West Bromwich Albion 5-5 Manchester United: A Farewell to Ferguson in a 10-Goal Thriller
The Hawthorns, May 19, 2013
Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary reign as Manchester United manager ended in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, as his side played out an extraordinary 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion. In his 1,500th and final game in charge, United squandered a 5-2 lead in the closing minutes, with Romelu Lukaku’s late hat-trick capping off a chaotic encounter at The Hawthorns.
First Half – United Take Control
United started the game in dominant fashion, racing into a 3-0 lead inside 30 minutes. Shinji Kagawa opened the scoring in the 6th minute, heading home from close range after good work from Javier Hernández. The lead was doubled moments later when Jonas Olsson inadvertently turned Antonio Valencia’s cross into his own net. The visitors added a third on the half-hour mark when Alexander Büttner drilled a low shot past Ben Foster.
West Brom, however, gave themselves hope before the break. James Morrison pulled a goal back in the 40th minute after converting a low cross from Graham Dorrans, setting up what would become a pulsating second half.
Second Half – Chaos Unfolds
The hosts came out with renewed intent after halftime, and just five minutes into the second period, Romelu Lukaku made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute. The Belgian fired a low shot past Anders Lindegaard to make it 3-2.
However, United restored their three-goal cushion with two quickfire goals. Robin van Persie made it 4-2 in the 53rd minute with a trademark close-range finish, before Hernández added a fifth just after the hour mark, tapping in Ryan Giggs’ cross.
With the game seemingly wrapped up, United began to lose focus defensively, and West Brom capitalized in stunning fashion. Lukaku grabbed his second in the 80th minute after slotting home Markus Rosenberg’s through ball, and just a minute later, Youssouf Mulumbu finished off a well-worked move to reduce the deficit to 5-4.
As the tension grew, the United defense completely crumbled. Lukaku completed his hat-trick in the 86th minute, pouncing on a loose ball to level the game at 5-5. The final few minutes saw both teams push for a winner, but the match fittingly ended in an enthralling draw—marking the first 5-5 result in Premier League history.
Match Details:
Date: May 19, 2013
Venue: The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
Attendance: 26,438
Referee: Michael Oliver
Goals:
West Bromwich Albion: Morrison (40′), Lukaku (50′, 80′, 86′), Mulumbu (81′)
Manchester United: Kagawa (6′), Olsson (9′ OG), Büttner (30′), Van Persie (53′), Hernández (63′)
West Bromwich Albion XI: Foster, Jones, Olsson, McAuley, Ridgewell (Lukaku 45′), Yacob, Mulumbu, Dorrans, Morrison (Fortuné 79′), Brunt, Long (Rosenberg 79′).
Manchester United XI: Lindegaard, Jones, Evans (Ferdinand 83′), Carrick, Büttner, Valencia, Cleverley (Giggs 60′), Anderson, Kagawa (Scholes 69′), Van Persie, Hernández.
Yellow Cards: Scholes (83′)
Post-Match Reflections
Ferguson, who bowed out with a record 13th Premier League title, was given a warm ovation by both sets of fans. Speaking after the match, he reflected on an unforgettable final day:
“What a game to finish my career! We should have seen it out, but football has a way of surprising you. It’s been a fantastic journey, and I want to thank every player, every fan, and everyone associated with this great club.”
The match was a fitting farewell for the legendary manager, encapsulating the drama, excitement, and unpredictability that defined his 26-year reign at Old Trafford.
