Goals: Manchester United—Memphis 13’, 43’; Club Brugge—Carrick 8’ (own goal)
Recap: Manchester United edged one step closer to Champions League football, defeating Club Brugge 3-1 on Tuesday.
A shaky start allowed the visitors to grab a 1-0 lead. Michael Carrick's poor touch inside the area bested his keeper just eight minutes into the match. Memphis Depay would respond shortly after. Individual skill saw the 21-year-old equalize in the 13th minute. He secured a first-half brace with a wonder strike 30 minutes later.
A second-half goal from Marouane Fellaini secured the 3-1 victory.
Paridad del #mufc. @Memphis responde y empata el partido #GIF #ChampionsEnFD. pic.twitter.com/aCZc1tlQm8
— #ChampionsEnFD (@FOXDeportes) August 18, 2015
Key Moment: In reality, the biggest take away was Manchester United's ability to punish Club Brugge with a man advantage. A 2-1 lead was hardly a secure one. Fellaini's goal could prove to be the deciding factor in this tie.
Man of the Match: With his two goals, Memphis now has the same amount of goals as the entire United roster combined.
.@Memphis x 2. Doblete del jugador holandés. #mufc #ChampionsEnFD. #GIF pic.twitter.com/x2o4lTxocv
— #ChampionsEnFD (@FOXDeportes) August 18, 2015
Lesson Learned: Memphis arrived at Old Trafford facing the pressure of becoming the next generation’s Cristiano Ronaldo—an absurd expectation given the transcendent talent of his Portuguese counterpart. On Tuesday, he proved he can live up to the preposterous hype.
Admittedly, a brace against Club Brugge isn’t the type of feat that will cement one’s legacy, but it’s a proper start for one of the game’s brightest young stars.
Up Next: Both clubs return to league action on Aug. 22, with United hosting Newcastle and Club Brugge visiting Zulte-Waregem.
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