Stunning Diallo volley earns Man Utd battling point at Forest
A stunning volley from Amad Diallo earned Manchester United a battling 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
Looking to continue their revival under Ruben Amorim, United appeared to be on their way to securing a fourth successive league victory after Brazilian Casemiro headed them into a 34th-minute lead.
United, however, capitulated early in the second half when two goals in less than two minutes from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona turned the match on its head.
The visitors responded well but were frustrated in their efforts to restore parity until Diallo unleashed a blistering strike from the edge of the penalty area nine minutes from time to secure a point for his side.
Diallo almost snatched victory at the death as United missed the chance to climb to second in the standings with a win, the point helping them move into fifth, above rivals Manchester City who play on Sunday. Forest stayed 18th.
On paper, the City Ground appeared like the perfect place for United to continue their resurgence back up the table. With new boss Sean Dyche at the helm, Forest came into Saturday’s clash on a four-game losing streak, all without scoring.
The visitors started like a side on the up. Close season signing Benjamin Sesko should have done better from a Bryan Mbeumo pull-back before the Slovenian arrowed another strike wide.
Home supporters were incensed at the decision to award United the corner that led to the opening goal. Boos rang out from all corners of the stadium as Casemiro headed in his third goal of the season.
DIALLO GOLDEN CHANCE
Diallo had a golden chance to double his side’s lead late in the first half, blazing over from a good position, profligacy that proved costly as United fell apart after the restart.
The United wing-back was no match for Gibbs-White as the Forest livewire headed past goalkeeper Senne Lammens to net the home side’s first league goal since September 20.
With the crowd lifted, 92 seconds later the turnaround was complete. United failed to deal with another long ball into the penalty area and it fell for Savona who earned redemption with a close-range finish.
United responded well, with Bruno Fernandes’ fizzing strike hitting the post on the hour mark, before Diallo’s shot from the edge of the penalty area, after Forest had only half cleared a corner, broke the hosts’ resistance.
A goalline clearance was needed to keep out Diallo’s rasping effort in stoppage-time, but defeat would have been harsh on Forest.