‘Maddest’ game I’ve played in – Man Utd’s Maguire

Harry Maguire, a defender for Manchester United, describes their 5-4 victory over Lyon as his “strangest game” to date.

With a 7-6 aggregate victory, United advanced to the semi-finals of the Europa League with the second of two goals in the 120th minute of extra time.

Lyon, who had gone up 2-0 with Corentin Tolisso, scored four times without reply and was sent off before conceding three more times in seven extra-time minutes.

In the first extra-time game in European history, five goals were scored in extra time, and United became the first team to score twice in a tie lasting 120 minutes.

The winner of such a significant game, in a one of the most intense emotions and the strangest, maddest games I’ve ever played in or witnessed, was an incredible feeling, according to Maguire.

“I’ve been here for six years, and I’ve had good and bad times as well.”

To be honest, “I think that game pretty much sums up my time at this club.

After goals from Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot, United had been leading 2-0 heading into half-time.

Tolisso’s header cut the deficit 19 minutes from time, but Nicolas Tagliafico equalized just after the break.

Rayan Cherki gave Lyon the lead on aggregate in extra time before Alexandre Lacazette, a former Arsenal striker, added a fourth penalty kick from the spot.

11 minutes from time, Lyon’s players flocked to Lacazette’s effort by running to the other end of the pitch, where the penalty was awarded.

“I believe they [Lyon] thought they had won it because of how they were celebrating,” Maguire said.

“That gave us more motivation to turn things around.”

We felt like we had lost the game at the time, and I think that’s how we managed to get ourselves into that situation because even with the sending off in extra time, we shouldn’t end up in that situation.

“We have to do much better than that if we want to win this competition,” he said. “We can’t be doing that and leaving it to turn things around.”