Grimsby Town 2–2 Man United (12–11 pens): Irish duo shine as Mariners dump United — Carabao Cup shock

League Two Grimsby Town stunned Manchester United at Blundell Park — winning 12–11 on penalties after a 2–2 draw — as former League of Ireland pair Jaze Kabia and Darragh Burns held their nerve from the spot.

Manchester United crashed out of the Carabao Cup in a result that will sting for years, beaten by League Two Grimsby Town after a marathon shootout. Bryan Mbeumo, who had sparked the comeback in normal time, struck the decisive kick against the crossbar as the Mariners completed a famous 12–11 win in Cleethorpes.

Key points

• Score: Grimsby Town 2–2 Manchester United (Grimsby win 12–11 on pens).
• Irish impact: Ex-LOI players Jaze Kabia and Darragh Burns converted twice each in the shootout; Cameron McJannet and others also scored.
• United’s fightback: Trailed 2–0 (Vernam 22′, Warren 30′); levelled via Mbeumo (75′) and Maguire (89′).
• Decider: Mbeumo’s sudden-death penalty hit the bar to end a 26-kick shootout. [How it happened

Grimsby set the tone with ferocious energy and direct running, unsettling United’s back line and goalkeeper André Onana. Charles Vernam pounced first on 22 minutes, before ex-United youth defender Tyrell Warren doubled the lead on the half-hour after a set-piece scramble.

Rúben Amorim sent on heavy artillery at the break, and United eventually clawed back: Mbeumo curled home on 75 minutes and Harry Maguire headed in an 89th-minute equaliser to force penalties.

The shootout

The sequence had everything: Onana saved from Clarke Oduor; Christy Pym denied Matheus Cunha; and a string of immaculate conversions from Grimsby — including calm finishes by Kabia and Burns — kept the hosts alive. After 12 successful rounds apiece, Mbeumo thumped the bar and Blundell Park erupted.

“Something has to change” — Amorim

An apologetic Amorim admitted his side were second-best and hinted at changes ahead, saying “something has to change” after a winless start to the season. The defeat piles pressure on the United head coach amid intensifying scrutiny of recruitment, structure and performances.

Irish angle

Kabia (Cobh Ramblers, Shelbourne, Cork City) and Burns (St Patrick’s Athletic, Shamrock Rovers) showcased the League of Ireland pathway on one of the English game’s biggest stages — ice-cool when it mattered most.

Historic low for United

It is United’s first defeat to a fourth-tier side in the League Cup and their earliest exit since 2014, underlining the scale of the upset and the turbulence around the club.

Match facts

• Competition: Carabao Cup, Second Round
• Venue: Blundell Park (c.9,000)
• Full-time: Grimsby Town 2–2 Manchester United
• Scorers: Grimsby — Vernam 22′, Warren 30′; Man United — Mbeumo 75′, Maguire 89′.
• Pens: Grimsby win 12–11; decisive miss — Mbeumo.