How Manchester United hit self-destruct button again in 7-goal thriller

As the sell-out Parken Stadium buzzed with anticipation, FC Copenhagen fans proudly unveiled a colossal banner that taunted their opponents: "Welcome To Your Theatre Of Nightmares."

It was a clever twist on Manchester United's renowned "Theatre of Dreams" at Old Trafford. Given Copenhagen's formidable home record in the Champions League group stage, with just two losses in 16 matches, the Danish side's sparky assertion that their own turf would be an intimidating place to visit was perhaps beyond reproach. 

However, the home supporters could hardly have wished for a worse start. Within a mere three minutes of the kickoff, Rasmus Hojlund, a former Copenhagen player returning to haunt his hometown club, tapped the ball into the net from close range, capitalizing on Scott McTominay's perfectly executed low cross. 

The 20-year-old striker, who is yet to open his scoring account in the English Premier League following his high-profile $78 million move from Atalanta during the summer, somehow managed to find his rhythm on the European stage. With composure, he converted a simple chance to extend United's lead to 2-0, courtesy of Kamil Grabara's parry that fell conveniently into his path after Alejandro Garnacho's strike. 

It was a truly encouraging phase for Hojlund and his team, as everything seemed to be going their way. At that point, United had their sights set on securing a second consecutive victory, following their hard-fought win against Fulham over the weekend. A successful result would have significantly bolstered their chances of progressing to the last 16 of the prestigious European club competition. However, when it comes to United, things seldom go according to plan. 

The dramatic turn of events began with Marcus Rashford's unfortunate challenge, as his foot inadvertently struck Elias Jelert's ankle. This incident left the referee Donatas Rumsas with a crucial decision to make, and unfortunately for United, it went against them.  

"We played very good until the red card. The red card changed everything. Then it becomes a different game," said United manager Erik Ten Hag afterwards. "It is harsh decision. He was going for the ball." For all the Dutch tactician's complaint, the red card triggered a sudden collapse at the worst possible moment for a still-vulnerable team that could ill-afford such a setback.

Immediately following the red card, there was a brief moment of relief for United as Diogo Goncalves' freekick struck the crossbar. However, their respite was short-lived. Just moments later, Peter Ankersen delivered a cross from the right, and Goncalves directed the ball back across the goal, allowing Mohamed Elyounoussi to find the back of the net.

United's composure was wavering, and as the first half entered into nine minutes of added time, Harry Maguire found himself penalized for a handball that occurred off a deflection from Raphael Varane. Andre Onana had previously saved a penalty for United at Old Trafford two weeks ago, but this time Goncalves outsmarted him, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way and converting the penalty. 

To their credit, United displayed resilience despite being a player down, successfully fending off the relentless attacks from the home team in the second half. Astonishingly, they even managed to seize the lead once again, this time through a penalty confidently dispatched by Bruno Fernandes. The opportunity arose when Harry Maguire's header inadvertently struck the arm of Lukas Lerager, who was unable to influence the deflection. Following an extensive VAR review, Fernandes stepped up to the spot and calmly converted the penalty.

The home side just refused to back down and their persistence paid off, resulting in two quick-fire goals that turned the tide of the match in their favor. Firstly, Lerager redeemed himself by taking advantage of a moment of hesitation from Diogo Dalot, sneaking behind the defender to convert Rasmus Falk's cross at the far post. Then, Copenhagen's 17-year-old substitute Roony Bardghji seized the opportunity and unleashed a powerful half-volley that sailed past Onana after United failed to clear their lines.  

While United are not completely eliminated from contention, they currently occupy the bottom spot in Group A and will need to secure victories against both Galatasaray and Bayern Munich in their final match. Even if they achieve these wins, it may not guarantee their progression to the next stage of the tournament.  

This realization surely brought schadenfreude to Copenhagen fans, who began the evening by paying tribute to their team's historic victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's United in 2006. They then concluded the night by celebrating an even more remarkable triumph. It was an astonishing Danish fairy tale, albeit not the one desired by United.