On November 3, 2026, at Old Trafford in Manchester, Matheus Cunha turned a 2–0 deficit into a 3–2 Champions League win over Roma with goals in the 83rd and 86th minutes. Then, before the game was over, Manchester United’s match-winner was sent off. It was an extraordinary way to end nine games without a victory.
A night that started in reverse
Roma had scored twice within 17 minutes: Matías Soulé opened the scoring in the 11th, and Donyell Malen added a penalty. According to Opta’s match analysis, no visiting side had previously scored twice so early at Old Trafford in major European competition. The visitors still held that two-goal advantage at half-time.
The contrast makes the finish more striking. A home team that had been unable to protect its own penalty area would eventually find its rescue through Cunha’s work in the other one. His contribution began before either of his goals, when he won the penalty that offered United a route back.
A restart, two posts, then two goals
Bruno Fernandes initially had his spot-kick saved by Devis Vásquez. Roma encroachment meant another attempt, however, and Fernandes converted the retake in the 58th minute. As Sky Sports’ report explains, the renewed pressure also brought a remarkable near miss: one Bryan Mbeumo shot hit both posts without going in.
United therefore still needed a goal as the match entered its closing stages. Cunha supplied it in the 83rd minute, taking advantage of Leonardo Balerdi’s failed clearance to finish from close range. The equaliser changed the immediate objective: instead of chasing a rescue, United could chase a winner.
That winner arrived in the 86th minute. Cunha drove a shot past Vásquez at the near post from a tight angle. Brazilian outlet ge’s account records the decisive goals three minutes apart. A match that Roma had controlled on the scoreboard was suddenly United’s to defend.
The celebration carried a cost
Cunha removed his shirt after scoring the winner, earning a yellow card. In stoppage time, a late challenge on Balerdi brought another booking and dismissal. The goals remained decisive, but United had to finish the job with ten players.
The unusual detail is that Cunha helped create every stage of the recovery: he won the penalty, scored the equaliser and struck the winner. His dismissal then added one final problem for his teammates to solve. The turnaround and sending-off are also confirmed in Associated Press coverage carried by ABC.
United held on. The final score preserves the comeback; the sequence explains why this particular win was so memorable. Cunha supplied the late goals that ended the wait, yet his evening finished before the final whistle.
Sources and further reading
- Opta Analyst — match analysis and post-match facts
- Sky Sports — Adam Bate’s match report
- ge — independent Brazilian match report
- ABC / Associated Press — Champions League report
