An unconvincing Manchester United registered a first Champions League
win of the campaign over Turkish side Galatasaray, winning 1-0 in a
pulsating encounter. In a game fraught with missed opportunities, turned
down penalties and Darren Fletcher's long-awaited comeback,
Galatasaray, on more than one occasion, threatened to spoil United's new
European campaign. Sticking to his word, Sir Alex named a strong
starting eleven with De Gea in goal, protected by Rafael, Evra, Evans
and Vidic ahead of him. Antonio Valencia and Nani provided pace and
trickery in the wings, Scholes, Carrick, Kagawa and van Persie completed
the side.
Just 30 seconds into the game, and United could have found themselves one goal down. Patrice Evra's poor pass at the back was intercepted by striker Bulut, who nipped in before Vidic, only to be tripped by the Serbian defender. It was a very convincing shout for a penalty, but luckily for United, the referee turned it down. Perhaps it was too early in the game -- anyway, no one in red was complaining.
Despite this early scare though, United's football was very impressive, and Michael Carrick provided the breakthrough on seven minutes. After some neat passing between Carrick and van Persie, Shinji Kagawa managed to play through a beautifully weighted ball to Carrick, who rounded Muslera in goal to score his first goal of the season. One might be forgiven for believing that this would be the first of many goals, but everything sort went slightly flat from then on.
It was a case of constant giving away of possession, and one such instance from Paul Scholes almost led to a Galatasaray equaliser, with only the bar denying Nordin Amrabat. This was much the story for the last 30 minutes of the half -- United looking to dictate the tempo of the game, but the visitors looking dangerous on the break. In all honesty, no one could have denied Galatasaray an equaliser, if it had arrived. It was a matter of improving the overall performance in the second half.
If anything, however, the momentum shifted even more in Galatasaray's favour. United had a glorious chance to potentially wrap-up the game when Rafael won a penalty after a good forward run into the box, but for the third matchday running, a Manchester United spurned the opportunity from the spot. Nani was the culprit this time, stuttering in his run-up, Muslera not really troubled in his resulting save. The visitors took heart from this and came close first through Selcuk Inan's looping header that had De Gea beaten, and then through the dual efforts of Burak Yilmaz and Emre Colak, denied by a tremendous double-save from De Gea.
With ten minutes to go, Old Trafford got to its feet to welcome back Darren Fletcher, out for so long with his bowel problem. It was a high point in an otherwise lacklustre second half performance, and it's great to see him back in a United shirt. Welbeck and Hernández also came on as substitutes, the latter coming close twice to adding to Carrick's goal early in the game, but both efforts lacked his characteristic sharpness in finishing.
United were perhaps lucky to come away with all three points, based on their performance over the night, and a better team may have punished us. Things certainly have to improve against Liverpool this coming weekend.
Just 30 seconds into the game, and United could have found themselves one goal down. Patrice Evra's poor pass at the back was intercepted by striker Bulut, who nipped in before Vidic, only to be tripped by the Serbian defender. It was a very convincing shout for a penalty, but luckily for United, the referee turned it down. Perhaps it was too early in the game -- anyway, no one in red was complaining.
Despite this early scare though, United's football was very impressive, and Michael Carrick provided the breakthrough on seven minutes. After some neat passing between Carrick and van Persie, Shinji Kagawa managed to play through a beautifully weighted ball to Carrick, who rounded Muslera in goal to score his first goal of the season. One might be forgiven for believing that this would be the first of many goals, but everything sort went slightly flat from then on.
It was a case of constant giving away of possession, and one such instance from Paul Scholes almost led to a Galatasaray equaliser, with only the bar denying Nordin Amrabat. This was much the story for the last 30 minutes of the half -- United looking to dictate the tempo of the game, but the visitors looking dangerous on the break. In all honesty, no one could have denied Galatasaray an equaliser, if it had arrived. It was a matter of improving the overall performance in the second half.
If anything, however, the momentum shifted even more in Galatasaray's favour. United had a glorious chance to potentially wrap-up the game when Rafael won a penalty after a good forward run into the box, but for the third matchday running, a Manchester United spurned the opportunity from the spot. Nani was the culprit this time, stuttering in his run-up, Muslera not really troubled in his resulting save. The visitors took heart from this and came close first through Selcuk Inan's looping header that had De Gea beaten, and then through the dual efforts of Burak Yilmaz and Emre Colak, denied by a tremendous double-save from De Gea.
With ten minutes to go, Old Trafford got to its feet to welcome back Darren Fletcher, out for so long with his bowel problem. It was a high point in an otherwise lacklustre second half performance, and it's great to see him back in a United shirt. Welbeck and Hernández also came on as substitutes, the latter coming close twice to adding to Carrick's goal early in the game, but both efforts lacked his characteristic sharpness in finishing.
United were perhaps lucky to come away with all three points, based on their performance over the night, and a better team may have punished us. Things certainly have to improve against Liverpool this coming weekend.
Best Moment: Fletcher's comeback
Worst Moment: Nani's penalty miss
Man of the Match: Shinji Kagawa
Manchester United 1-0 Galatasaray S.K.
Carrick 7'
(Assist: Shinji Kagawa)
Carrick 7'
(Assist: Shinji Kagawa)
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