.jpg)
Awful, more awful, Man United! Fourth-tier side knocks Amorim's crew out of EFL Cup!
Reading Time: 4min | Thu. 28.08.25. | 00:24
Harambee Stars international Clarke Oduor clocked his first minutes for Grimsby and missed a spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out, but Cunha and Mbeumo saved him by wasting their shots and launching Grimsby to the next round!
Historic embarrassment! Not even these two harsh words can describe what happened to Man United tonight! Ruben Amorim's team was knocked out of the EFL Cup by the fourth-tier side Grimsby Town on penalties after a 2-2 draw! It was a deja vu of the dreadful 2014 defeat, when League One side MK Dons humiliated Louis van Gaal's United 4-0 in the same competition.
To make matters worse - if they can be worse - the Portuguese gaffer sent a powerful lineup to the pitch, with Sesko, Cunha, Maguire, Onana, Dorgu, Dalot, Diallo... Still, names do not play, but the heart, which tonight only one team had - Grimsby.
INCREDIBLE. 🤯
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 27, 2025
League Two side Grimsby Town have knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup. 👏 pic.twitter.com/eUpzSgBTrY
The Mariners were 2-0 up at the break behind Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren's goals, while United barely made two so-so chances over Benjamin Sesko.
After the break, Amorim subbed on his most powerful weapon, Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo, and the Cameroonian brought him a goal in the 75th minute, closing the gap to one goal. And then United's unsung hero, Harry Maguire, appeared once again and netted the equalizer in the 89th minute, sending the game to penalties!
Kenyan international Clarke Oduor, who had recently joined them on loan from Bradford City, got a chance to debut for Grimsby in the last 20 minutes and became a tragic figure, as was the only Mariners' player who missed a spot-kick in the penalty roulette. However, luckily for him, Cunha and Mbeumo turned out to be tragic figures, as their misses cost United a victory!
MISSED! MANCHESTER UNITED ARE OUT!
— Jollof Ballers (@JollofBallers) August 27, 2025
Mbeumo's penalty hits the crossbar!pic.twitter.com/f1wVY0EhLe
Even though Grimsby are a fourth-tier side, Ruben Amorim apparently didn't want to risk anything, opting for a very strong lineup with Andre Onana, Manuel Ugarte, Partick Dorgu, Amad Diallo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, among others.
Still, despite United's power, Grimsby threw the first punch in the 22nd minute! Diallo and Ugarte got tangled up and lost the ball, opening space for the home team's counter, which the Mariners exploited to the fullest. Darragh Burns got the ball on the right flank, found Charles Vernam on the far post, and the winger took no prisoners, giving his team the shocking lead!
Charles Vernam | 🏴 Grimsby Town 1-0 Manchester United
— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) August 27, 2025
Man united !!! pic.twitter.com/SyGQI9oOPU
Tyrell Warren | 🏴 Grimsby Town 2-0 Manchester United
— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) August 27, 2025
What a shock!pic.twitter.com/PvCrftUzZU
Just eight minutes later, Grimsby doubled it! Onana reacted poorly after a corner kick, and Tyrell Warren just passed the ball into the empty net, completely stunning the visitors!
On the other hand, United made the first notable chance only after 32 minutes when the Mariners' custodian Christy Pym easily stopped Sesko's effort. Three minutes before the break, after another Slovenian's attempt, the outcome was the same.
At the break, it was clear that Amorim had to do something immediately, so he replaced Ugarte, Dorgu, and young Tyler Fredricson with Matthijs de Ligt, Bryan Mbeumo, and the captain Bruno Fernandes.
Still, that initially brought little to the visitors, as Burns wasted a massive chance for Grimsby. Better said, Ayden Heaven saved his team with a colossal goal-line clearance.
To make matters worse for the Red Devils, a fierce storm began around 50th minute in Grimsby, so the pitch was far from ideal, while rain and wind made playing conditions extremely difficult.
In the 63rd minute, Pym once again emerged victorious from a duel against Bruno, stopping the Portuguese's dangerous long-range attempt. Nine minutes later, Grimsby scored their third goal over Cameron Gardner, which was disallowed for a suspicious offside.
A minute later, Harambee Stars international Clarke Oduor got a chance from the bench, clocking his first minutes for the Mariners since he joined from Bradford City. A quarter of an hour before the end, Mbeumo gave hope to United, scoring his maiden goal for his new team after a counter attack.
Mbuemo | 🏴 Grimsby Town 2-1 Manchester Unitedpic.twitter.com/mn3U41p9lu
— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) August 27, 2025
United desperately had to go for another goal - Amorim even subbed in Joshua Zirkzee - while Grimsby hoped to hold out and record a gigantic triumph. And then in the 89th minute, like so many times before, Harry Maguire appeared and scored a priceless leveller, sending the game to penalties!
Maguire equlizes score
— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) August 27, 2025
Grimsby Town 2-2 Manchester Unitedpic.twitter.com/oIyueWyVg4
In the penalty shoot-out, the ill-fortuned Oduor was the only Grimsby player who missed a spot-kick, but luckily for him Cunha and Mbeumo wasted their as well, and the Mariners advanced after 13 series in the penalty roulette!
.jpg)







.jpg)







