnacho’s effort in picking up a loose pass almost saw another goal, while Zirkzee and Højlund’s tandem play kept Sociedad on their toes.
Zirkzee’s curling pass that brought Dorgu galloping ahead was the turning point. Sociedad was taken aback by Jon Aramburu’s desperation foul that earned him a red card. Finishing in spectacular fashion, Fernandes wrapped up his hat-trick, and Diogo Dalot scored a late goal just for good measure. Dorgu displayed good sportsmanship by turning down a penalty in a minor scuffle with Hamari Traoré.
Aside from ensuring their promotion, United’s commanding performance provided a mouth-watering glimpse of the team’s capabilities under Amorim’s stewardship.
