Manchester United suffered a humiliating Carabao Cup exit as they were beaten in a marathon penalty shootout by League Two Grimsby at Blundell Park.
It had appeared United had rescued themselves in the nick of time after finding themselves two goals down following a truly awful first-half display, with returning goalkeeper Andre Onana at fault for Grimsby’s second.
Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren got the Mariners goals before United substitute Bryan Mbeumo pulled one back and Harry Maguire equalised in the final minute.
But Matheus Cunha failed to secure victory in United’s last spot-kick of the regulation five, and Mbeumo’s second penalty hit the bar to hand Grimsby a 12-11 shootout success and trigger a pitch invasion from the jubilant home fans.
They eventually left the field but waited in their seats long after the final whistle as the players and manager David Artell came out to conduct post-match interviews following one of the greatest nights in the club’s history.
United manager Ruben Amorim gave the impression of cowering in the dugout as the drama unfolded and one of only two realistic chances of silverware disappeared at the first available opportunity.
He endured the “sacked in the morning” chants from gleeful home fans in the stand behind him during the first half as he watched his side find themselves in an even more embarrassing position than those he experienced last season, during which he described them as ‘maybe the worst’ in the club’s history.
He was not helped by Onana’s shocking error. Left out for the first two Premier League games of the season, the Cameroon international had not looked entirely comfortable even before he came to collect a cross swept into a crowded penalty area after 30 minutes.
Inexplicably, Onana dropped it and former United academy player Warren turned the loose ball into an empty net.
The goal doubled the advantage given to Grimsby by Vernam, who beat Onana with a low shot after Kieran Green took possession away from Amad Diallo and Manuel Ugarte, allowing Darragh Burns to deliver the far-post cross.
Amorim sent on skipper Bruno Fernandes, new forward Mbeumo and defensive kingpin Matthijs de Ligt at half-time in an attempt to save the game.
Mbeumo pulled one back with a shot into the corner 15 minutes from time. Following more attacking substitutes that meant Mason Mount and Mbeumo were filling the wing-back roles by the end, Maguire converted the last-minute equaliser.
As Cunha strode up to take United’s fifth penalty, it seemed they would escape. But Cunha failed – and so did his team.
United had never previously lost to a fourth-tier side.
The only recent precedents were other defeats in this competition, to York in 1995 and MK Dons in 2014. Defeat at Southend in 2006 was similar in terms of the raucous old school stadium where it happened but the Essex side were actually in the Championship at the time.
None of those defeats came from quite such a gloomy place as this one. Amorim finished with his new-look £200m strikeforce on the pitch and paired Kobbie Mainoo with Fernandes in the midfield formation many United fans have been pleading for.
The spot-kick drama took away some of the edge of incredulity in the moment. But when the dust settles, major questions will be asked about where United are going.
Grimsby analysis: Deserved night for the Mariners
Amid the recriminations at Old Trafford, Grimsby should not be denied due praise for their glory night.
From the first whistle, it became clear Mariners boss Artell’s gameplan was to heap as much pressure around the visitors’ area as possible, knowing the home fans would seize on any opportunity they could to whip up an already intense atmosphere.
For a game in which they could have sold out their 9,000-capacity stadium three times over, the supporters, who have had to endure two relegations to the National League in the last decade and a half, lived up to the promise of chief executive Polly Bancroft by ‘making life uncomfortable’ for her old club.
It was 1948 when these two sides last met, so the vast majority witnessing this occasion have never seen Manchester United at this stadium before.
They could scarcely believe it as Vernam and Warren scored. Yet Grimsby deserved their advantage and had avoided being swamped in the second half despite the multi-millionaires in opposition before Mbeumo and Maguire threatened to ruin their night.
But Grimsby were not to be denied. This was a night no-one who was here will ever forget.
By BBC Sports
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