United twice squander lead in damaging Galatasaray defeat
WINNER, WINNER: Galatasaray's Mauro Icardi (right) celebrates scoring their side's third goal. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
ERIK ten Hag and Manchester United’s testing start to the season hit crisis proportions when they twice squandered leads handed them by the impressive Rasmus Hojlund, to gift Galatasaray their first Champions League away group win in 11 years.
The killer blow came on 81 minutes when Mauro Icardi chased a long header from Davinson Sanchez clean through the middle of the defence and lobbed Andre Onana from just inside the area.
Five minutes earlier, the Turks missed an even easier chance to take the lead, Icardi himself badly missing a penalty conceded by Casemiro, who picked up a red card, his third in nine months, in the process.
Onana had played a disastrous pass directly to Dries Mertens and Casemiro could only trip him from behind to collect his second yellow card.
United, ahead in the first half, had done the same in the second, Hojlund scoring his second of the night on 67 minutes when Sanchez slipped, trying to deal with Sergio Oliveira’s pass, and the Danish striker sped half the length of the field before finishing brilliantly.
Hojlund was the only positive on the night, however, and just four minutes later, the visitors were level again with huge gaps in the United defence and Baris Alper Yilmaz picking out Kerem Akturkoglu for a simple finish.
Yet, it was an evening that, while it ended in a sixth defeat in 10 league and cup games, had started promisingly, United fast out of the blocks and ahead through Hojlund after just 17 minutes.
But it is symptomatic of the malaise being experienced within the squad at present that the lead lasted just five minutes and, when the equaliser came, it was both predictable and embarrassingly bad.
It came from route one, a long ball up the middle of the field from former Tottenham defender Sanchez should have been met with a routine piece of defending.
But Diogo Dalot was shrugged off the ball far too easily by former United youngster Wilfried Zaha who had the strength to hold off the defender and hook the ball into the ground from eight yards.
Not for the first time in this, his debut season, Onana was badly at fault as the ball looped over his head and into the net.
After United’s recent troubles, and successive home defeats to Brighton and Crystal Palace in the league, it was a goal that hardly shocked Old Trafford, even allowing for Galatasaray’s own recent mediocrity in Europe.
Not since the autumn of 2012 has the Turkish side won a Champions League group game on their travels, that away at Braga, hardly a European powerhouse - a run of three draws and 12 defeats.
But their predictable boisterous support - a conservative estimate put the number at 3,000 - could sense weakness, especially after the impressive way their team coped with an enthusiastic opening to the game by the hosts.
Bruno Fernandes stabbed a good chance, from a Hojlund cross, wide inside the first minute and, on the balance of play, the lead was deserved when it arrived.
Casemiro played a sweeping ball out to the right, with Sanchez playing Marcus Rashford on-side, and the England forward sent over the perfect cross from Hojlund, brushing aside Sanchez, to power in a header from six yards.
He might have added another, just after his opening effort, but failed to take the ball around goalkeeper Fernando Muslera after being played through but the first half was a reminder as to how far the once European force of nature has become a spent power.
Older fans, brought up on years of opponents visiting Old Trafford fearful of going toe-to-toe with United, now visitors who sense a wounded animal, although ten Hag’s decision to bring on Christian Eriksen at the interval did invigorate the crowd and see United start the second half in even more dominant mood than they had the first.
Rashford should have restored the lead on 53 minutes, as he chased an Eriksen through ball, but squared for Fernandes, and allowed Sacha Boey to intercept, when it looked easier to score.
Mount’s 20-yard half-volley was tipped over for a corner and, although Hojlund did finish well in putting the ball in the net just before their hour, he was correctly judged offside.
Fernandes volleyed straight at Musela but, on 66 minutes, the game swung, with the increasingly fatigued visitors gifting United the lead again.
It would not last. Akturkoglu should have equalised three minutes later, after being set up by Zaha, but did so soon after. United had led for six minutes after their first goal; now they could only hold it for four.
Muslera saved well in the dying seconds from Anthony Martial but it was the last glimmer of hope before delirious Turkish celebrations - and boos from home supporters - greeted the final whistle.
Onana 4; Dalot 4, Varane 5, Lindelof 5, Amrabat 4 (Martial 89); Casemiro 5, Mount 5 (Antony 85); Mejbri 5 (Eriksen 45, 5), Fernandes 6, Rashford 5 (Garnacho 68, 6); Hojlund 8. Bayindir, Vitek, Maguire, Pellistri, Evans, McTominay.
Muslera 7; Boey 7, Sanchez 5, Bardakci 6, Angelino 6 (Ndombele 84); Torreira 7 (Sergio 60, 7), Ayhan 7 (Nelsson 84); Tete 6 (Yilmaz 60, 7), Akturkoglu 8, Zaha 7 (Mertens 72, 7); Icardi 7. Demirbay, Guvenc, Bakambu.
I Kruzliak (Slovakia) 5
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
