Atletico Madrid 1-1 Manchester United: Substitute Elanga snatches first-leg draw

Anthony Elanga takes Manchester United off the bench to draw Manchester United 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match against Atletico Madrid.

Joao Felix's opening header was set to prove decisive at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday, with United's attack looking largely blunt.

In fact, United failed to make a touch into the opposition box in the first half of a Champions League game for the first time since at least 2005–06, but Elanga took advantage when given the opportunity.

The youngster paid Atleti for Marcos Llorente's poor lapse before half-time, and United will look to have the lead in the second leg on 15 March.

Joao Felix opened the scoring after three minutes in Atleti's much-needed win over Osasuna on Saturday, with the youngster taking just seven minutes this time.

Renan Lodi dropped a charming cross between Rafael Varane and Harry Maguire, with Joao Felix directing an amazing header into David de Gea's right hand post.

Proof of Atleti's dominance, Cristiano Ronaldo took until the 37th minute to get sight of the goal, and pulled well from outside the field.

Atleti should have been 2-0 up at half-time, only for Llorente to head from close range against the crossbar when United were dismissed by a well-worked free-kick.

Llorente sliced ​​wide from where Atleti left off, before Atleti tried an audacious bicycle kick before making way for Antoine Griezmann.

Ronaldo's free-kick seemed to have limited a disappointing night for United, but Elanga had other ideas.

Just five minutes after replacing Marcus Rashford, Elanga patted on Reynoldo's mistake ahead of poorly positioned Jan Oblak to finish calmly, United held on despite Griezmann's late hit to the bar .

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