Continued from last night’s blog on the first half….
The first half had been cagey and constipated, with Palace defending deep, afraid of Rashford’s pace and Martial’s pace.
It was an LVG match, too static, too many United players standing still when they got the ball.
I kept thinking: “Come on! This is a world spectacle.”
While realising that the fixture is a huge one-off event that many players only reach once in their career.
Second half, Bolasie and Martial and Rashford made the game more enjoyable.
In 53, Rashford’s surreal touch, when he allowed the ball to hit his foot, set up Fellaini.
But the Belgian bruiser smashed his shot high against the near post. A bad miss.
When the explosively elastic Bolasi beat Danny Blind, the defender held him and took a yellow card.
In 61, as the game was opening up, a lovely Martial header hit the post, then Darmian replaced the injured Rojo, Ashley Young came on at centre forward, then Jason Puncheon replaced Cabaye in midfield.
When Puncheon’s corner was headed out in 78 it went to right back Joel Ward, whose big diagonal found Puncheon onside and taking a touch before blasting his shot inside David De Gea’s near post.
What a magnificent goal!
Incredibly, Palace were so unprofessional that they allowed United to equalise 175 seconds later.
They signally failed to manage a promising & historic situation by spoiling the play, slowing it down, or deploying men to keep the ball out wide.
Suitably galvanised, Wayne Rooney, the Man United captain, then showed his experience and skills. He picked up the ball on the left flank, wriggled across 1two3four defenders on a lateral run that seemed to be going nowhere, then somehow clipped a magnificent cross to far post, where Fellaini chested the ball and Mata hit a shot that went in off Delaney’s legs.
After 81 minutes it was 1-1.
In 90, Jesse Lingard came on for Mata.
In 94 of normal time, Zaha beat Smalling but his shot hit the side-netting. Then Bolasie’s inventively hooked ball down the middle found the run of Zaha but the winger was crowded out in the box
In extra time, Rooney, on a yellow card, fouled Puncheon.
The free-kick was launched into the box and headed out by Blind to Bolasie, who fired a sensational low volley that was flying just inside the post. A Eusebio cannonball but De Gea tipped it round.
The best shot of the match had produced the best save of the match – and it was still 1-1.
After 15 of extra time, Smalling obstructed Bolasie, then grabbed his leg and was shown a red card.
Against 10 men, did Palace now have a chance against 10 men?
Valencia, always a consistently steely competitor, had other ideas. His driven cross was half-cleared to Jesse Lingard, who banged an instinctive volley into the corner of the net.
Great goal. Typical Red Devils goal.
Manchester United 2 Crystal Palace 1 AET.