Manchester United once again failed to make a good impression in the second round of the Europa League. The English record champions let a 2-0 lead slip away at FC Porto, but managed to hold on for a 3-3 draw.
Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Höjlund gave Manchester a two-goal lead in Porto in the first 20 minutes. Pepê (the 26-year-old Brazilian, not the Portuguese who retired in the summer at the age of 41) and Samuel Omorodion Aghehowa, who scored twice, then turned the game around for the hosts. After Bruno Fernandes was sent off early, as he had been at the weekend in the Premier League, Harry Maguire secured at least a point for the visitors in the 91st minute.
After two rounds, the Europa League favorites from Manchester are still without a win. On the first matchday, coach Erik ten Hag's team only drew 1-1 at home against Twente Enschede.
Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt made amends for their 3:3 home draw against Viktoria Pilsen in the opening round by conceding three late goals. The 2022 Europa League winners from Germany won 3:1 at Besiktas Istanbul thanks in part to two early goals. Ciro Immobile missed the timely follow-up goal for the Turks with a poorly taken penalty. The hosts only made it 3-1 in stoppage time.
Brief telegrams, results and rankings:
Maccabi Tel Aviv - FC Midtjylland 0:2 (0:1). - SR Kruashvili (GEO). - Goals: 39 Franculino 0:1. 89 Chilufya 0:2. - Remarks: Midtjylland with Mbabu (until 68).
Besiktas Istanbul - Eintracht Frankfurt 1:3 (0:2). - SR Beaton (SCO). - Goals: 19 Marmoush 0:1. 22 Dina Ebimbe 0:2. 82 Knauff 0:3. 93 Masuaka 1:3. - Comments: Eintracht Frankfurt with Amenda (from 85). 27th Immobile (Besiktas Istanbul) misses penalty.
Viktoria Pilsen - Ludogorez Rasgrad 0:0 - refereed by Bognar (HUN). - Remarks: Ludogorez Rasgrad with Duah (from 67). 52nd Piotrowski (Ludogorez Rasgrad) misses penalty.
FC Porto - Manchester United 3:3 (2:2). - Referee Stieler (GER). - Goals: 7. Rashford 0:1. 20. Höjlund 0:2. 27. Pepe 1:2. 34. Omorodion 2:2. 50. Omorodion 3:2. 91. Maguire 3:3. - Comments: 81st yellow card for Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United).
Other results from Thursday's 2nd round: RFS Riga - Galatasaray Istanbul 2:2 (1:2). Ferencvaros Budapest - Tottenham Hotspur 1:2 (0:1). Olympiakos Piraeus - Braga 3:0 (1:0). Karabakh Agdam 1:2 (1:1) against Malmö. Real Sociedad 1:2 (1:2) against Anderlecht. Lazio Rome - Nice 4:1 (2:1). Slavia Prague - Ajax Amsterdam 1:1 (0:1). Hoffenheim - Dynamo Kiev 2:0 (1:0). Athletic Bilbao - AZ Alkmaar 2:0 (0:0). Twente Enschede - Fenerbahçe Istanbul 1:1 (1:0). Elfsborg Boras - AS Roma 1:0 (1:0). PAOK Saloniki - FCSB Bucharest 0:1 (0:1). Union Saint-Gilloise - Bodö/Glimt 0:0. Glasgow Rangers - Lyon 1:4 (1:3).
Ranking: 1. Lazio Rome 2/6 (7:1). 2. Lyon 2/6 (6-1). 3. FCSB Bucharest 2/6 (5-1). 3. Tottenham Hotspur 2/6 (5-1). 5. Anderlecht 2/6 (4-2). 6. Ajax Amsterdam 2/4 (5-1). 7. FC Midtjylland 2/4 (3-1). 7. Hoffenheim 2/4 (3:1). 7. Slavia Prague 2/4 (3:1). 10. Eintracht Frankfurt 2/4 (6:4). 11. Galatasaray Istanbul 2/4 (5:3). 12. Athletic Bilbao 2/4 (3:1). 13th Bodö/Glimt 2/4 (3:2). 13. Fenerbahçe Istanbul 2/4 (3:2). 15. Olympiakos Piraeus 2/3 (3-2). 16. Glasgow Rangers 2/3 (3-4). 17. AZ Alkmaar 2/3 (3-4). 18. Elfsborg Boras 2/3 (3:3). 19. Malmö 2/3 (2:3). 20. Braga 2/3 (2:4). 21. Manchester United 2/2 (4:4). 22nd Twente Enschede 2/2 (2:2). 23. Viktoria Pilsen 2/2 (3:3). 24. Real Sociedad 2/1 (2-3). 25 Nice 2/1 (2:5). 26 FC Porto 2/1 (5/6). 27th AS Roma 2/1 (1-2). 27. Union Saint-Gilloise 2/1 (1-2). 29. Ludogorez Rasgrad 2/1 (0-2). 30. RFS Riga 2/1 (3:6). 31st Ferencvaros Budapest 2/0 (2:4). 32nd Maccabi Tel Aviv 2/0 (1:4). 32nd PAOK Saloniki 2/0 (1:4). 34 Karabakh Agdam 2/0 (1:5). 35 Dynamo Kyiv 2/0 (0-5). 36. Besiktas Istanbul 2/0 (1:7).