Bruno Fernandes Delivers Dramatic Winner as Manchester United Edge Rangers

Bruno Fernandes secured a last-gasp winner to propel Manchester United to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Europa League group stage at Old Trafford on Thursday. The win moves United to fourth in the standings with 15 points, putting them in a strong position to progress to the knockout phase ahead of the final round of matches.

United dominated the opening stages, with Argentine forward Alejandro Garnacho testing the Rangers defense with a series of sharp efforts. Matthijs de Ligt appeared to give the hosts the lead when he headed home from a corner, but the goal was ruled out for a foul by Leny Yoro on Rangers defender Davy Propper. Rangers, however, showed resilience and created danger of their own, with Hamza Igamane forcing an outstanding save from United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır with a powerful long-range strike.

The breakthrough came early in the second half when Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland misjudged Christian Eriksen’s corner, inadvertently sending the ball into his own net. Rangers fought back and found an equalizer in the 88th minute through substitute Cyril Dessers, who latched onto James Tavernier’s perfectly weighted pass and rifled a stunning left-footed shot into the far corner.

Fernandes ensured Rangers’ celebrations were short-lived as he delivered a stoppage-time winner to seal United’s fourth consecutive victory in the competition. The dramatic finish had former manager Alex Ferguson cheering in the stands. Reflecting on the game, United manager Ruben Amorim acknowledged his team’s uneven performance but praised their resilience. “We are not playing our best but regrouped from the last game. We need to be more clinical at the right moments,” he told TNT Sports.