Galatasaray Stuns Manchester United with a Dramatic 3-2 Victory
In a thrilling Champions League encounter on Tuesday night, Galatasaray mounted two comebacks to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory against Manchester United.
The defeat marked another disappointing result for Erik ten Hag’s side, who have now lost five of their last seven games across all competitions. Despite the disappointing outcome, United displayed early promise at Old Trafford, a recurring theme in the early stages of this season.
Rasmus Hojlund, who stood out as United’s Player of the Match, notched an impressive brace, including a sensational solo goal, to reclaim the lead. However, the home side faltered in the final 20 minutes of the match. Muhammed Akturkoglu equalized for the Turkish side, and it appeared that they might seize the lead when Casemiro was sent off due to an atrocious pass from Andre Onana.
Although Mauro Icardi failed to convert from the penalty spot, the Argentine forward made amends for his miss just three minutes later with a delicate chip over Onana, capitalizing on further lax defending by United.
Galatasaray staunchly defended their slim lead, and when the final whistle blew, resounding boos filled Old Trafford.
Here’s how social media reacted to United’s performance on Tuesday night:
One fan remarked, “Galatasaray had never won on English soil before, but Man Utd gave them their first win at Old Trafford,” while another criticized Onana, saying, “Onana was unable to use his hands and his feet tonight. Dreadful.”
A third fan expressed concerns over United’s collective implosions and Ten Hag’s management, stating, “United’s tendency to collectively implode in a short period of time remains a massive issue. Ten Hag, despite his rhetoric about rules and culture, doesn’t appear any closer to addressing it, and it’s getting worse. United looks broken in so many ways.”
A fourth fan added, “My faith in Ten Hag diminishes every week. His favoritism for blatant underperformers is impossible to ignore and contributes to the mess we find ourselves in. His decisions in the transfer market have been highly questionable (our only two good signings were supposedly not his targets). There’s a lack of tactical and mental cohesion and a lack of accountability. Things must change, and quickly.”
During the first half, Galatasaray’s Wilfried Zaha celebrated scoring an equalizer against his former club by cupping his ears towards the Old Trafford crowd, just six minutes after Hojlund opened the scoring in the Champions League Group A clash.