Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Tuesday compared Cristiano Ronaldo’s talismanic influence at Manchester United to NBA legend Michael Jordan after he scored twice to salvage a 2-2 draw against Atalanta BC in Italy.
For the third time in four UEFA Champions League games since returning for a second spell at Old Trafford, Ronaldo rescued United with a late goal as his sweetly struck volley in the 91st minute snatched a barely deserved point in Bergamo.
The 36-year-old also scored late winners at home against Villarreal and Atalanta, when United came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 two weeks ago.
Photo: Reuters
However, another disjointed display bailed out by Ronaldo’s brilliant finishing will do little to ease the pressure on United boss Solskjaer.
“Ronaldo is one of the best that’s ever played this game. I’m sure this is the same feeling Chicago Bulls got with Michael Jordan,” said Solskjaer, referring to the star who won six NBA titles in two spells with the Bulls. “If you want the ball to fall to someone in the last minute, Cristiano is the one. He’s done it so many times for us and I’m okay with him scoring more goals than me.”
Ronaldo’s double took him past Solskjaer’s 126 goals for the club. Solskjaer’s switch to a back three for a 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday resulted in some much-needed defensive solidity after a humiliating 5-0 thrashing at home against Liverpool.
Photo: Reuters
However, that was just the Red Devils second clean sheet in 22 games and their problems at the back were again easily exposed in Bergamo.
David de Gea has been one of United’s best performers of a desperately disappointing season so far, but he was at fault as he let Josip Ilicic’s shot squirm under his body and over the line.
Duvan Zapata had two glorious chances to double the Italian side’s lead, but the Colombian firstly fired high and wide before being denied by a brilliant block by Eric Bailly.
Photo: EPA-EFE
United suffered another blow when Raphael Varane was forced off midway through the first half with what appeared the recurrence of a groin injury.
However, the individual quality in the United squad was in evidence for a brilliant equalizer in first-half stoppage-time.
Mason Greenwood played in Bruno Fernandes, who picked out Ronaldo with a backheel for the Portuguese to blast home his eighth goal in 12 games since returning to Old Trafford in August.
United have only won five of those games as Solskjaer continues to struggle to find the right balance.
The offside flag initially came to United’s rescue when Zapata finally found the net 11 minutes into the second period.
After a review that took more than two minutes, the Gewiss Stadium erupted in celebration when the goal was given.
Despite being starved of service for the majority of the second half, Ronaldo delivered again in stoppage-time.
Greenwood flicked the ball toward the five-time Ballon d’Or, who arrowed the ball into the bottom corner.
United even had a late chance to snatch all three points when substitute Donny van de Beek was denied by Juan Musso from a narrow angle.
A point is enough to keep them ahead of Villarreal at the top of Group F on head-to-head record with both sides locked on seven points.
Atalanta are two points further back with two games remaining.
Elsewhere in the group, Villarreal scored a 2-0 home win over BSC Young Boys, who are bottom with three points.
In Berlin, Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty, but still got a hat-trick.
The Poland star dominated on his 100th Champions League appearance to lead Bayern Munich into the last-16 after a 5-2 rout of SL Benfica in Group E, which also saw Barcelona beat Dynamo Kiev 1-0.
Juventus also booked their place in the knockout rounds with a 4-2 win over Zenit St Petersburg in Group H, where Chelsea ended Malmo’s hopes of progressing with a 1-0 win.
Bayern and Juventus are the first teams to progress this year with two games to spare from the group stage of Europe’s premier soccer competition.
In Group G, Lille OSC kept the group wide open with a 2-1 come-from-behind win against Sevilla.
Lille’s first win gives them five points after four games and put them two points behind group leaders Salzburg, who lost 2-1 against VfL Wolfsburg.
Additional reporting by AP
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