Atletico Madrid vs. Manchester United score, ratings: Anthony Elanga, Red Devils rescue Champions League draw

It wasn't a good performance from United, but they are positioned well heading into the second leg at home

Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick signaled 19-year-old Anthony Elanga off his bench and the young Swede made the most of his first touch in a hostile environment. The Elanga entered in the 75th minute and scored on his first touch of the game in the 80th to earn Manchester United a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 first leg on Wednesday at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The Red Devils probably didn't deserve a point from the match as they struggled to create much of anything, but they weathered the storm in defense and found their moment, with Bruno Fernandes feeding the young teenage striker with 10 minutes to go with Atleti's defense and goalkeeper failing to position themselves:

It was more of the same from an Atleti defense that continues to barely resemble the elite units of past seasons. The center-backs were out of position, goalkeeper Jan Oblak was three steps too far left, and they gifted the goal to a United team that needed the assistance. The visitors, with just seven shots, finished the game with an xG of 0.46 -- their lowest amount of the season in all competitions. 

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But, on the ride home to England, they'll feel good. The draw means United will advance to the quarterfinals if they beat Atleti in the second leg next month, while a draw will mean extra time at Old Trafford. Those who may not feel good include winger Marcus Rashford, who did next to nothing and may soon find himself on the bench in favor of the rising Elanga, who has now scored in back-to-back games.

On the other side, it will feel like a harsh result for the hosts. Atleti took the lead through a superb Joao Felix header just seven minutes in, and at 1-1 late, Antoine Griezmann hit the crossbar with a nifty effort. United rarely looked like a threat against a home defense that didn't have to worry about much until the final quarter of an hour, but two balls off the post leave Los Colchoneros wondering what could have been.

All to play for now in the second leg with 90 minutes guaranteed and potentially an extra 30 plus penalty kicks if it remains even.

Atletico ratings

Name	Minutes	How did they do?	Rating
(GK) Jan Oblak	90	Only had two chances to make a save, and he blew the most important one. His positioning on the goal wasn't good at all. Also his defense let him down, a combination that's been the story of Atleti's season.	3
(DEF) Stefan Savic	90	Didn't even have to make a tackle in this one. Did well with his duels and was dominant in the air. Atleti had so many guys back in defense there wasn't much to do.	6
(DEF) Jose Maria Gimenez	90	Back from illness and not overly sharp. Decent in the air, solid in his duels but felt a step slow. His positioning on the goal wasn't great either.	4
(DEF) Reinaldo	90	Not great. When the spotlight was on him, a poor attempt to stop the ball allowed Elanga to go through and get te game tying goal. Facing him up and containing him would have been wiser.	3
(DEF) Sime Vrsaljko	90	A real bright spot who did most everything right. Almost got a goal as well. Was strong in his tackles, always looked like winning the ball and did well in the air, too.	7
(DEF) Renan Lodi	76	Not overly impressive defensively, but boy did he deliver some fantastic crosses. Got the assist on Joao Felix's opening goal with a lovely, powerful ball in.	7
(MID) Marcos Llorente	90	His passing was poor, but he did create a team-high three chances along with Lodi. Not spectacular by any means.	6
(MID) Geoffrey Kondogbia	90	Just a graceful player who can draw fouls and take one touch to escape danger. Danced around United in the first half but faded a bit.	6
(MID) Hector Herrera	90	Hard to notice he was even playing, in truth. That wasn't because he didn't do anything, but he was just quiet. His passing was decent, his defending was solid, but that didn't impact the match much.	5
(FWD) Angel Correa	90	There is a reason why he gets so many minutes under Diego Simeone. He was the most threatening creator going forward. The Argentine needed to see the ball more but looked sharp when he had it.	6
(FWD) Joao Felix	76	⚽ 7' Got his goal seven minutes in with a brilliant header. Had a team-high five shots but four of them were blocked. Couldn't use his speed to get much going after the goal.	7
Substitutes	Replaced	How did they do?	Rating
Lemar	Lodi (76')	Touched the ball nine times in 14 minutes but played no role in attack.	5
Antoine Griezmann	Felix (76')	Came in and made an impact, hitting the crossbar and nearly winning it for his side.	6
Manager	Subs used	How did the manager do?	Rating
Diego Simeone	2	Only made two changes. Will feel hard done by the crossbar, with his side hitting it in both halves. Griezmann almost won it for him late as well. He'll feel more than confident in getting a win at Old Trafford.	6

