Manchester United were left to hold onto a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth after inconsistent refereeing ended Harry Maguire’s night early.
Maguire was given a red card for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity in 78th minute after a not-so different foul that wasn’t given 12 minutes prior when it was committed on Amad. Eli Junior Kroupi converted from the spot to equalize.
United were forced to pack in their ambition and hold on for the 12 minutes left in regulation and an additional nine minutes of second-half
stoppage.
The penalty not given for United came in the 68th minute when Amad was taken down with two hands in the Bournemouth box. Inexplicably, the referee chose not to award the foul and Bournemouth immediately went on the break. Ryan Christie took advantage of United’s defensive switch-off and slotted home the equalizer.
Poetic justice at least occurred three minutes later. United earned a corner that Fernandes whipped in toward Maguire’s direction. The ball just missed the English international, but found the forehead of Bournemouth’s James Hill who directed the ball in for an own goal.
The first goal of the match belonged to United, coming from the penalty spot and likely influencing the lack of a call on Amad later on.
In the 59th minute, Matheus Cunha skinned Alex Jimenez with a dribble to break into the box with daylight ahead. The Bournemouth defender was left with no other choice but to hold Cunha back and concede the penalty. Bruno buried the attempt in the left side netting with a delayed stutter step that sent Djordje Petrovic the wrong way.
The first 45 had plenty of action despite the halftime box score suggesting otherwise. United were more aggressive, outshooting Bournemouth 11-5, but the hosts did not lag far behind when it came to goal scoring chances as they put three on target to United’s four.
United’s best chance of the first half came in the 35th minute. Diogo Dalot crossed the ball from deep inside the box to the left-side of the six-yard box to a wide open Bruno Fernandes. Fernandes side-footed a volley on target that was saved on the line from point-blank range.
Early in the half saw the best chance for the hosts in a sequence of end-to-end football. A great chance for Amad inside of the box was saved, and Bournemouth immediately hit on the counter. Evanilson beat Luke Shaw in a footrace and carried the ball into the box. The forward dragged a shot across the goalmouth but another Bournemouth player was mercifully not at the far post for the tap-in.
United are on an extended break before they return to Old Trafford to host 15th-place Leeds United on Monday, April 13.
