Manchester United’s youngsters suffered penalty shootout heartache in UEFA Youth League last night at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
As the pulsating game played out, it seemed inevitable that Dortmund’s talisman Jamie Bynoe-Gittens would slot home the decisive spot-kick.
The 17-year-old was a constant thorn in Neil Wood’s team’s side and scored both of the German team’s goals in the 2-2 draw which had to be decided by penalties.
Gittens showed blistering pace to spearhead a devastating Dortmund counter-attack following a United corner.
Dortmund’s number seven showed great composure to slot the ball through Radek Vitek’s legs and give his side the lead in the 16th minute.
After Charlie McNeil had brought the hosts level seven minutes after Bynoe-Gittens’ opener, it was the Dortmund man who re-established his side’s lead in the 68th minute.
After chasing a ball played in-behind United’s right-hand side, Byone-Gittens showed great strength to out muscle Will Fish before drifting past Rhys Bennett and once again slotting the ball past Vitek with his left foot.
Sending his team through to the last eight with his penalty, after a stuttering run up, Bynoe-Gittens smashed the ball above and passed Vitek.
It’s hard not to make the comparison of Bynoe-Gittens with Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho.
Similar to Sancho, the England under-16 international left Manchester City for the Bundesliga giants in September 2020, in a pursuit of first team football.
And judging by the start he’s made to life in Germany, he’ll be hoping to follow in Sancho’s footsteps.
Having recovered from his torn ankle ligament injury, Bynoe-Gittens has scored in all four of the UEFA Youth League matches he has played this season.
He has six goals to his name in the competition, only Midtjylland’s Mads Hansen (7) has scored more.
He has scored nine goals across all competitions this season and has only failed to score in two of the nine matches he has played this campaign.
Sancho shone in the Youth League with Dortmund before making the step up to their first team and becoming a star.
Bynoe-Gittens, who also plays a winger, will be hoping to have a similar devastating impact in Germany that United’s number 25 did.
If the youngster’s breakthrough in Germany does follow a similar trajectory to Sancho’s and he establishes himself as a star in the Dortmund side, then it wouldn’t be a surprise to see United come calling.
United are very predictable, and we are calling it now, United will move for Byne-Gittens in 2024…
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