Manchester United ratings

Name	Minutes	How did they do?	Rating
(GK) David de Gea	90	What must he have thought of the chaos ahead of him? De Gea ultimately had precious little to do in a match where United saw a lot of the ball and did remarkably little with it.	5
(DEF) Victor Lindelof	65	Deployed out of position, the auxiliary right back did some excellent last line defending -- blocking an early Gimenez shot -- but could do absolutely nothing to deal with the danger posed by Lodi. It did not help that no one was supporting him, as if the team structure were designed to show Lindelof at his worst.	3
(DEF) Raphael Varane	90	Varane seemed to struggle with the pressure placed on him by Atletico's high press and was not the only player who just looked entirely out of sync; in one passage of play he was lucky to get a foul when Correa burst away, didn't see a goal kick coming and gave away a free kick on the edge of his box.	3
(DEF) Harry Maguire	90	He does not deserve a hammering for not being able to stop Atleti's outstanding opener but you could not shake the sense he might have been able to make it a little harder for Felix.	3
(DEF) Luke Shaw	65	United legend Rio Ferdinand noted that Shaw could have done more to warn Maguire of Felix's run and it was notable how often he was nowhere to be seen when players from the Atletico right flashed to the back post.	3
(MID) Fred	90	The moment he failed to spot a two vs. one down the left until it was much too late rather typified a frustrating performance from Fred, who was consistently late to the ball. Felix kept finding space in the areas you would expect the Brazilian to be patrolling.	3
(MID) Paul Pogba	65	One might have assumed Pogba would have dropped deep enough to allow United to play through Atletico's intense press but he rarely seemed to be showing for the release valve pass his defenders needed.	3
(MID) Bruno Fernandes	90	Early on his passes and flicks were not quite going to feet. Twice in a matter of moments he put the ball straight out for a throw in. Miscuing the clearance that would lead to Atletico's goal seemed to discombobulate Fernandes, who struggled to positively impact the game until a late through ball teed up Anthony Elanga.	3
(FWD) Marcus Rashford	74	All too often he wasted the attacking positions that came his way with underwhelming crosses that asked an awful lot of Cristiano Ronaldo. After a while he expanded his repertoire to punting the ball over from way out. In a bad game all around he might have been United's worst player.	3
(FWD) Cristiano Ronaldo	90	That his most notable contributions to the first half came in the United half of the pitch indicated just how difficult it was to get the ball to him. For once Ronaldo was not able to impose himself on the opposition center backs meaning too often balls sent to him came straight back.	4
(FWD) Jadon Sancho	81	Perhaps the one kind thing you could say about Sancho is he was not as noticeably bad as many others on the pitch but there were still plenty of misplaced passes and defensive lapses, particularly on the right when someone should have been supporting Lindelof.	4
Substitutes	Replaced	How did they do?	Rating
(Alex Telles	Shaw, 66'	He simply did not give the ball away all that often. That was progress of the right kind for United.	5
Aaron Wan-Bissaka	Lindelof, 66'	Atletico still had joy down the right when Lindelof came on but Wan-Bissaka won both of his duels, passed the ball neatly and did not stray too far from a defensive task.	6
Nemanja Matic	Pogba, 66'	As was the case with a few of the substitutes tonight he made a difference by simply being less actively bad than the player he replaced. Matic was quiet but United needed quiet.	5
Anthony Elanga	Rashford, 75'	⚽ 80' Perhaps the only man in blue to show any real composure, the way he looked up to spot Oblak's poor positioning and punish him with a precise finish.	7
Jesse Lingard	Sancho, 82'	Struggled to impact the game until the very last second when a tame shot from outside the box was nearly spilled by Oblak.	5
Manager	Subs used	How did the manager do?	Rating
Ralf Rangnick	5	Playing Lindelof out of position set United's defense up for all sorts of difficulties and after 45 minutes of unified ineptitude he allowed things to continue into the second half. This was as disastrous a night for Rangnick as it was for his players.	3

