MANCHESTER UNITED scored three goals in seven unbelievable minutes to beat Lyon in one of the all-time great nights at Old Trafford.
First-half strikes by Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot put the Red Devils 4-2 up on aggregate and within touching distance of the semi-finals.
But United capitulated after the break and they threw away their lead following strikes from Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico.
It went to extra time with Lyon down to ten-men and things got even worse before fans were in dreamland.
Rayan Cherki put them in front and Luke Shaw then clumsily gave away a penalty, which Alexandre Lacazette scored.
But there was life in United yet, Bruno Fernandes converted a spot-kick and Kobbie Mainoo then finished brilliantly.
4-4 on the night, 6-6 on aggregate, it was going to penalties... or was it?
But cue more mayhem as Harry Maguire made himself the hero by heading home at the back post in the 121st to win it for United.
Here is how SunSport rated the performances in a chaotic game.
He copped so much flak off Lyon fans beforehand that he didn’t waste his chance to rub their noses in it when United went in front, celebrating wildly in front of the French.
But you know what they say about going too soon, Andre? Perhaps you should have hung on a while… although he did get to have the last laugh in the end I suppose.
Struggled a bit before leaving at half time to attend to a personal matter.
Mind you he did produce the pass to Bruno Fernandes that started the move for United’s opener, so not all bad then.
Hard-man Harry set the tone for the evening by thundering into Thiago Almada in the first minute and didn’t take a backward step from that second.
But don’t typecast Maguire as a big old meathead defender – there’s a touch of finesse too, as he showed with a marvellous long ball to Diogo Dalot for the breathing-space second.
And then, just as he’d done against Leicester in the FA Cup, he popped up deep in the box to nod the winner. What. A. Hero!
The French kid is growing in confidence with every game, and clearly a stylish, ball-playing defender. Just not deep in your own box though, young man!
Produced a stunning – if unwitting - block with his face late on but then got caught napping for the second goal and went downhill fast in extra time.
Dalot makes the headlines about as often as he is on the scoresheet. Well guess what – this time he managed both, by drilling United’s second in off the post.
If only he had been as impressive at the other end, because his blundering challenge saw the ball run for Rayan Cherki to rifle in the third. Good day, bad day.
The Brazilian would struggle not to come last in a dad’s race at the school sports day, but his brain is as sharp and shrewd as ever.
Picks a pass, spots the danger, and went close to a goal with a lumbering run and strike. If only he’d found the corner, it wouldn’t have been such a tortuous night.
Another man who is to goalscoring what Casemiro is to 100 metre sprinting - yet like Dalot, he managed it against Lyon. Says a lot about their defence, doesn’t it?
Prowled around the midfield, snapping into tackles and snaffling loose balls like the meanest of Gauchos. Mind you, he can be a clumsy you-know-what at times too! Hooked late on.
Was going about his business steadily, if unspectacularly, when it all went pear-shaped with that Lyon comeback – and Dorgu played his part in it.
First he didn’t even get off the ground when Moussa Niakhate knocked a header into the danger area. Then he was nowhere near Malick Fofana, who crossed for the equaliser. No shock when he was soon hooked.
He was the creator-in-chief for the crucial opener with a great burst of speed to the byline, and an even more impressive level-headed pull back for Ugarte.
When he’s on song Garnacho can be unplayable…and he was on song for large periods against the French. If only his finishing had matched his runs, because he missed a sitter at 2-0 that would likely have put Lyon to bed.
Bruno is such a string-puller in this side that even on his quieter nights he is the driving force. And boy didn’t United need their skipper to be so here.
If his did-you-see-that stretching first half volley had gone in, rather than rattling the bar, they’d have ended the betting for Goal of the Season as well. Instead it went from strolling to squeaky bum. Kept his nerve for the penalty – and thank Heavens he did.
What an infuriating player the Dane is at times… built like Tarzan, but so often plays like Jane. At least he always seems to whenever the ball’s played up to his feet.
Use your strength man, instead of chucking yourself to the floor. Did produce one great round the corner ball to send Garnacho clear, but not enough. That’s why he was subbed off and why United had no out and out striker on when they needed a goal.
Hardly an explosive reintroduction to action for the England left back, but his return does mean one of United’s problem positions is no longer thus.
It led to others against Lyon though, because it was Shaw’s blundering challenge on Fofana that gave the French the penalty they thought had clinched it.
Young Kobbie would never have expected his next step towards a full return to fitness would come as a centre-forward.
That was about as likely as, say, United being two up and blowing it against ten men. What was that Sir Alex…football, bloody hell you say? What a late strike to level it up. Magnifique!
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