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| Round he goes: Michael Carrick kept his composure to take his goal |
UEFA Champions League | RESULTS
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At the end there was applause, perhaps driven largely by the relief of a winning start to the Champions League season.
There was also the pleasing sight of seeing Darren Fletcher back on the football field after a 10-month absence.
On
the whole, though, this was another rather peculiar Manchester United
performance. Sir Alex Ferguson's team delivered the victory their
manager had demanded but once again this was a night that raised as many
questions as answers.
MATCH FACTS
Manchester United: De Gea, Da Silva, Vidic, Evans,Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes (Fletcher 79min), Nani, Kagawa (Welbeck 84min), van Persie(Hernandez 81min)
Substitutes not used: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Anderson, Cleverley.
Goals: Carrick 7
Galatasaray: Muslera, Eboue, Nounkeu, Kaya, Balta, Altintop, Felipe Melo (Aydin Yilmaz), Inan, Amrabat (Colak 63min), Burak Yilmaz, Bulut (Elmander 15min).
Substitutes not used: Ceylan, Cris, Riera, Baytar.
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany)
Attendance: 74,653
Ahead
after only seven minutes through a beautifully worked and finished
Michael Carrick goal, United were out of the blocks quickly.
This
season that has not always been the case. But instead of going on to
win the game comfortably, United played cohesively only in sharp bursts,
saw Galatasaray strike the frame of the goal on three occasions and
even managed to miss another penalty.
This
time the culprit was Nani and he adds his name to a list already
including Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and, if you include
pre-season, Wayne Rooney.
Much
more of this and the manager will be taking them himself. Ultimately
this was a night that brought United three points they will value.
Don't
expect there to be much in the way of self-congratulation between now
and Sunday's date with Liverpool at Anfield, though.
'It was vital to get off to a winning start,' said Carrick. 'We were playing a very good team.'
Just
how good the Turks actually are will become apparent over the course of
the group. The suspicion, though, is that United perhaps made them look
rather better than they are.
Oh dear: Nani missed a penalty which would have doubled United's lead
Along
with the three occasions when Galatasaray struck the post, United
goalkeeper David de Gea contributed a fine double save in the second
half.
Had United drawn this game they really could not have complained. How odd it was, too.
United had started so well and seemed perfectly set to impose themselves with a performance of authority.
Having
survived a decent Galatasaray penalty appeal after only 30 seconds -
Nemanja Vidic challenging Umut Bulut in rather clumsy fashion - United
got themselves together to score a sumptuous goal in the seventh
minute.
Passing
the ball with great fluency through the heart of the Turkish midfield,
United got the ball to Shinji Kagawa who played in Carrick and he eased
past goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to shrug off an ankle tap and score
from six yards.
Carrick
was actually lying on the floor as he edged the ball over the line and
maybe - with hindsight - it would have been better to wait for the
inevitable penalty.
Tricky: Shinji Kagawa drifted into the spaces in front of Galatasaray's defence
Close one: Hamit Altintop clipped the post as he went close to David de Gea's goal
The
keeper would surely have been sent off. Nevertheless, it was a pleasing
start and some of their subsequent play was bright, too, with Antonio
Valencia giving left back Hakan Balta a torrid time in particular.
There
weren't, however, any more clear chances for United in the first half,
while the i r opponent s struck the frame of the goal twice.
First
left winger Nordin Amrabat curled a superb shot on to the crossbar from
20 yards in the 10th minute before Hamit Altintop struck the post after
a well worked free-kick shortly before half time.
United
had an early opportunity to wrap the game up in the second half. Rafael
was tripped in the box and Nani stepped up only to see an unconvincing
penalty easily saved.
Remember me? Emmanuel Eboue returned to Old Trafford after leaving Arsenal last summer
Tough tackle: Felipe Melo dives in to steal the ball from Nani
In it goes: Kagawa slid Carrick through on goal for his chance
Could
the Turks punish United's wastefulness? They certainly came close.
Altintop crossed from the right to Selcuk Inan and his glancing header
brushed the far post.
For the last 20 minutes, the game was remarkably stretched. At one end Patrice Evra shot inches wide before Galatasaray broke.
First
De Gea parried from Burak Yilmaz and then dived to his left to touch
over Emre Colak's follow up. Certainly that was a decisive moment and
Felipe Melo soon volleyed over.
Twice
in the final moments United substitute Javier Hernandez could have
scored and, happily, there was time for Fletcher to enjoy ten minutes
back in the limelight.
That,
at least, was a joyous moment on a night when players wore black
armbands in memory of the two murdered Manchester policewomen.
Back in the game: Darren Fletcher replaced Paul Scholes in the 79th minute for United
Back in the game: Darren Fletcher replaced Paul Scholes in the 79th minute for United
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