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What's the Story?
Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hailed Marcus Rashford as “fearless” after the English youngster showed great composure to convert an injury-time penalty kick that sent his team into the Quarter Finals.
In Case You didn't know...
Manchester United faced PSG at Parc des Princes for the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday night. United were already trailing by 2 goals from the home leg and had history against them. No team had successfully turned around a 2 goal home deficit in the knockout stages of the tournament.
Without the suspended Pogba and at least 4 other first-team members, few people gave United any chance of qualifying. However, the Premier League giants proved everyone wrong, taking a 2-1 lead on the night within the first 30 minutes of the game. Solskjaer’s men went into the last 10 minutes of the game knowing that one goal could send them through, based on the away goals rule. And then they had their moment of the game.
Kimpembe’s arm struck the ball in the dying minutes of the game and VAR interfered to give United a penalty. Up stepped Marcus Rashford, who had to wait for a long time before he could take the shot. He calmly slotted home the ball and gave United a 3-1 lead on the night. The tie ended with the aggregate score at 3-3. It meant that United had 3 away goals to PSG’s 2 and as such, the Premier League giants secured progression to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League
The Heart of the Matter
United’s Norwegian manager applauded his teenage striker’s resolve and composure at the end of the game.
Absolutely fantastic. Fearless. The Kid has no doubt, no fear. When you are young, you have no fear.
He went on to speak of his emotions during the whole situation:
Of course I wasn't sure we were gonna score. I have been in a Champions League before with Molde and we played Basel. We got a penalty in the last minute to go through and we missed it. So that was on my mind.
Solskjaer also revealed that both Rashford and Lukaku were on penalty duties on the night:
Rashy and Rom were on penalties today, it was up to them to fight (for the right to take the penalty) and Rashy just slotted it in brilliantly.
It was a fantastic night for young Marcus Rashford, who had never taken a penalty for United before. And to do it away from home, under so much pressure tells a lot about his character.
What's Next?
United, and Rashford, travel to Emirates to face 5th place Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
