Man Utd 3-2 Roma: Cunha scores twice, sees red in comeback
Manchester United beat Roma 3-2 at Old Trafford on Tuesday 3 November 2026 (21:00 WAT kick-off) after trailing 2-0 inside 17 minutes. Bruno Fernandes scored a retaken penalty, Matheus Cunha scored twice in the final 10 minutes and was then sent off, and Michael Carrick's side ended a nine-game winless run.
By Emily · · Updated
What happened in Manchester United 3-2 Roma?
Manchester United came from two goals down to beat Roma 3-2 at Old Trafford on Tuesday 3 November 2026 in matchday four of the Champions League league phase. Matheus Cunha scored twice in the last 10 minutes and was then sent off, after Bruno Fernandes had started the fightback with a retaken penalty, Sky Sports reported. It was United's first win in 10 games and 54 days, ending a nine-game winless run. The 21:00 WAT kick-off drew a crowd of 73,747, according to BBC Sport.
How did Roma go 2-0 up?
Roma struck twice in six minutes. Matías Soulé finished after 11 minutes from a Rodrigo Mora assist, and Donyell Malen scored a penalty on 17 after Ayden Heaven conceded with a despairing block, BBC Sport's player ratings noted. Sky Sports said United were repeatedly opened up down their left, with Diogo Dalot pushed high and Heaven exposed, and the home side were booed off at half-time.
The anger was not only about the football. Green tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch and green and gold balloons were released as the teams came out, BBC Sport reported, with songs aimed at the Glazer family, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and director of football Jason Wilcox.
How did United come back?
The second half began badly. Carlos Baleba surged into the Roma box 37 seconds after the restart and pulled up with a hamstring injury, ESPN reported, and Youri Tielemans replaced him. Cunha then won a penalty. Roma goalkeeper Devis Vásquez saved Fernandes' first kick on 57 minutes, but referee Jesús Gil Manzano ordered a retake for encroachment and the captain scored it.
Bryan Mbeumo hit both posts with one shot and Roma cleared another effort off the line before the equaliser arrived on 83 minutes, when Leonardo Balerdi's poor clearance from a Fernandes cross let Cunha slot in. Three minutes later Shea Lacey, a 19-year-old substitute on since the 75th minute, slid a pass to Cunha, who beat Vásquez at the near post.
Why was Matheus Cunha sent off?
Cunha was booked for jumping into the supporters to celebrate the winner. In stoppage time he picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Balerdi, ESPN reported, and BBC Sport timed the dismissal at 90+1. United held on with 10 men.
What did Carrick and Fernandes say?
"Proud of the players, I think they deserve a lot of credit for pulling through that in a tough situation," Carrick said, as reported by Hayters TV on Yahoo Sports. "It's one win, we're not getting too carried away with things, but it was an important one for us." Asked about his own job, he told reporters, according to NBC Sports: "I don't have a crystal ball to know what happens next."
The news on Baleba was less positive. "Initially it doesn't look great. I haven't got much more to give you," Carrick said. On Lacey, he told Sky Sports the teenager "plays with a bit of mischief". Fernandes, speaking to Amazon Prime, rejected the idea that the players had saved anyone: "We don't need to save anyone's job," he said, per NBC Sports.
Where does the result leave United and Roma?
United move to six points and 17th in the league-phase table, with Roma on four points in 19th, before Wednesday's matches, according to the league table on ESPN's Atlético v Bayern match page. Roma had lost only once all season before the trip, Carrick noted afterwards. United return to the Premier League against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
TuSport desk: what changed from our pre-match board
Our preview reconciled four briefings on United's availability and flagged Marcus Rashford as unlikely rather than ruled out. ESPN's post-match analysis confirms United played without both Rashford and Luke Shaw, while Patrick Dorgu had only just returned to training this week, ESPN noted. The record we quoted before kick-off, four home wins from four against Roma in UEFA competition, now reads five from five.
The swing came in a 28-minute spell. United were 2-0 down from the 17th minute until Fernandes scored the retaken penalty on 58, then scored twice in three minutes through Cunha. Two of the five goals came from the spot, and the kick that started the comeback had to be taken twice. Carrick also told BBC Sport he moved Cunha inside and Mbeumo to the left in the second half for better balance.
For Nigerian viewers, the game started at 21:00 WAT, the same slot as Atlético v Bayern. The next United game is the home league match with Aston Villa on Sunday 8 November, and ESPN's Mark Ogden points to Villa and then Liverpool away as the two fixtures that decide how long this relief lasts.
Why it matters
The win lifts United into the top half of the provisional league-phase table and gives Carrick a reprieve before two hard league games, while Baleba's hamstring is the new worry. Follow Manchester United, the Champions League and Serie A hubs, plus our earlier reports on Fernandes and Carrick clearing the air and Carrick's no-assurances news conference. Kick-off conversions are in our WAT kick-off times guide.
Sources: Sky Sports — Man Utd 3-2 Roma: Matheus Cunha scores two and is sent off in wild comeback to end nine-game winless run · BBC Sport — Man Utd produce incredible second-half comeback to beat Roma · ESPN — Did Man United's Champions League comeback save Carrick's job? · Yahoo Sports — Carrick hails Man Utd supporters after long-awaited win – and gives update on Baleba injury worry · NBC Sports — Michael Carrick reaction: What did Man United boss say after stunning comeback to beat Roma? · ESPN — Atlético v Bayern
