WAYNE ROONEY'S wobbling confidence received another hefty blow at Old Trafford last night as Manchester United crashed out of the Capital One Cup on penalties.
The United captain took on the responsibility of dispatching United’s first spot-kick after 120 minutes had failed to produce a goal, only to see his well-struck shot saved by Middlesbrough keeper Tomas Mejias.
Michael Carrick and Ashley Young also crumbled under the pressure, with Carrick blazing over and Young having his penalty saved.
Boro captain Grant Leadbitter, Stewart Downing and Ben Gibson buried theirs as the Championship side booked their place in the quarter-finals at home against Everton.
In a match that started slowly and built to a tense and exciting encounter as the second half progressed, both sides had chances to win it.
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| rouane Fellaini went close to giving the hosts the lead but his header went just wide of a post |
But United were frustrated by a resilient Boro, with Louis van Gaal bringing on Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial to no avail as the tie became increasingly fraught.
United manager Van Gaal had refused to listen to the warning from Hillsborough on Tuesday of the danger of fielding an under-strength side, refreshing his team with nine players who had not started in the derby draw with City last Sunday.
But with promising midfielder Andreas Pereira, as well as Carrick and Daley Blind, he was bringing in both experience and quality.
Boro themselves fielded five changes from the side who had beaten Wolves away at the weekend as Aitor Karanka also rang the changes.
The only thing to light up Old Trafford early on was the 10,0000 Boro supporters, shining the lights on their mobile phones in a coordinated protest at recent job losses in the steel industry.
United looked the more composed, but it was the visitors that forced the first real chance of the game on 17 minutes. A goalmouth scramble saw Emilio Nsue’s overhead effort fall to George Friend at the far post, but he pushed it wide when he should have found the net.
That proved the wake-up call for United, who became more of a threat. Much of that menace came from the speed of Jesse Lingard and the physicality of Marouane Fellaini.
Towards the end of a forgettable first half, James Wilson forced the first save of the match from Meijas, a gentle block at his near post after Wilson had been set up by Fellaini.
Fellaini himself had a great chance to put United ahead after wrong-footing Boro centre-half Gibson and knocking the ball over his head, but Friend atoned for his earlier miss with a diving block.
Downing went close to putting the Championship side in front with a dipping effort from 25 yards minute later that Sergio Romero did brilliantly to tip over the bar. Parity at half-time was fair on the balance of play.
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| Wayne Rooney's penalty-kick was saved by Tomas Mejias |
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| Louis van Gaal's side travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday to face Crystal Palace |
That, however, was not a view Van Gaal was prepared to accept and the Dutchman lost patience with an ineffectual performance from Wilson and brought on Rooney.
The striker provided an immediate spark but it was Memphis Depay who almost forced a mistake from Mejias, the Boro keeper nearly spilling a regulation block from a scuffed shot into his own net.
Boro responded well and saw Blind smash a rushed clearance into his own goal after Kike's effort had come of the post.
However, the celebrations were cut short as the linesman's flag had gone up and stayed up for the initial effort.
What it did do was raise the temperature of the game and United were indebted to Romero who turned Leadbitter's arrowed near-post shot around the post, before also denying Downing late on.
Lingard went close for United, but with neither side able to make the breakthrough, extra-time was required.
Pereira, Fellaini and Martial all had decent efforts for the hosts, but in the end spot-kicks were needed to settle the tie, with Middlesbrough eventually emerging victorious.
Man Utd (4-2-1-3): Romero; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Rojo (young 61); Carrick, Fellaini; Pereira; Lingard, Wilson (Rooney 45), Memphis (Martial 71).
Next up: Crystal Palace (a), PL Sat.
Middlesbrough (4-4-1-1): Mejias; Kalas, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Nsue, Stephens (Clayton 114), Leadbitter, De Pena (Zuculini 78); Downing; Kike (Nugent 84).
Next up: Charlton (h), CS Sat.
Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).
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