In Istanbul, Turkey, Manchester United faced a setback in the Champions League, drawing 3-3 against Galatasaray, putting their round of 16 qualification in jeopardy. Despite taking early leads with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes, and later a goal by Scott McTominay making it 3-1, United struggled as goalkeeper Andre Onana’s mistakes allowed Galatasaray to equalize.
Onana’s errors, including a fumble into his own net, allowed Galatasaray to close the gap to 3-2. A subsequent goal from Muhammed Kerem Akturkoglu in the 71st minute secured a point for Galatasaray. This result left the Turkish team one point ahead of United, who remained at the bottom of the group. FC Copenhagen, with a 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich, stood ahead of Galatasaray on goal difference.
Now, United must beat Bayern and hope for a draw in the Copenhagen-Galatasaray match to advance to the round of 16 in second place. United’s struggles in the group stage include dropping eight points from winning positions and conceding 14 goals, a club record in the Champions League.
United midfielder Bruno Fernandes acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, emphasizing the need to secure results and manage games better in the Champions League. The Ali Sami Yen Stadium displayed banners recalling the famous “Welcome to Hell” message from 30 years ago, as Galatasaray fans had greeted United’s players. Onana’s errors added to his challenging debut season at United, with Ziyech’s goals exposing defensive vulnerabilities.
Despite the draw, United had late opportunities to secure a victory, but missed chances and poor final passes prevented them from capitalizing. Manager Erik ten Hag expressed satisfaction with the performance but acknowledged the necessity of winning such games in the Champions League.
