Manchester United advanced to the FA Cup fourth round after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday night.
The spotlight was on United’s reserve goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, who delivered a heroic performance. Bayindir saved Martin Ødegaard’s penalty in the second half and denied Kai Havertz’s decisive spot-kick during the shootout, ensuring United’s progression in a nail-biting encounter.
Joshua Zirkzee converted the final penalty, sparking jubilant celebrations among United players and the traveling supporters.
The match ended 1-1 after 120 minutes. Bruno Fernandes broke the deadlock early in the second half with a spectacular long-range strike. Arsenal responded swiftly, with Gabriel Magalhães equalizing just 11 minutes later after his deflected volley beat Bayindir.
United’s momentum took a hit when Diogo Dalot was sent off for a second yellow card following a reckless challenge on Mikel Merino. Two minutes later, Arsenal capitalized on their numerical advantage with Gabriel’s equalizer.
The drama escalated when Arsenal were awarded a penalty after Kai Havertz went down under minimal contact from Harry Maguire. Without VAR to review the decision, the referee stood by his call. However, Bayindir kept United’s hopes alive with a brilliant save to deny Ødegaard. Moments later, Bayindir made another critical stop, thwarting Declan Rice’s close-range header.
Despite Arsenal’s relentless attacks, including a last-minute effort from Havertz, Bayindir’s exceptional goalkeeping kept United in the game. The match progressed to extra time, where both teams showed signs of exhaustion. United, down to ten men, focused on defending and forcing the penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Havertz was the only player to miss, thanks to another stunning save by Bayindir. United converted all their penalties, with Zirkzee delivering the winning blow to eliminate Arsenal.
Manchester United now await their next opponent in the fourth round, buoyed by an unforgettable night at the Emirates.
