In a thrilling and dramatic encounter at Old Trafford, Galatasaray pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat Manchester United 3-2, leaving the home crowd in disbelief and marking a historic moment for the Turkish side. Manchester United, desperate for a turnaround after their worst league start in 34 years, started positively. Rasmus Højlund, in scintillating form, capitalized on a brilliant pass from Casemiro, sending a powerful header into the net to give the Red Devils the lead.
However, Galatasaray responded swiftly, with Wilfried Zaha, facing his former club, equalizing in spectacular fashion. Zaha outmuscled Diogo Dalot, his shot deflecting off the Portuguese right-back and bouncing over André Onana. The match intensified, with both teams creating chances. Marcus Rashford missed a golden opportunity, and Højlund, although clinical, was ruled offside on another occasion.
Højlund, refusing to be deterred, capitalized on a defensive slip, sprinting past Galatasaray’s defense and delicately chipping the ball past Fernando Muslera to restore United’s lead. Yet, Galatasaray showcased their resilience once more as Kerem Aktürkoğlu calmly finished past Onana, leveling the scoreline again.
The game reached a crescendo of tension and excitement when André Onana’s mistake and Casemiro’s subsequent red card led to a penalty for Galatasaray. However, Mauro Icardi’s spot-kick went horribly wide, keeping United’s hopes alive. In a final twist, Icardi redeemed himself, executing a perfectly placed dinked finish to secure Galatasaray’s first Champions League victory since 2018 and their first ever win on English soil in the Champions League.
For Manchester United, the night ended in despair, marking their first-ever consecutive losses at the start of a Champions League campaign. In contrast, Galatasaray celebrated a historic win, maintaining their unbeaten streak in 15 competitive matches this season. As the Old Trafford faithful were left stunned, the pressure intensified on United’s coach, raising questions about his future in the wake of this dark night at Old Trafford.
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