By Okafor Joseph Afam
October 24, 2024

Youssef En-Nesyri’s second-half header cancelled out Christian Eriksen’s early opener as Fenerbahce held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in their Europa League clash on Thursday night. The match was marked by drama on and off the pitch, including Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho being sent off for dissent.

Manchester United took the lead through Eriksen after an unusual tactical decision by Erik ten Hag, who surprisingly deployed right-back Noussair Mazraoui in the number 10 role. Mazraoui played a key role in the opener, linking up with Joshua Zirkzee, who set up Eriksen to fire his fourth goal of the season into the corner.

Man United had chances to extend their lead, with Marcus Rashford coming close, but Fenerbahce began to apply pressure towards the end of the first half. United goalkeeper Andre Onana produced two fantastic saves to deny En-Nesyri and keep the visitors ahead going into halftime.

Fenerbahce equalized early in the second half, with En-Nesyri heading home Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross, despite the efforts of Man United defenders Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez. Shortly after, Mourinho was shown a red card for protesting a penalty decision after Bright Osayi-Samuel went down in the box under minimal contact.

Both sides had opportunities to secure a winner, but neither could find the back of the net again. The draw leaves Manchester United in 21st place in the Europa League standings, with three points from three matches, while Fenerbahce sit in 14th place with five points.

Key Moments:

Mazraoui’s Contribution: The Moroccan right-back, surprisingly playing as a number 10, assisted in United’s opener, combining with Zirkzee to set up Eriksen.

Onana’s Heroics: The Man United goalkeeper made back-to-back saves to deny En-Nesyri, keeping his side in front before halftime.

Fenerbahce Equalizer: En-Nesyri leveled the score in the 49th minute with a powerful header from a Saint-Maximin cross.

Mourinho Sent Off: The Fenerbahce manager received his marching orders just before the hour for protesting a penalty decision.

Man of the Match:
Manuel Ugarte. Despite a rocky start to his Man United career, Ugarte was exceptional in this match. His crucial block in the first half and involvement in United’s buildup play stood out, and he completed 31 of his 35 passes, showcasing his value to the team.