Porto draw 3-3 with Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes sent off, in a thriller at the Dragão | OneFootball

It was another memorable European night in the city of Porto with the Dragons and Manchester United playing out an electric 3-3 draw, where defending was something of an afterthought for much of the match.

United raced into a 2-0 lead as Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Højlund scored two goals where Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa was at fault. The hosts came roaring back and were level by the 34th minute as Pepê and Samu Aghehowa scored headers.

The home fans exploded in joy early in the second half as Samu continued his astonishing form with a thunderous finish to put Porto into the lead for the first time.

And when Portugal international Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a second yellow card ten minutes from time it seemed the points were safe. However, there was one more twist to a wild game of football as United substitute Harry Maguire netted an injury-time equaliser.

Both teams came into the game on the back of disappointing results in the first round of matches, Porto losing 3-2 in Norway at Bodo/Glimt and the Red Devils drawing 1-1 at home to Twente.

Diogo Costa blunders

The home team got off to a terrible start as United raced into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes. Marcus Rashford was given acres of space on United’s left flank, the speedy forward taking advantage in the 7th minute to cut inside the box and fire low into the corner of the net, Diogo Costa making a poor effort at stopping the shot with his foot.

Rashford then sent another cross-shot narrowly wide before Højlund doubled the visitors’ lead after receiving a pass from Rashford in the box. Again Diogo Costa will feel he should have done better.

The usually reliable goalkeeper began to redeem himself soon afterwards as Rashford again caused havoc, this time Costa making a sharp save to palm the ball around the post as United threatened to blow Porto away.

But shortly before the half hour mark Porto were right back in it as Pepê reduced the deficit. A dangerous cross was swung into the box, Mazrauoui’s attempt at clearing the ball only didn’t result in an own goal because of a flying save by Onana, but Pepê was on hand to stoop low and head the rebound into the net.

Unstoppable Samu strikes again

And the Blue and Whites were soon level. Both teams were looking dangerous from virtually every attack, and when United failed to clear the ball out of their box, João Mário dinked a delicate cross into the danger area where Samu showed his strength to beat Matthijs de Ligt and head powerfully into the roof of the net.

Back came United with a strong spell of pressure before half time, Casemiro, Diogo Dalot and Rashford all peppering efforts at Costa’s goal as the home defence continued to leave wide open spaces for the English team to exploit.

At half time Marcus Rashford was taken off, replaced by Alejandro Garnacho, the Englishman presumably injured considering the havoc he had caused in the first 45 minutes.

Another example of schoolboy defending at the start of the second half by United allowed Nico González to release Francisco Moura clean through on goal with a simple vertical pass, the left-back homing in on the net but unable to beat Onana.

Turnaround complete

The Porto fans did not have to wait long to celebrate though. Nico was again the architect, playing in Pepê as United’s back line again went AWOL, the Brazilian speeding to the byline and crossing low for Samu, who smashed a first-time right-foot rocket of a shot on the run into the roof of the net.

Porto 3-2 United, and the home fans were in dreamland. The only problem was 40 minutes plus stoppage time remained and in such an open game more goals seemed inevitable.

Truth be told, the game at last began to slow a little in pace, with Porto happy to take a more circumspect approach instead of charging towards goal at every opportunity. A further level of control was gained by the hosts when Vítor Bruno sent on young defender Martim Fernandes for winger Pepê, with João Mário pushing up into midfield.

Nevertheless, the chances kept coming, both goalkeepers forced to extend themselves to stop daisy-cutters from Mazraoui and Samu respectively.

In the 78th minute Porto coach Vítor Bruno brought on Marko Grujic, Fábio Vieira and Deniz Gül for Eustáquio, João Mário and Samu, while his opposite number Ten Hag made the surprising decision to replace his two centre-backs as de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez made way for Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire.

Bruno sees red

Moments later Bruno Fernandes raised his foot dangerously, catching Nehuén Pérez’s head, and was shown a second yellow card by the referee, to be sent off for the second match running.

Deniz Gül had the chance to kill the game for Porto as he bore down on goal on the counter, but the young Swede could not beat Onana.

Despite playing with a man down United weren’t done yet, the lively Garnacho desperate to force the equaliser. One of his several attempts brought a brilliant save out of Costa.

As cross after cross rained into the Porto area, Vítor Bruno turned to his bench and instructed centre-back Tiago Djaló to warm up… but it was too late. A corner was swung over and Maguire showed his prowess in the air by rising highest in the crowd on the edge of the six-yard box to head into the net. Bruno brought on Namaso to try and force a winner but time had run out for Porto and the points were shared.

Great fun, poor quality

A breathless game of football provided rich entertainment, albeit so low on quality in general that previous iterations of Porto and Manchester United would be turning in their collective graves.

If either team harbours hopes about going deep in the competition they will have to improve fast, with Porto’s one point and United’s two leaving them in the lower reaches of the table.

By Tom Kundert

Manchester United: André Onana, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martínez (Jonny Evans, 78’), Matthijs de Ligt (Harry Maguire, 78’), Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo (Antony, 68’), Rasmus Højlund (Joshua Zirkzee, 68’), Marcus Rashford (Alejandro Garnacho, 46’)

[1-2] Pepê, 27’