Ole’s date with lady luck as Manchester United records first win

Brighton 2-3 Manchester United: Ole’s date with lady luck as Manchester United records first win

Bruno Fernandes scores from the penalty spot to give Manchester United their first win of the season.

If luck ever plays a part in football, Manchester United’s win over Brighton at the Amex in round three of the English premier league should be the standard piece of reference.

Manchester United traveled to Brighton for the lunchtime kickoff and Ole made no mistake in handing Nemanja Matic a start in the middle.

Once again making fans wait for the much-heralded Pogba, Fernandes, and Van De Beek partnership.

But it was Brighton that showed promises early on with neat interchanges and direct approach.

Before United could settle in and impose their style, the Seagulls had seen both sides of the upright and even flashed across the face of David De Gea’s goal.

Past the hour mark, however, Tariq Lamptey was hacked down in the box by an overzealous Fernandes and penalty was the decision.

Neal Maupay made no mistake from the spot as he went for a crazy chip that left De Gea floundering helplessly for Brighton’s opener. 

The record against the big sides stands at an appalling state for Brighton but they kept believing and looked the likelier to score until Manchester United hit back with their very first shot on target with five minutes left in the first half.

A well-worked team goal from a dead ball situation saw Matic dropping down for a tug in the box and Harry Maguire was wheeling away in celebration.

But the third eye will award the goal to Lewis Dunk for yet another own goal for the Seagulls skipper who found his own net a few times last season.

The second half was all Brighton as Sully March saw his efforts cannon off the inside of De Gea’s left goal.

That however was after Marcus Rashford had handed the visitors the lead, he received a long ball from the left, dallied in, and cut inside two Brighton defenders before lashing home, being his first for the season. 

Brighton struck the woodwork twice again after that.

A record five times they were denied not by the goalkeeper but by the frame of the post.

But with seconds remaining in added time, Sully March got on the end of a cross in the United area to head past De Gea for what looked like the equalizer and something that would earn them a point.

One last attack and it proved the difference for Manchester United who were also seeking their first points of the season; from a corner on the left.

March had headed off the line to stop Maguire’s header and referee Chris Kavanah had blown the final whistle only for United players to circle the referee convincingly, demanding a penalty.

Replay shows clearly that Neal Maupay had handled the ball and the referee, from the side monitor pointed to the spot.

Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot and the rest is history, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer walking away with all three points much to the dismay of Graham Potter. 

Unconvincing from United but that could prove the difference.

Bruno Fernandes' goal at 99:45 is the latest scored in the #PL since Juan Mata's for Chelsea against Norwich in August 2011 (100:03)#BHAMUN pic.twitter.com/mI4tdsxKB4

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 26, 2020