Marcus Rashford, the man the Manchester United expected as a future star, woke up this Wednesday to score the two goals, one of them wonderful, that eliminated the Chelsea en Stamford Bridge (1-2).
The round of XNUMX of the League Cup witnessed the clash of two young coaches and two teams full of young players who see in this competition the option of presenting themselves to the world. Maybe that's why they were so nervous.
The two teams came out very even. Testing each other, not knowing for sure who was the favorite and who should take the initiative.
Chelsea tried a little more because of the obligation to play at home, while Manchester United crouched down, still looking for an identity against the greats that seems lost for a long time.
The lack of chances cried out to heaven in a match of these characteristics and only two chained errors by Marcos Alonso broke the tie in the first half.
The Spanish winger, pressed on the wing by two United players, lost the ball, which ended up at the feet of Daniel James. The English winger entered the area and Alonso, with the impulse to correct his mistake, threw himself on the young man, causing a penalty.
Rashford, who had missed a penalty this weekend, took responsibility in front of a packed crowd of Chelsea fans. The striker was not nervous, he tricked Willy Caballero and made it 0-1. That's where the first part died.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was smiling on the sideline, while Frank Lampard kept his cool. He knew that the second part had to be his.
His team responded. Chelsea turned on Sergio Romero's goal, with more and more danger, but needed space and speed to equalize. Michy Batshuayi ran off and fired a superb shot into the base of a post. The comeback seemed to be on the way, because United showed no signs of life in attack.
Everything seemed destined for Chelsea to take the victory and then there was a foul 30 meters from their goal. Rashford placed the ball like he did on the penalty spot and, just as calmly, signed a dry shot that went straight into a top corner. A real goal that he remembered those that Cristiano Ronaldo scored in England.
Solskjaer regained the advantage and Lampard was already looking more downcast at the ground. United did not need to create more danger, they had hardly done so throughout the match and they were not going to do so with the score at 1-2. While Chelsea despaired without finding Tammy Abraham up front, United cleared balls, one after another until the referee blew the final whistle and confirmed the elimination of last year's finalist.
The first disappointment in Lampard's pocket and the first joy for Solskjaer. A rivalry for many years that the Norwegian begins by winning.
EFE