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:45 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Video: Elanga goal

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:47 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Crossbar for Griezmann!

Nearly the winner! The ball falls to the Frenchman inside the box, and he goes far post but his the crossbar! That was a fantastic effort.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:40 pm ET · James Benge]

What a finish by Elanga

Composure personified. You see Elanga take a look as Oblak charges out, he sees the goalkeeper has got his position all wrong and rolls the ball into the far corner. The youngster might have saved his more illustrious teammates.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:39 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

80' GOAL UNITED!!! It's ELANGA!!!

Out of seemingly nowhere, United get a goal to draw level! It's a fine finish from the Swede on the counter with Bruno Fernandes playing him in well. That's a slick finish that I thought was going wide.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:37 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

78' Dangerous set piece coming for Man. United

It's at the top of the box ... and Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo are over it with Telles.

Here it goes........

And Ronaldo misses by several yards. Not even close. 

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:34 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Decent look there for Kondogbia

Atleti threaten on a corner as the ball falls to the midfielder at the top of the box, and he gets some power behind it, but it goes way over the goal.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:29 pm ET · James Benge]

Three changes for United

And all of them in defense. You can see why Rangnick might bring on Matic, Wan-Bissaka and Telles for Pogba, Lindelof and Shaw; United need some sort of platform to build from, at the moment it is like trying to construct a skyscraper on the beach. Equally Rashford, Sancho, Fred, Fernandes and a few others probably don't deserve to be on the pitch either.

I wonder if Simeone might sniff blood here and go for some more attack-minded changes.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:28 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Changes for United

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:20 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Momentum shifting a tad

It does feel like United are firmly in this as the game has opened up. Passing is off for United going forward just a tad, but they are seeing the space where damage could be done. 

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:17 pm ET · James Benge]

Flashes of promise from the visitors?

They are at least advancing towards the Atletico Madrid penalty area even if Rashford's desperate punt from best part of 30 yards is just the third effort on goal they have had. But really this is so, so poor with passing moves of more than three or four moves seemingly beyond this side. 

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:05 pm ET · James Benge]

No change from United

In both senses this is the same team. Rangnick has not made any substitutes and a loose flick by Fred, designed for Lindelof to overlap when he's clearly not intending to do that, suggests that there has been no eureka moment in the Wanda Metropolitana dressing room.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 4:05 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

The second half is underway

The match has resumed as Antoine Griezmann begins to warm up.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:49 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Halftime

It's Atletico 1, Manchester United 0 at the break. Joao Felix's early goal is the difference as United have done next to nothing. A deserved lead.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:49 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Crossbar!

Atleti nearly make it 2-0! It is Lodi again with a great ball in, and it actually almost ends in an own goal as the ball hits Lindelof and goes off the crossbar.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:46 pm ET · James Benge]

Atletico controlling the pitch

Remember when Atletico Madrid were the team who sat back, kept narrow banks in their defense and ground their way through the knockout stages. Well we've got a very different team tonight. They have United completely pinned back.

Atletico Madrid's pass map after 40 minutes TruMedia

As for your question Rog, I'm struggling because they have the players to do what they need to do, which is carry the ball up the pitch and through the lines. Perhaps they need someone nearer the center backs to link play and discourage these desperate long balls to an isolated Ronaldo.

But if I were Rangnick I might not make any changes and would instead tell my players to play good football.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:44 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

How's it going for United?

