Christy Pym, the goalkeeper for Grimsby Town, had a humorous reaction after his team's historic Carabao Cup victory over Manchester United. Despite being a confessed Manchester United fan, Pym couldn't hide his delight after the League Two side knocked the Premier League giants out of the competition. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with Grimsby triumphing 12-11 in a penalty shootout.
"It's not sunk in yet," Pym said following the game. "I'm a Man United fan, so I'm half-fuming a little bit. Nights like this are what you play football for. Just brilliant". He also joked about his own performance in the shootout, saying, "I should have done a little bit better (in the shootout), shouldn't I? I made one save to keep us in it and the boys have done the rest. It's brilliant". Pym made seven saves during the match, including a crucial stop in the penalty shootout.
Grimsby Town's victory was a major upset, as they are a fourth-tier team, while Manchester United is a Premier League club. The League Two side took a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren. Vernam's goal was a "well-struck effort" that beat United goalkeeper Andre Onana at his near post. Warren capitalized on a goalkeeping error from a corner. Manchester United mounted a comeback in the second half, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring his first goal for the club and Harry Maguire equalizing in the 89th minute.
The game went to penalties, where both sides traded goals in a tense shootout. Onana saved Clarke Odour's penalty, and Pym saved Matheus Cunha's attempt. The shootout went to sudden death, and Mbeumo ultimately hit his second attempt against the crossbar, handing Grimsby the victory.
Grimsby's manager, David Artell, instilled belief in his players, encouraging them to play with intensity. Vernam said that Artell told the team, "don't just turn up, there's always a chance if we play the right way with the right intensity. Why can't it be us?".
The win marks Grimsby's first victory against Manchester United since 1948 and sends them to the third round of the Carabao Cup. They will face Sheffield Wednesday in the next round. For Manchester United, the loss adds to the pressure on manager Ruben Amorim, as the team is winless in their first three games of the season. This defeat is considered one of the most embarrassing results in United's history.
