Report: Istanbul Basaksehir 2 United 1

After two wins from two from our opening Group H matches, the Reds went down against the Turkish side, who claimed their first points of the European campaign thanks to first-half strikes from former Chelsea striker Demba Ba and their captain Edin Visca.

Anthony Martial pulled a goal back just before the break but it proved only to be a consolation after United were unable to find a way back in the second half. 

FIRST HALF - DAMAGE DONE

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made six changes to the side that lost to Arsenal, with a Champions League debut for Dean Henderson in the United goal. It was a big night for the Turkish side, who named former Reds defender Rafael da Silva in their XI.

Istanbul Basaksehir had got off to the worst possible start to Group H with two defeats from two, but the hosts enjoyed the best possible start when Ba struck. It was a somewhat bizarre goal, coming seconds after a United corner. Basaksehir regained possession from the set-piece and sent a long ball forward and with only Nemanja Matic back, Ba, running from his own half, powered forward to slot past Henderson.

United were a little shell-shocked and sought to level up proceedings, but the home side stood firm thereafter. One opening appeared on the half-hour mark when Aaron Wan-Bissaka found space down the right. He fed Anthony Martial in the box but his effort on goal was well blocked by Rafael.

The Reds continued to be frustrated by Basaksehir who also continued to look dangerous whenever they went forward. Two minutes after Martial’s chance, Danijel Aleksic met Bolingoli’s left-wing cross but Henderson claimed well.

Five minutes from the break, Visca doubled the advantage. The Reds got caught in possession allowing Deniz Turuc to break down the left. His cross was dummied by Ba and Visca was at the back post to finish with aplomb.

The Reds had given themselves a real uphill battle, but, three minutes later ,we were given a lifeline when Luke Shaw’s excellent cross was expertly headed into the far corner by Martial.

SECOND HALF – BASAKSEHIR HOLD FIRM

Ole made a tactical change at the break with Scott McTominay replacing Axel Tuanzebe. McTominay went into midfield, with Matic dropping back to centre-half alongside Maguire.

Openings were proving hard to come by for the Reds again but Mert Gunok was forced into a stop on 56 minutes when Bruno Fernandes's free-kick was too straight from 25 yards.

Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani entered the fray on the hour as the Reds tried to up the ante. But, ultimately, it proved a frustrating night as the Turkish side repelled everything that came their way.

The only moment of danger for the hosts came in stoppage time when Alexandru Epureanu cleared off the line to prevent an own-goal. Even the referee appeared to anticipate a buzz but goalline technology proved the reprieve for the Turkish outfit.

United still hold a good position in the group, with Basaksehir next up at Old Trafford later this month.

MATCH DETAILS

Istanbul Basaksehir: Gunok; Rafael, Epureanu, Skrtel, Bolingoli; Visca (c), Ozcan (Topal 87), Kahveci (Ponck 90), Turuc; Ba (Gulbrandsen 80), Aleksic.

Subs not used: Babacan, Kivanc, Giuliano, Kaplan, Karakus

Goals: Ba 13, Visca 40

Booked: Skrtel

United: Henderson; Wan-Bissaka (Fosu-Mensah 76), Tuanzebe (McTominay 46), Maguire (c), Shaw; Matic, van de Beek (Pogba 61); Mata (Cavani 61), Fernandes, Rashford (Greenwood 76); Martial.

Subs not used: De Gea, Lindelof, Mengi, Williams, Fred, James, Ighalo.

Goal: Martial 43

Booked: Tuanzebe

MANAGER REACTION

Ole laments display

“The performance wasn’t good enough against a team that worked and ran. They hit us on the break a couple of times and scored two goals like sometimes you do in Europe when you don’t defend well enough. The first one, we played a short corner and we forgot about the man up top and that’s unforgivable. The second one as well, we’re not very well organised to counter-press and win the ball back when we’re playing. Two soft goals to give away and then we didn’t have enough to come back in the second half.”

PLAYER REACTION

Donny: We all take responsibility

"We started okay in the first 10 minutes but then we gave the ball away, I don’t know how, and after that, I think we lose the confidence. We can play much better. I mean we are a team and everybody has the responsibility. I think we can play much better, like I say before."