Angelino inspires win over Manchester United as RB Leipzig progress to UEFA Champions league knockout rounds
Early goals from Angelino and Amadou Haidara paved the way for RB Leipzig to book their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 3-2 victory at home to Manchester United.
Leipzig knew they needed to win to guarantee their spot in the knockout stage of the competition and they got off to the perfect start as Marcel Sabitzer delivered a cross from the right that Angelino drilled past Aaron Wan-Bissaka and David de Gea to give the hosts the lead inside two minutes. The advantage was doubled with less than a quarter of the hour on the clock when Angelino turned provider with a cross of his own for Haidara to volley home. Mason Greenwood had United’s best chance of the half, but Peter Gulacsi was equal to his attempted effort towards the far corner. Leipzig were very nearly out of sight by half-time when Willi Orban thought he had scored on the rebound after Nordi Mukiele’s header hit the crossbar, but it was ruled out for offside.
That gave the away side a glimmer of hope going into the second period and they came out strongly from the dressing room, but apart from a couple of shots from distance, they struggled to break down the Leipzig rearguard. Bruno Fernandes almost pulled one back with a free-kick that crashed off the crossbar, but the match appeared over with Leipzig’s next attack when substitute Justin Kluivert nipped in between Harry Maguire and De Gea to dink in from close range and put Leipzig 3-0 up. There were further twists to come, however, when United were awarded a penalty after Mukiele was adjudged to have fouled Greenwood, with Fernandes converting from the spot. They pulled another goal back just two minutes later, when Paul Pogba’s header from a corner bounced off Maguire and into the net, sparking a nerve-wracking finale. However, Julian Nagelsmann's side held on to book their place in the next round, eliminating their visitors in the process.
Match stats
Leipzig overtook United in the table with this win. No group winner has been determined as yet following the suspension of PSG's game against Istanbul Basaksehir.
Left-back Angelino is Leipzig's most potent attacking force this season with seven goals and four assists in all competitions, six of which have come in the Champions League (three goals, three assists).
Nagelsmann, at 33 years old, is the youngest manager in this year's competition. Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani is five months older than the Leipzig tactician.
Only promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016, Leipzig are already in their third Champions League campaign, and made the semi-finals last season.
United's 5-0 win in their first meeting was Leipzig's heaviest European loss. It was one of only three defeats in Die Roten Bullen's last 16 games, with 11 wins and two draws in that time.
Marcus Rashford - alongside Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland and Juventus's Alvaro Morata - is the top scorer in this season's Champions League with six.
United: De Gea - Lindelof, Maguire (c), Shaw (Williams 61') – Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Matic (Pogba 61'), Telles (Van de Beek 46') – Fernandes – Greenwood, Rashford Unused subs: Henderson, Grant, Bailly, Fosu-Mensah, Tuanzebe, James, Lingard, Mata, Ighalo Out: Cavani (muscular), Fred (suspended), Jones (ineligible), Martial (muscular) Coach: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
As it happened!
3 - 2
(2 - 0)
Leipzig
FINAL
Man United
Champions League Matchday 6 Matchday 6 Red Bull Arena
LEIPZIG HAVE DONE IT!
Julian Nagelsmann's side are through to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League!
Full-time
90'
+ 4
INCHES FROM AN OWN GOAL!
Mukiele is at full stretch facing his own goal as he looks to cut out a cross and somehow puts it straight at Gulacsi!
90'
+ 2
ORBAN DOWN
Pogba whips in a cross from the left. Gulacsi calls for it but Orban keeps going and collides with his goalkeeper, who does well to hold onto the ball.
90'
ADDED TIME
There's four minutes of injury time to be played.
89'
STRAIGHT AT GULACSI
United counter quickly and the ball ends up with Rashford on the left. He uses the run of Williams to cut inside but powers his effort straight at Gulacsi.
Fernandes with another crack, again Gulacsi isn't to be beaten as he tips over the bar.
72'
GREENWOOD AGAIN
A tidy turn by the striker inside the Leipzig box and he tries to put his shot across Gulacsi, but again the Leipzig keeper is equal to it.
70'
MCTOMINAY HITS IT
The United midfielder has a crack from range, but Gulacsi is equal to it.
69'
KLUIVERT NIPS IN!
A gift for Leipzig and they gladly accept it. Nkunku's cross from the left is deflected and neither Maguire nor De Gea deal with it, allowing Kluivert to nip in and tap home Leipzig's third!
United have a free-kick left of centre and 20 yards out. Bruno bends it over the massive Leipzig wall but it doesn't dip in time to beat the crossbar, rattling back off the frame of the goal.
66'
BRUNO STRIKES
Bruno Fernandes rolls his man and hits one from 20+ yards, but Gulacsi sees it coming and makes the stop down low at his right-hand post.
Fernandez whips in a free-kick from deep on the right, but it evades every black shirt.
54'
UNITED ON THE FRONT FOOT
The visitors look to have had a rocket up their backsides during the break by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and are the team making things happen in this half. Yussuf Poulsen is getting ready for Leipzig.
52'
STRONG DANI!
