The 19-year-old had been on the pitch under six minutes subsequent to supplanting Marcus Rashford, when he dashed onto Bruno Fernandes' impeccably weighted pass to move the ball past home goalkeeper Jan Oblak with his first touch to procure his side a 1-1 draw.
"I let you know how quiet and cool I am and whenever I am offered a chance. I need to reimburse the chief and give 150% each time I venture onto the pitch," Elanga told BT Sport.
"I simply give My best, I need to be the best player on the pitch and I like the chief.
"He [Ralf Rangnick] told me to make the protectors terrified and run in behind whenever I get the open door.
"I have longed for minutes like this, scoring in the Champions League against top European groups like Atletico Madrid, [it is] a little glimpse of heaven."
Until that point it seemed like Diego Simeone's Spanish heroes planned to exploit to Old Trafford subsequent to conveying a masterclass in controlling the game without the ball.
Joao Felix's initial header from Renan Lodi's enticing cross gave the hosts a fantasy start with United looking teased their right, where break supervisor Rangnick's organization of Victor Lindelof at full-back bombed seriously.
Rangnick later surrendered that his arrangement "was in the dustbin" following seven minutes with the Swedish focal safeguard, who was awkward all through, being reserved for a pull on Felix before his last part withdrawal.
By then Atletico ought to have been two objectives ahead with Sime Vrsaljko taking the ball off Lindelof and onto the United bar in the end snapshots of the principal half after some more horrendous safeguarding.
While Rangnick's side appreciated a lot of the ball, they were slow and uncertain under lock and key and scarcely looked equipped for cutting open their very much penetrated rivals who more than once taken out each messy United pass in midfield.
Atletico were likewise unfortunate to not score late on themselves when Antoine Griezmann shook the guests crossbar.
Be that as it may, Elanga, who missed the critical punishment when Rangnick's side lost in the FA Cup to Middlesbrough recently, followed up his objective at Leeds on Sunday with one more significant mediation to change the coloring of the tie before the second leg in Manchester in three weeks time.
"He is playing like it is a little glimpse of heaven," Rangnick added. "It is a delight and amusing to watch him play, I wish a couple of different players would accept him for instance and as a good example."
Elanga's rise a high point in an intense season for Man Utd
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Joined coincidentally find second leg all square
For significant stretches of this experience United presented the kind of charge that has epitomized Rangnick's three-month rule as chief.
Disconnected under lock and key, lost and overhit passes were created with disturbing recurrence as Fred, Paul Pogba and Fernandes neglected to force themselves on the game and the physicality of Scott McTominay was profoundly missed in midfield.
There were likewise a few rudimentary slip-ups at the back, for example, Fred's charge out towards the ball and the absence of correspondence as Felix took past Harry Maguire to head the initial objective.
Lindelof's newness to his embraced position scarcely aided and it was eminent that United's fundamental improvement came after any semblance of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Alex Telles and Elanga were presented.
Elanga specifically gave the speed to run in behind - a choice that had scarcely been used with the guests up to that point.
What's more it procured prompt profits, with the Sweden under-21 global enrolling United's originally shot on track with his objective to turn into the club's most youthful goalscorer in the knockout phases of the Champions League.
'Little youngsters are intrepid - Elanga excited United'
Previous Everton midfielder Leon Osman on BBC Radio 5 Live: "It was by and large what I have been talking about [all night]. Elanga has come on and made runs off the ball and most likely interestingly the entire evening Bruno Fernandes gets his pass right.
"For 75 minutes of this game you felt that Manchester United would have been glad to return a 2-0 loss to Old Trafford however they held tight and those replacements gave them that piece more control and Elanga got the objective."
Previous Manchester United safeguard Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport: "Man United would have grasped your hand off for that outcome. They were fortunate this evening and were unfortunate this evening.
"David de Gea didn't have a lot to do [but] you are searching for a superior exhibition."
Previous Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes: "Ralf Rangnick's record is awesome and his subs have been excellent. It isn't odd for me, it is an ordinary Manchester United execution under this chief."
Previous Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves: "Anthony Elanga gave them some earnestness, little youngsters are daring and he excited United. They will be glad by that outcome, they were not extraordinary today."
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