Grimsby Town produced one of the most extraordinary upsets in Carabao Cup history on Wednesday, defeating Manchester United 12-11 on penalties after a dramatic second-round clash at a rain-soaked Blundell Park.
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Match report
The League Two side dominated the first half, unsettling United’s rotated XI with relentless pressing. Charles Vernam broke the deadlock midway through the half, calmly finishing Darragh Burns’ cross at the far post. The Mariners doubled their lead shortly after when United goalkeeper Andre Onana failed to deal with another delivery, allowing Tyrell Warren—once a United academy player—to tap into an empty net.
United looked shell-shocked and entered the interval two goals down. Manager Ruben Amorim responded by introducing Bruno Fernandes, Matthijs de Ligt, and Bryan Mbeumo, sparking a second-half revival. After Grimsby goalkeeper Christy Pym denied a series of United efforts, Mbeumo pulled one back with a fine finish into the bottom corner before Harry Maguire powered home a late header to force penalties.
Shootout marathon
The shootout quickly descended into a marathon. Onana appeared to hand United the advantage when he pushed Clarke Oduor’s effort onto the crossbar, but Matheus Cunha’s miss allowed Grimsby back in. What followed was an astonishing sequence of 15 consecutive successful spot-kicks, including both goalkeepers finding the net.
In the end, it was Mbeumo—the scorer of United’s first goal—who struck the bar with his second attempt, handing Grimsby a famous 12-11 win and sparking wild celebrations among the home crowd.
The result marks the Mariners’ first competitive victory over United since 1948 and will be remembered as one of the great cup shocks of recent years. For Amorim’s side, it was a chastening night, despite a spirited second-half fightback.
Grimsby now advance to the third round of the Carabao Cup, while United are left to reflect on a humbling exit at the hands of fourth-tier opposition.