Champions League - Manchester United sensationally loses to the bottom team, ending their unbeaten home run in the Champions League over the past 5 years.

by cc8rrfa32 on 2009-11-26 22:57:01

At 03:45 Beijing time on November 25 (19:45 UK local time on November 24), a key match of Group B in the fifth game day of the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League was played at Old Trafford, where Manchester United lost 0-1 to Beşiktaş. In this match, where just a draw would have secured the top spot in their group, Manchester United's unbeaten streak of 23 consecutive home games in the Champions League, dating back to their defeat by AC Milan at home in February 2005, came to an end. In another earlier match within the same group, CSKA Moscow defeated Wolfsburg 2-1 at home.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made eight changes, with Foster returning to the goal, young players like Obertan, Welbeck, and Macheda starting, and Park Ji-sung also getting a rare chance. Only two minutes into the game, Obertan crossed from the right side of the penalty area, but Macheda missed the ball near the small box. In the 6th minute, Macheda passed the ball, and Welbeck's shot inside the penalty area was blocked. A minute later, Rafael passed, and Park Ji-sung's powerful shot from 25 yards out was saved, with Macheda offside in his attempt to follow up.

Beşiktaş had their first shot on goal in the 9th minute when former German international Fink's powerful shot from 25 yards out was caught by Foster. In the 13th minute, Rafael passed, and Gibson's powerful shot from 25 yards out was blocked by Fink, the ball barely missing the crossbar. Anderson took the corner, and Vidic's unmarked header from close range went wide. In the 15th minute, Welbeck passed, and Gibson's powerful shot from 25 yards out also went wide. In the 18th minute, Welbeck passed, and Macheda's low shot after cutting inside from the right flank went wide of the near post.

Beşiktaş took the lead in the 19th minute when Köybaşı's long diagonal pass led to Tro's powerful shot from 30 yards out into the bottom left corner. In the 26th minute, Macheda's through ball saw Welbeck's low-angle shot deflected by Rüstü out for a corner. In the 30th minute, Welbeck sent a clever through ball, but Obertan's shot from 10 yards out on the right side of the penalty area was again saved by Rüstü. Gibson's long-range shot went wildly off target. Beşiktaş nearly doubled their lead in the 41st minute when Popo's heel pass set up an unmarked Fink, whose shot from 15 yards out hit the outside of the right post.

In the second half, Manchester United picked up the pace, but their attack still lacked efficiency, with many mistakes in midfield passes leading to few chances. In the 55th minute, Gibson conceded a free kick, and Tro's shot from 25 yards out went high. In the 56th minute, Welbeck and Gibson combined, and Park Ji-sung's shot from 16 yards out on the left side of the penalty area went wide of the near post. In the 61st minute, Obertan dribbled past three players from midfield before his shot from the edge of the penalty area was saved by Rüstü to the bottom right corner. A minute later, Macheda's cross from the left saw Obertan's header from 8 yards out narrowly miss the target, but his elbow strike during the challenge broke Tolaman's nose bridge, who was carried off on a stretcher.

In the 69th minute, Owen replaced Park Ji-sung. A minute later, Anderson's breakthrough resulted in a foul, and Gibson's direct free kick from 25 yards out on the left was saved. In the 74th minute, Carrick and Evra replaced Gibson and Rafael respectively. Subsequently, Obertan's low-angle shot from the right side of the penalty area slid narrowly past the post. In the final moments, the visitors tightened their defense, and Carrick's shot from outside the penalty area went wide. In the 93rd minute, Anderson's cross saw Macheda's header saved by Rüstü. Following this, Anderson's corner found Brown's header saved by Rüstü. The stoppage time lasted six minutes, and Rüstü was cautioned for time-wasting.

Manchester United lineup (4-4-2): 12-Foster; 2-Gary Neville, 6-Brown, 15-Vidic, 21-Rafael (74', 3-Evra); 26-Obertan, 28-Gibson (74', 16-Carrick), 8-Anderson, 13-Park Ji-sung (69', 7-Owen); 19-Welbeck, 27-Macheda.

CSKA Moscow defeated Wolfsburg 2-1 at home. In the 19th minute, Martins' brilliant pass set up哲Zeko, whose shot from a tight angle inside the penalty area went into the bottom left corner. However, CSKA Moscow scored twice subsequently. In the 58th minute, Aldonin's cross from the right side of the penalty area was met by the tall striker Nesid's header from 10 yards out at the front post. In the 66th minute, Aldonin's pass set up Krasic, whose powerful shot from 30 yards out sealed the victory.