Dani Olmo intercepts a pass midway into his own half and then looks to counter but is brought down on the halfway line by McTominay.
48'
KEEPING IT TIGHT
Leipzig faced just a single shot on target in the first half. The last time they faced so few in the Champions League was against Tottenham in March when they also had a 2-0 lead after 45 minutes. They won that one 3-0.
46'
SAME AGAIN PLEASE
Leipzig stick with the same team that started the game so well. Manchester United do make a half-time change, though, with Donny Van de Beek on for Alex Telles as they switch to a back four.
Julian Nagelsmann's side are in total control against the three-time champions of Europe. Early goals from Angelino and Amadou Haidara have Leipzig just 45 minutes away from booking their place in the knockout stage after allowing Manchester United pretty much nothing bar a Greenwood shot saved by Gulacsi.
Minutes to go before half-time and Leipzig are dropping back. It's allowing United possession but there's no way through.
42'
SETTLING IN
United started the game with a back three of Lindelof, Maguire and Shaw, but their wing-backs were nowhere to be seen when it came to defending and Leipzig took advantage out wide. But they look to have settled somewhat now with more of a back four.
39'
RASHFORD IN
United spot a gap in the Leipzig defence and send Rashford away. He skips inside Orban and Konate, but Angelino is across in time to knock the ball away.
37'
CHANCE FOR GREENWOOD
Orban slips in his own box and the ball bounces off him to Greenwood, but the Leipzig man recovers quickly enough to block the shot for a corner.
Willi Orban wheels away celebrating Leipzig's third but it doesn't count. Konate sees a header come back off the post and roll across the line for Orban to tap home, but the former captain was in an offside position and a VAR check rules the goal out.
24'
INTO THE BOX
United have a free-kick around 22 yards out. Fernandez put it into the wall but swings in a first-time cross on the rebound, that Konate does well to clear for a corner.
22'
¡ANGELINO, BIEN!
Is the cry that can often be heard from Dani Olmo towards his compatriot. And rightly so based on his performance so far.
16'
FORSBERG!
It should be three for Leipzig! Forsberg completely free inside the penalty area as the ball comes over from the left. He takes a touch but somehow puts his effort wide!
13'
AMADOU DOUBLES!
Leipzig are cruising! They stretch the United defence by moving the ball from right to left. Angelino crosses to the far post. It's over Forsberg but Haidara comes in behind and volleys past De Gea.
United's first attack and it's a dangerous one as Greenwood drives at the Leipzig defence. He cuts in onto his left and looks for the far corner, but Gulacsi reads it and holds low to his right.
7'
ANGELINO AGAIN
Leipzig's top scorer is playing very high up the left wing and is in behind again. But this time his effort is close enough for De Gea to hold.
The earliest goal in Leipzig's Champions League history and it just had to be Angelino! A ball across the box from the right and the Spaniard is completely unmarked, no United defenders in sight, and he drives his shot across David de Gea and into the far corner.
Manchester United have lost their last two Champions League games away in Germany. They were beaten 3-1 at Bayern in April 2014 and 3-2 at Wolfsburg in December 2015.
KEEPING THE CHAMPIONS AT BAY
Leipzig put in an excellent display on Saturday as they went to Munich and claimed a 3-3 draw against Bundesliga and European champions Bayern. Christopher Nkunku, Justin Kluivert and Emil Forsberg got the goals that made RB the only team to face Bayern more than once in 2020 and not lose.
ANGEL AGAINST RED DEVILS
It’s a special game for Manchester City-owned left-back Angelino, who is also Leipzig’s top scorer this season with six goals in all competitions, including two in Europe. Add in two more Champions League assists and he’s been directly involved in half of Leipzig’s group goals. The only Spanish player with a hand in more goals in the competition this season is Juventus centre-forward Alvaro Morata (6 goals & 1 assist).
FORTRESS RED BULL
Leipzig are the only Bundesliga team with a 100 per cent home record in the league this season, winning five out of five. They have also won both Champions League group games so far against Basaksehir (2-0) and PSG (2-1). The latter was the only goal they have conceded in their last three European home games, having also beaten Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in last season’s round of 16 en route to the semi-finals.
PERMUTATIONS
Group H is going down to the wire. Three teams – Leipzig, United and PSG – currently sit on nine points, but only two can go through to the knockout stage. United are currently top on the head-to-head record between the three, with Leipzig in third. The equation is therefore simple for Julian Nagelsmann’s side: win and they are through. A draw would also be enough if PSG lose at home to Basaksehir.
THREE CHANGES
Julian Nagelsmann makes slight tweaks to his side from Saturday’s game in Munich. Dayot Upamecano serves a one-match European suspension and is replaced by former club captain Willi Orban. Kevin Kampl comes in for Tyler Adams in midfield, while Dani Olmo replaces Justin Kluivert as Leipzig stick to their approach of no out-and-out striker.
UNITED SUBS
Henderson, Grant, Bailly, Fosu-Mensah, Tuanzebe, Williams, James, Lingard, Mata, Pogba, Van de Beek, Ighalo
