Manchester United squandered a two-goal advantage on Tuesday to concede a 3-3 draw in Istanbul against Galatasaray, which leaves them in a dire position heading into the final day of the Champions League group stage.
The three-time European champion led by two goals after 18 minutes at Galatasaray and by 3-2 at the start of the second half, but was again pegged to a 3-3 draw. United have had nothing but dramatic road matches in Europe this season, having lost 4-3 to group winners Bayern Munich and second-placed Copenhagen.
On each of Hakim Ziyech’s two goals from a free kick for Galatasaray, Cameroonian goalkeeper André Onana could be blamed for his positioning or his handling.
“We win and lose together,” Ten Hag said when asked about Onana, who he also coached at Ajax. “He’s fine. Like I said, it’s not about individuals. Of course, individual mistakes in football can make the difference and you take responsibility for that, but it’s always the team that counts”.
Even if a defeat would have ended their season in C1, the Mancuniens cannot be satisfied with this point brought back from Turkey, which leaves them in last place in Group A with four units in five days.
They remain one length behind second place, synonymous with qualification in the round of 16, and occupied by Copenhagen after their draw against Bayern Munich, already qualified and assured of being first (0-0).
Galatasaray, also 5 points, will play its qualification in Denmark in two weeks, where it will have to win to qualify. On Tuesday, the Istanbul supporters announced the color at the start of the match in a boiling atmosphere, promising “hell” to the English in a giant tifo.
But the Red Devils quickly lowered the temperature by several degrees, first through Garnacho , at the conclusion of a beautiful collective movement (1-0, 11th). Captain Bruno Fernandes then sent a superb floating strike under the bar of Uruguayan goalkeeper Muslera (2-0, 18th).
Far from giving up, Galatasaray reacted during a big highlight, enhanced by a well-placed free kick by Hakim Ziyech (2-1, 29th). The confrontation, already full of twists and turns during Istanbul’s 3-2 victory at Old Trafford, continued at a crazy pace.
Scott McTominay increased the gap for “ManU” (3-1, 55th), but Ziyech responded with a free kick, very poorly negotiated by Onana (3-2, 62nd) Kerem Aktürkoglu then brought Galatasaray back to height (3-3, 70th) of a very nice sequence of control from the outside-powerful strike.
Erik Ten Hag’s men could have achieved valuable success but the post on a heavy strike from Bruno Fernandes (85th) then an improbable mix-up (90th) shattered their hopes.
To reach the round of 16, the Red Devils will have to beat Bayern who are almost invincible in C1 but who will have nothing left to play for while hoping for a draw between the Danes and the Turks.
AFRICANEWS
