Manchester United booted from Champions League; Wolfsburg, PSV advance in stunning fashion
Manchester United's travel agent might be booking some unforeseen accommodations, as the Premier League giants are poised for Europa League football after Tuesday's 3-2 loss at Wolfsburg.
A Naldo brace sandwiched a delicious Vieirinha finish in the first-half courtesy of a lovely bit of interplay between the Portugese and Julian Draxler to book the German's place in the next round despite an unusually attack-minded display from the visitors.
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The defeat, coupled with PSV's 2-1 victory at the Philips Stadion against CSKA Moscow ensured Louis van Gaal's men would be playing in Europe's second-tier competition for the first time since losing to Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League Round of 16 in 2011-12.
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An injury-riddled Red Devils squad gave gaffer Louis van Gaal few options, with Argentine full-back Guillermo Varela making his continental debut in a critical fixture. A makeshift starting XI was made worse moments before the interval when Matteo Darmian was subbed-off with an apparent hamstring issue, giving 18-year-old Cameron Borthwick-Jackson his first Champions League experience.
A youthful and inexperienced full-back pairing bookended standout centre-back Chris Smalling and an out-of-position Daley Blind to spell disaster for United, especially on Naldo's 84th-minute match winner.
United nearly levelled matters in the 60th minute when summer signing Memphis Depay's acrobatic scissor-kick was parried-away by Wolfsburg's lunging shot-stopper Diego Benaglio.
Full credit to David De Gea, as the result could have been worse were it not for a one-handed gymnast-like effort to deny Andre Schurrle after the Spanish international was caught stranded on the edge of his penalty area.
A goal down with 20 minutes left, surely news of Sergey Ignasevich's 76th minute penalty conversion for CSKA had made its way to the United bench, only for PSV goal-machine Luuk de Jong to tie the match two minutes later.
Matters were complicated moments later when a Josuha Guilavogui own goal tied the match 2-2, only for Naldo to cement matters before those in attendance had caught their collective breaths virtually at the exact same moment Davy Propper gave PSV a late advantage.
One of United's most attacking displays in months - even with a limited squad - was not to be, as every time they influenced proceedings, Wolfsburg answered moments later.