Grimsby Town Shocks Manchester United in Carabao Cup Upset
In a stunning upset, Grimsby Town’s goalkeeper Christy Pym expressed disbelief after his team eliminated Manchester United from the Carabao Cup with an intense penalty shootout victory, finishing 12-11. The match, held at Blundell Park, ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw after regulation, leading to an extraordinary 18-minute shootout that would determine the winner.
Pym, who acknowledged his longstanding support for Manchester United, admitted, “It hasn’t fully sunk in yet. Being a Man United supporter, I’m feeling a mix of excitement and disappointment right now. These are the nights we live for in football; it’s just fantastic.”
Reflecting on the penalty shootout, Pym noted,
“I probably should have performed a bit better. I managed to make one save that kept us in the competition, but the real heroics came from my teammates. It feels incredible to have achieved this.”
Match Highlights
The contest took an exhilarating turn when Charles Vernam put Grimsby ahead with a finely placed shot into the net, catching United’s keeper Andre Onana off guard in the 22nd minute. The League Two side didn’t hold back, and shortly before halftime, they found the back of the net again after Tyrell Warren capitalized on a mishap from Onana, making it 2-0.
United fought back in the second half, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring his inaugural goal for the club in the 75th minute. Just when it seemed Grimsby would hold on for the win, Harry Maguire equalized in the 89th minute, pushing the game into penalties.
Player Reactions
Vernam, who faced nerves throughout the penalty shootout, shared his thoughts with Sky Sports, saying,
“It was tense waiting for our turn; time just seemed to stretch on endlessly. When we scored, we instinctively felt we had a real shot, but as they kept converting their kicks, the tension ramped up. This is an extraordinary moment for us, one we will remember for a lifetime. Our coach, David Artell, has constantly reinforced the importance of belief and persistence. He encouraged us to show up not just to participate but to take on the challenge with confidence. To achieve what we did tonight is nothing short of amazing, and we plan to relish this victory.”
