Man United vs AS Roma: Why Bruno Fernandes Was Allowed to Retake His Penalty After Missing

• VAR intervened after Bruno Fernandes' first penalty attempt was saved against AS Roma, spotting a critical rule infringement
• Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante was identified as the player who encroached before the kick and reached the rebound first
• Manchester United mounted a dramatic comeback at Old Trafford, with the retaken penalty proving a turning point in the match

Bruno Fernandes was handed a second opportunity from the penalty spot during Manchester United's comeback win over AS Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday, November 2, after a VAR review identified a rule violation that invalidated his initial attempt.

The United captain's first kick was stopped by Roma's third-choice goalkeeper Devis Vasquez, who dived to his right to keep out the low-driven shot.

According to Football Italia, referee Jesus Gil Manzano then halted play following a review that showed Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante had stepped into the penalty area before the ball was struck.

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Why Bruno Fernandes' penalty was retaken

The retake was not simply awarded because of the encroachment itself.

Cristante was also the first player to reach the rebound after the save, which is the critical factor under football's Laws of the Game.

When a defending player encroaches and then becomes involved in play following a saved penalty, the rules require the kick to be taken again, regardless of which side the encroacher plays for.

Had Cristante not made contact with the rebound, the original save may have stood.

Fernandes converted the second attempt with greater precision, placing the ball towards the top corner on the same side, while Vasquez dived in the opposite direction.

Fernandes inspires Man United's comeback

The goal shifted the momentum of the match decisively.

Roma had led through first-half strikes from Matias Soule and Donyell Malen, putting United under considerable pressure heading into the final stages.

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Matheus Cunha then produced a remarkable finish to the contest, scoring in the 83rd and 86th minutes to complete a turnaround that few had anticipated.

The result also strengthened a notable record for United on home soil against the Italian club.

With this victory, the Red Devils have now gone unbeaten across all six encounters with Roma at Old Trafford, extending a run of dominance in the fixture that stretches back across multiple competitions.

Why Fernandes rejected lucrative Al-Hilal move

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Bruno Fernandes had explained his decision to reject a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

The Manchester United captain was offered a staggering £700,000-a-week salary by the Saudi club.

Source: YEN.com.gh