Manchester United Collapsed In The Hands Of UCL Debut Team, Istanbul Basaksehir
JAKARTA - Manchester United fell at the Istanbul Basaksehir headquarters and lost 1-2 against the Champions League debutants in the third round of Group H at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday local time (Thursday WIB).
The two goals scored by Demba Ba and Edin Visca for the hosts were only countered by an Anthony Martial header, but United failed to turn things around until the game was over.
According to Antara, MU took the initiative to attack at the start of the match but two opportunities from Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek only ended on the side of the goal.
The hosts stole the lead in the 13th minute when Visca started a counter-attack with a long ball that was well received by Ba and the former Chelsea man ran nearly half the pitch before firing a shot that beat goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Martial almost immediately equalized, but his powerful shot was cleared by former United player Rafael, who put his body to block the ball, while Basaksehir's chance to double the lead with Danijel Aleksic's header was saved by Henderson.
The execution of a precise counter-attack proved to be fruitful again for Basaksehir, when Juan Mata's possession was taken by Deniz Turuc who then fired a bait into the penalty box. Ba made a deceptive move, letting the ball roll and struck by a free-standing Visca to double the hosts' lead over United in the 40th minute.
Three minutes later, MU managed to reduce the gap through Martial who gore Luke Shaw's cross.
MU played more aggressively in the second half and got a good chance from dead ball situations, but Fernandes' free kick was still pushed over by goalkeeper Fehmi Gunok.
The Red Devils then increased their attack power when they included Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood. However, they barely created dangerous opportunities for MU. Meanwhile Basaksehir played safer and defended to secure their lead.
Line-up of players
Istanbul Basaksehir (4-2-3-1): Gunok, Rafael, Skrtel, Epureanu, Bolingoli, Kahveci (Ponck 90 '), Ozcan (Topal 87'), Aleksic, Turuc, Visca, Demba Ba (Gulbrandsen 79 ')
Coach: Bad Okan
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Henderson, Wan-Bissaka (Fosu-Mensah 76 '), Tuanzebe (McTominay 46'), Maguire, Shaw, Matic, Van de Beek (Pogba 61 '), Mata (Cavani 61 '), Bruno Fernandes, Rashford (Greenwood 76'), Martial
Coach: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer