Manchester United vs Galatasaray. UEFA Champions League Group A.
Old TraffordAttendance73,204.
Match report as Rasmus Hojlund scores twice for Manchester United but Galatasaray turn the Champions League game around thanks to Casemiro's red card and Mauro Icardi's late winner; Erik ten Hag's team without a point after two matches
Wednesday 4 October 2023 08:35, UK
Manchester United crashed to a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League at Old Trafford as their alarming form under Erik ten Hag continued.
Rasmus Hojlund had twice given United the lead but the Turkish team pegged them back each time before Andre Onana's error led to Casemiro being red carded in his attempt to salvage the situation. Mauro Icardi missed the penalty but made amends with the winner.
Questions will be asked of Onana, uncertain throughout, but much of the defence were culpable for the capitulation. Having lost to Bayern Munich in their opening Champions League game, there is much work to do to progress beyond the group stage now.
Ten Hag's concerns are more immediate given that United have now lost six of their 10 matches this season.
Galatasaray's first win on English soil in 11 attempts had appeared unlikely early on with Hojlund to the fore. His work set up Bruno Fernandes for a chance inside two minutes and the Dane was rewarded for his positivity with the opening goal of the game soon after.
Marcus Rashford found space out wide and his cross was met by the head of Hojlund from point-blank range. The 20-year-old striker is yet to score in the Premier League but after finding the net twice here he has three in just two Champions League appearances.
With Hojlund's hold-up play outstanding too, there were encouraging signs for United. But they were undone by the equaliser, a desperately poor goal to concede defensively.
A long ball was allowed to bounce and Zaha held off the challenge of Diogo Dalot before squeezing his shot over Onana. Both defender and goalkeeper might feel they could have done more to prevent it. The result was that United lost fluency and momentum.
There were still opportunities. Mason Mount saw two chances deflected wide, one of them off his own team-mate Hannibal Mejbri. But that was nothing compared to the chance Rashford spurned early in the second half when he failed to find Bruno Fernandes.
Ten Hag appeared crestfallen on the bench, Fernandes infuriated by his team-mate's decision to delay the centre after being put through by half-time substitute Christian Eriksen. The breakthrough then appeared to come on the hour but Hojlund was ruled offside.
There was no denying the young forward, however. With the home crowd up, Davinson Sanchez's slip was ruthlessly punished as Hojlund ran from the halfway line, holding off his marker and then showing extraordinary composure to dink the ball into the net.
That should have broken Galatasaray but a swift counter-attack altered the mood, Amrabat and Victor Lindelof well beaten in the build-up before Kerem Akturkoglu's crisp finish but worse was to come. A loose pass from Onana sparked United's collapse.
Casemiro attempted to rectify the error but his rash challenge on Baris Yilmaz resulted in a penalty and a red card for the Brazilian. Icardi appeared to let United off the hook by firing wide from the spot but it was yet another defensive calamity that cost them.
Sanchez's header forwards found Icardi free in the middle with Amrabat playing him onside from left-back and Raphael Varane nowhere to be seen. This time, Icardi finished with aplomb to spark wild scenes in the away end - and misery among United supporters.
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag: "Last season: brilliant, terrific, more than we could expect.
"We also knew in this project there would be common gaps. At this moment we are in a very difficult period as everyone can see but we come out together, we are fighting together, we are sticking together and we are behind each other. That is me, the directors, the team, all together we will fight.
"This is not us, we know we have to do better, with togetherness we will come out.
"If I give an explanation, then you will see it as excuses, there are no excuses. We can't make the errors we are now making. We have to do better, it is a simple fact, we have to win our games."
On Onana's error: "We are happy with our goalkeeping group, definitely with Andre. He was in one semi-final of the Champions League, last year he was in the final of the Champions League, he has the capablilties to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
"He has shown that and he will do. We already have seen in games his great capabilites, also his personality after he made mistakes. He will bounce back and I am sure he will in the coming games as well."
Clinton Morrison on Soccer Special:
"It's a bad night and there has to be pressure on Ten Hag now.
"I don't think they played badly. The game could have been over if they had taken their chances.
"There is no organisation, and they are getting opened up. Man Utd were far too open at the back.
"The one positive I will take from tonight is Hojlund, he was outstanding and looks a real player. He held the ball up ever so well and led the line and scored two really goals.
"Worrying times for Manchester United."
Manchester United's next assignment is a Premier League clash with Brentford at Old Trafford on Saturday October 7 (kick-off 3pm).
Up next for Galatasaray is a Super Lig meeting with Antalyaspor, also taking place on Saturday (kick-off 5pm BST).
