Josip Iličić scored the opening objective of the sport within the twelfth minute. Duván Zapata’s reduce falling to the Slovenian on the fringe of the field, and he swept the ball residence.
Though the Italians regarded extra prone to double its lead, Cristiano Ronaldo equalized simply on the stroke of halftime, ending off United’s finest transfer of the primary half to revive parity.
However Zapata’s second half strike rebuilt Atalanta’s benefit and after fixed United strain, Ronaldo grabbed his second objective of the sport within the 91st minute to rescue some extent.
The purpose means with two video games to go within the group, it is evenly poised, with United high of the group and with a great likelihood of going by way of thanks largely to Ronaldo.
After the sport, Ronaldo his workforce had been “a little bit bit fortunate” to rescue a draw towards Atalanta.
“We by no means surrender, we imagine till the top, it’s a good end result for us. The start was robust, we knew Atalanta would do loads of strain, they’ve a improbable coach, after I performed at Juventus they had been at all times troublesome to play towards. We had been a little bit bit fortunate ultimately however that’s soccer.
“We’ve got to nonetheless enhance, we’ve completely different gamers, completely different system, we’ve to adapt with one another, however it’ll take time. we’ve time to enhance and be higher.”
Backwards and forwards
With Group F laborious to separate after three video games, United’s journey to Bergamo was accompanied with essential ramifications.
A powerful 3-0 victory towards Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday within the Premier League had considerably eased the strain on supervisor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however development to the following spherical within the Champions League may very well be very important if he is to stay within the job.
And it was virtually the proper begin for the Norwegian, as an early deflected strike from Scott McTominay trickled tantalizingly in the direction of the Atalanta objective, earlier than simply placing the put up with the goalkeeper stranded.
And United was made to pay simply minutes later, as the house facet took the lead due to Iličić.
His strike from simply inside the world was virtually straight at David De Gea in objective, and the Spaniard will probably be disenchanted the ball was capable of squirm underneath him.
Having grabbed that every one essential first objective, Atalanta continued to look the extra harmful facet going ahead.
Zapata had just a few snapshots, whereas appeals from the house facet for penalties got here to nothing even after video assistant referee checks.
And so they had been made to pay in stoppage time earlier than the top of the primary half as United produced its finest attacking transfer of the sport.
Some neat mixture play between Mason Greenwood, Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes opened up the Atalanta protection, and a fragile backheel from Fernandes left the ball invitingly for Ronaldo to fit residence.
It was the Portuguese’s 138th Champions League objective and his fourth in 4 video games in Europe since returning to United.
After the halftime break and with Solskjaer’s phrases ringing of their ears, the United gamers had been a lot energized.
Extra intricate play from Fernandes supplied a gap simply 12 yards from objective, however a wonderful block from Jose Luis Palomino saved the scores stage.
Palomino was concerned on the different finish of the pitch quickly after, offering the help for Zapata to offer Atalanta the lead once more.
The Colombian striker was performed by way of by Palomino’s lengthy ball, and with United captain Harry Maguire interesting for offside, Zapata slotted residence, just for the offside flag to go up.
Nonetheless, after a prolonged VAR verify totaling two minutes and 6 seconds, the objective was ultimately given, sparking jubilant scenes amongst the house followers.
United, needing a objective to claw itself again into the sport, pushed and pushed — throwing on attacking substitutes within the hopes of adjusting the sport.
Though the sport really fizzling out, Ronaldo as soon as once more got here to United’s rescue, slotting residence from the sting of the field to tie the groups with simply minutes left.
