Atalanta 2-2 Manchester United Ronaldo rescues a draw at the death for Red Devils

Manchester United snatched a thrilling draw against Atalanta in their UEFA Champions League tie thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo in the first and second halves of stoppage time. The Italians took the lead twice with Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata, but Ronaldo's goals brought them back.

Despite a strong start, Manchester United spent the majority of the first half on the back foot. Atalanta seized the lead in the 12th minute through Ilicic and seemed set to expand their lead. Just before the final whistle, Ronaldo capped off a well-worked United move to bring his team back level.

The second half was almost identical to the first, with Atalanta retaking the lead through Zapata in the 56th minute. The Italians were in control throughout, but Ronaldo's goal in the 91st minute gave them their second stoppage-time equalizer of the game.

With the draw, Manchester United maintains a slim lead atop Group F, with Atalanta in third place. Until those points, Atalanta appeared to be in command of the game. After Josip Ilicic gave Atalanta a 12th-minute lead, United didn't pose much of a danger, and the Italians must have been sure that they could win the game even with five minutes added time.

In these moments, however, Ronaldo takes command. He sees an opening, a weakness, or a miscalculation in his position. His movement creates space, his intellect devises clever strategies, and his feet take care of the rest. And once again, Manchester United gets away with it.

It was a good result, one that, depending on how the next matchups play out, may secure Manchester United's place in the last 16.

Ronaldo in the Champions League this season:

▪️ 5 goals in 4 games
▪️ 90+5' winner vs. Villarreal
▪️ 81' winner vs. Atalanta
▪️ 90+1' equalizer vs. Atalanta

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On Tuesday night, however, United was second best for long periods of time. Going into first-half stoppage time, we were behind; going into second-half stoppage time, we were behind. Then you-know-who appears. The away section sang their favorite song about Cristiano Ronaldo making England seem bad, but let's be honest, he's not doing much better for Manchester United. What do they have if they send him to Europe?

So there was a turning point? United would like to believe so, but it's difficult to believe that. The issue this season is that United has taken so many detours that they are now back where they started. With the comeback against Atalanta last month, another with the win against Tottenham on Saturday, and another today, the team has turned a corner. There are so many nooks. There are so many occasions in life that are intended to usher in transformation. How does a team with so much talent manage to make it so difficult? How did they come to rely on one man over and over again?

Atalanta took the lead thanks to a David De Gea blunder, and an injury to Raphael Varane derailed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's best-laid plans for a five-man defense, but United was too careless and ill-disciplined to genuinely deserve anything from this match.

After 69 minutes, Pogba was replaced, and he was fortunate to have lasted that long. Rashford, who was not the foil for Ronaldo that Edinson Cavani was at Tottenham, left with him.

Duvan Zapata scored what Atalanta must have thought would be the game-winner with 34 minutes and stoppage time remaining, and they were quite comfortable during that period. Zapata was a force to be reckoned with. In a manner that Harry Kane wasn't on Saturday, he was a persistent threat and a pest for United's backline.

His goal was also well-achieved. Jose Luis Palomino delivered a slick-through pass, and the Colombian separated Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly with a superbly timed run. He snuck the ball past De Gea, and an offside flag was raised.

The initial replay clearly demonstrated that this was incorrect. It's unclear why it took the German VAR crew so long to reach the same judgment, but the tension grew. Slavko Vincic, a Slovenian referee, stood rigidly waiting for instructions. In anticipation, the throng whistled and generated an increasing clamour. They would have gotten messages from home and had access to replays as well.

On the sideline, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeared nervous, while Atlanta's Gian Piero Gasperini was serene. They have to have foreseen what was about to happen. The stadium roared when the goal was verified. It was only fair that Atalanta got what they deserved. Likewise, we are united. That, however, is part of Ronaldo's brilliance. He just won't let United get what they deserve on occasions like this.

He started and finished the late equalizer, which was his second of the night. His determined run ultimately saw the ball fall to Mason Greenwood, who flipped it back the way it came, and Ronaldo volleyed it into the corner of goalkeeper Juan Musso's net — low this time, unlike his goal against Tottenham.

At the end of the first half, it was much the same. Ronaldo received the ball, ran with it, received it again from Bruno Fernandes' brilliant backheel, and blasted a strong, low shot that rendered Musso powerlessly. The stooge is brought back into the room by the click of the magician's fingers. United is back in the game after Ronaldo clicks his fingers. He clicked twice on Tuesday night.

Atalanta must be scratching their heads once more, wondering how they let it happen. While Solskjaer persisted with the 5-3-2 formation that worked so well against Tottenham, Atalanta was a superior team than Tottenham and put it to the test.

They played balls over the top, which bothered Maguire, and Bailly, who was filling in for the injured Victor Lindelof, was at full stretch and not particularly impressive.

One came in the third minute, when a nowhere-to-go Scott McTominay shot received a vicious deflection, caught Musso off guard, and skidded agonizingly out of his reach before gently touching a post. Atalanta was fortunate, as their first goal was a bit of a fluke.

The ball was deflected into a dangerous area by a McTominay tackle, but Atalanta was just quicker to react to this stroke of luck. Zapata was faster than Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the ball and cut it back to Ilicic on the edge of the box.

The next stroke of luck came in the form of a shot. The ball was harmless and straight at De Gea, but it slipped beneath his body and into the net. It was an unusual blunder, but a significant one. Moments like that could still decide a tight group, but Ronaldo is more likely to decide it.