Just a 0.05 xG for the Red Devils so far. They are seeing more of the ball (64.3 %) yet they are doing absolutely nothing with it. What changes would you like to see Rangnick make in the second half, James?

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:36 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Lodi looking sharp

A good look there from Lodi as he makes a move past Lindelof and blasts a shot that hits the side of the goal. He continues to show that in just a moment he can deliver in something threatening, looking to build off his assist.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:29 pm ET · James Benge]

Fernandes is struggling

Wayward passes, that poor clearance that led to Atletico's opener and a general air of confusion: this has been a really tough game for Fernandes so far. He just looks completely out of sync with what is going on around him, a real concern for United when he is the person they need to make their attack click.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:28 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

A bit more of the ball for United

The Red Devils are seeing more of the ball but doing very little with it as Atleti use wing backs to play five at the back while also seeing Kondogbia sit deep at times. Going to need to get Bruno Fernandes on the ball a bit more centrally, it seems.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:20 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Video: Joao Felix's goal

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:16 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Maguire's effort on goal

Don't think there is really much more he could have done, James. Sure, maybe the positioning could have been a bit better, but that cross was delightful and quickly played in. Maguire simply wasn't catching a player as quick as Joao Felix right there. It was the perfect cross that caught nearly everybody off guard ... other than the Portuguese.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:14 pm ET · James Benge]

Could Maguire have done more?

My suspicion is there really was not much United could have done to stop that once Lodi beat the slipping Fred, had Maguire been further back he would have been playing Felix on but it is not as if he could be much further forward. Maybe he could have moved quicker so that Felix felt him on his back? I'm not sure. What do you think Roger?

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:09 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

7' GOAL ATLETI!!!

It's Joao Felix! It's a brilliant start from the hosts! The Portuguese youngster heads home with power off the left post and in! It's his first goal of the Champions League this season. Lodi does a brilliant job with his left footed cross that nobody could get to either than No. 7.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:07 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Encouraging start for Atleti

It's been positive from Los Colchoneros. They are pressing well, getting the ball deep in the attacking half and look a bit dangerous to start. Manchester United look far from comfortable. 

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:04 pm ET · James Benge]

United shape

As Rangnick intimated it is a 4-2-3-1 with Lindelof at right back, a pretty crushing assessment of Wan-Bissaka and Dalot. The Swede is busy early on with Joao Felix slipping into spaces down the Atletico left, presumably looking to test this repurposed back line. Lindelof certainly is in the heart of matters early on, diving across to block Gimenez's close range shot from a Correa pass.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 3:00 pm ET · Roger Gonzalez]

Underway!!!

Action has begun at the Wanda Metropolitana!

[Feb 23, 2022 at 2:39 pm ET · James Benge]

That United system

It seems like the most obvious setup with that collection of 11 players is for Victor Lindelof to play right back but if that is the case it would certainly be a curious approach with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot on the bench. It is hardly like United are likely to get particular pressure down that flank, where Atletico have stationed two left backs.

The tempting alternative is that this might be a back three of Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire but who would be the right wing back? Jadon Sancho? Marcus Rashford? Fred? Any of those options would certainly be fun... and an almighty risk.

[Feb 23, 2022 at 2:07 pm ET · James Benge]

An ill omen for Atleti

Eesh, Simeone's side do not have a good record at all with Joao Felix in the side...

[Feb 23, 2022 at 2:01 pm ET · James Benge]

Here are the line ups

Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Gimenez, Reinildo; Marcos Llorente, Herrera, Kondogbia, Renan Lodi; Correa, Joao Felix
Subs: Lecomte, Christien, De Paul, Griezmann, Suarez, Lemar, Felipe, Hermoso, Javi Serrano

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Lindelof, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; Fred, Pogba; Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho; Ronaldo
Subs: Heaton, Henderson, Bailly, Jones, Mata, Lingard, Dalot, Telles, Wan-Bissaka, Matic, Elanga, Mejiri