Schmeichel Credits Tielemans for United's Late Comeback Over Roma
The Belgian midfielder entered the match after half-time and helped Manchester United reverse a 2-0 deficit at Old Trafford.
By Mei Lin ·
Peter Schmeichel identified Youri Tielemans as the key figure who turned the tide for Manchester United in a dramatic Champions League match against Roma. The former goalkeeper stated that the Belgian midfielder fundamentally altered the flow of the game after coming on as a substitute.
The match at Old Trafford began poorly for the home side. Matias Soule put Roma ahead within 12 minutes by exploiting space near the United penalty area. Donyell Malen then doubled the lead from the penalty spot after Ayden Heaven blocked a shot with his arm. United trailed 2-0 at the break and faced heavy criticism from the crowd.
Schmeichel described the first 45 minutes as bad and admitted he felt sad watching the performance. However, the situation shifted when Carlos Baleba was forced off with an injury shortly after the second half began. Tielemans replaced Baleba and, according to Schmeichel, drove the team forward and acted as a leader in the midfield. Schmeichel called it the best he had seen Tielemans play for United.
Bruno Fernandes reduced the deficit just before the hour mark from a retaken penalty. Matheus Cunha then scored two late goals to complete the comeback. Schmeichel said Sports that he was happy for manager Michael Carrick, noting that the win was needed to build confidence. He also remarked that United had not performed such a comeback in a long time, despite doing so frequently in the past.
Kasper Schmeichel, Peter's son and former Leicester City goalkeeper, agreed that the substitute changed the dynamic. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he noted that the team played with more control after Tielemans entered the game. He said the players accepted the loss if they had given everything, which they did not in the first half but did in the second.
The result leaves Manchester United in 17th place in the Champions League standings after four games. Roma fell to 19th. Carrick's team will face Aston Villa on Sunday, while Roma will host Sassuolo in Serie A.
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