Manchester United 2-3 Galatasaray: Champions League – as it happened

  • 10/3/2023
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Match report Time to sign off. I’ll leave you with Dave Hytner’s match report. Thanks for joining me, that was a wild ride. No immediate reaction from Ten Hag – I did think Eriksen’s description of the dressing room as “very quiet” was telling. It really shouldn’t be quiet after a night like that; you’d expect the hairdryer to be in play. Back in my preamble, I mentioned that United’s next three games are Brentford (H), Sheffield Utd (A) and Copenhagen (H), before the Manchester derby. That run doesn’t look so straightforward after tonight. Christian Eriksen: “It’s a big disappointment. It was very quiet in the dressing room. We had some good spells, but when we go ahead, we concede, and that has to change very quickly. The chances they had are from our mistakes. We’ve played two games, there are four left [but] we need to win every game going forward.” I also feel bad for Højlund, who looked really good and took his two goals brilliantly. I was going to say after his second that it reminded me of peak Wayne Rooney, but United imploded before I could type it out. I’m not sure Paul Scholes is capable of actually saying Manchester United played badly, but he is right to point out that they had some good moments in attack. The trouble is, United this season are a bit like a mullet – decent up front, chaos at the back. Here’s Wilfried Zaha: “Happy to be playing in this competition and scoring goals, so a great night for me. We had enough to hurt [United], players who can do something.” The away fans are still roaring away in the background. On his goal: “I’m trying to change my game a bit, [make] runs off the ball. I made a run inside, Sánchez saw me, it was all about waiting for the ball to drop.” He adds that playing in the Champions League is “a dream” and the team played the pre-game anthem on the coach. Here’s Nick Ames on Arsenal’s defeat in Lens: By my reckoning, Davinson Sánchez was responsible for four of the five goals; two clearances that turned into assists (the second one a header), played Rashford onside for United’s first goal, fell over to let Højlund in for the second. An all-action display. Elsewhere, it finished Lens 2-1 Arsenal, while Bayern won 2-1 in Copenhagen to go top of Group A with six points. United are bottom, and host Copenhagen next. Other scores from the 8pm games: Inter 1-0 Benfica, Napoli 2-3 Real Madrid, PSV 2-2 Sevilla. Full time: Manchester United 2-3 Galatasaray They led twice through Rasmus Højlund, but defensive disasters – and an outrageous André Onana howler – mean a second straight Champions League defeat for United, as their dismal run of form goes on. 97 mins: No, he couldn’t – it’s cleared away and although United push forward again, Dalot is penalised for handball. And that’s that! 96 mins: Højlund draws a foul from Nelsson and United have a free kick. Onana is coming up for it! He couldn’t, could he? 95 mins: Not quite – Martial’s deflected shot forces Muslera to spring to his left and save, but the flag belatedly goes up. 94 mins: Højlund’s backheel towards Garnacho runs through to Muslera. Are United out of steam? 93 mins: Galatasaray haven’t won away in the Champions League for 17 matches – they’re four minutes away now. 90 mins: Icardi almost gets his second, getting in front of Varane from Boey’s cross and bending his shot just beyond the post! There are seven minutes of injury time. 89 mins: Anthony Martial is on for Amrabat, and United have a free kick in a promising spot – but Fernandes fires into the wall. 88 mins: What a strange second half. Højlund’s second goal felt like the kind of moment that could reignite their season – instead, within 15 minutes, United were a goal and a man down, despite Icardi missing a penalty. “A penny for David De Gea’s thoughts right now!” writes Paul Keane. Speaking of which, a penny for Roy Keane’s thoughts right now. 84 mins: Antony is on, replacing Mason Mount – there’s no real reaction either way from the fans, shellshocked by events on the pitch. For Galatasaray, Tanguy Ndombele replaces Kaan Ayhanand Victor Nelsson is on for Angelino. Bayern have turned it around to lead in Copenhagen, but that’s the least of United’s worries right now. This time, the otherwise very solid Amrabat is playing two players offside as Sánchez’s header just bounces through the United defence. Onana doesn’t cover himself in glory either, I’ll be honest. GOAL! Man Utd 2-3 Galatasaray (Icardi 81") What on earth is happening? Moments after missing the penalty, Icardi pounces on more bad defending and this time, he chips Onana – and Galatasaray lead! 79 mins: Garnacho twists into space, the goal opens up in front of him – but his shot is blocked brilliantly by Bardakci! This game is wide open now … Icardi misses the penalty! Mauro Icardi hits it low, towards the bottom corner – but he puts it wide! André Onana, you lucky man. Penalty to Galatasaray and red card for Casemiro! Oh my word. Casemiro is off for a second booking, but this is all André Onana’s doing. The keeper’s pass out is awful, straight to Mertens, and Casemiro bundles the striker over to prevent him shooting. 74 mins: The corner, swung in to the far post, is heading on to the roof of the net by Casemiro. In northern France, Lens have turned it around –they lead Arsenal 2-1. 73 mins: Mertens, having watched two goals while standing on the halfway line, is now on for Zaha. United have to go again, again, and from Bruno’s free kick, Garnacho’s cut back is nicked off Hojlund’s feet by Icardi … GOAL! Man Utd 2-2 Galatasaray (Akturkoglu 71") Manchester United have been pegged back again because they will not learn. Having just received a let-off after switching off, they do it again – and this time, Kerem Akturkoglu makes no mistake from Yilmaz’s low cross, sweeping into the far corner! 69 mins: Eek! André Onana spills the ball from a deep, swirling cross and it lands at the feet of Akturkoglu, who lifts his shot just beyond the far corner! Garnacho is on now, replacing Rashford. The chance was presented to him by a slapstick Sánchez slip, but Højlund had plenty to do – in a two-on-two alongside Rashford, he steamed straight at goal and rolled the ball past Muslera. Unstoppable. GOAL! Man Utd 2-1 Galatasaray (Højlund 65") United regain the lead – and United might have found a new Champions League hero, as Rasmus Højlund scores a remarkable second goal! 64 mins: As drizzle descends, the ball richochets nicely for Bruno Fernandes, who fires a volley straight at Muslera. Galatasaray prepare to bring on Dries Mertens, while Alejandro Garnacho is coming on for United …

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