BURSASPOR 0 V. MAN UTD 3 FLETCHER (48), OBERTAN (72), BEBE (77)
2 NOVEMBER 2010, ATATURK STADIUM ATTENDANCE: 19,050
United edged a step closer to qualification for the Champions League knock-out stages with a hard-fought 3-0 victory over Bursaspor in Turkey.
After surviving a couple of minor scares in a tepid first half, the Reds were, in the end, just too good for the Turkish champions who could not be faulted for effort on the night. Effort can only get you so far, however, with quality more often than not winning out and so it proved. Darren Fletcher put the visitors ahead three minutes after the break, with Gabriel Obertan and an Ali Tandogan own goal (although at first glance it looked to be a Bebe strike) sealing the win late on with a pair of fine finishes to put United on 10 points at the top of Group C.
Sir Alex, who was missing a host of players through injury and illness, made three changes to the side that started against Tottenham, with Chris Smalling replacing the rested Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the defence, Paul Scholes returning in central midfield and Gabriel Obertan coming in for only his second start of the campaign. Javier Hernandez and Ji-sung Park dropped to the bench with Dimitar Berbatov leading the line on his own up front. Bursaspor manager Ertugrul Saglam, meanwhile, had the luxury of fielding a full-strength team, although he opted to leave defender Milan Stepanov, fit again after suffering a knee injury at Old Trafford, on the bench.
As the Reds have experienced many times before in Turkey, the home fans did their utmost to make things as hostile as possible and, despite being without a point or goal before kick-off, the hosts quickly looked to unsettle the visitors. Despite Bursaspor’s best efforts, it was United who had the first sight of goal on eight minutes. Patrice Evra made a fine run down the left before crossing towards Berbatov, but the Bulgarian was unable to generate enough power on his header to trouble fellow countryman Dimitar Ivankov.
Soon afterwards, following loud but unfounded home appeals for a penalty after Sercan Yildirim collapsed under Scholes' challenge, Berbatov had the game's second noteworthy effort, fizzing a low shot straight at Ivankov from the edge of the area.
Bursaspor were determined to keep United on the back foot and their persistence was almost rewarded in the 22nd minute, albeit from another of those lapses in concentration which have already blotted the Reds’ copybook on a handful of occasions this season. Evra’s pass towards Vidic fell straight to the lively Yildirim who spotted Turgay Bahadir bursting into the area to his right. The midfielder took Yildirim’s pass in his stride but saw his attempted chip over the advancing Van der Sar deflect off the Dutchman’s shoulder and over the bar.
The home side were visibly growing in confidence and Volkan Sen, who Sir Alex had picked out as Bursaspor’s danger man before the game, stung the palms of Van der Sar from 20 yards soon after.
Despite a couple of scares at the back, United, who lost Nani to a groin injury just before the half-hour, still looked a threat in attack and could have taken the lead twice in quick succession as the half drew to a close. Fletcher met Evra’s cross perfectly on the volley, but was unable to direct it on target, while Scholes saw his close-range finish chalked off for hand ball as he burst into the box en-route to slotting home.
Van der Sar became the latest player to forfeit possession just before the break as he attempted to clear the ball forward, but he was relieved to see Gustav Svensson’s shot fly over.
The Reds came flying out of the blocks after the break, perhaps on the back of some stern words from Sir Alex, and went ahead in fine fashion on 48 minutes through Fletcher. As United pressed forward, the ball dropped to Carrick just inside the area and his lovely cushioned pass was controlled brilliantly by the Scot who lashed a low drive into the far corner for only his second ever Champions League goal.
Bursaspor weren’t about to crumble though and Van der Sar had to be alert to shots from Ivan Ergic and Federico Insua soon after, while Ibrahim Ozturk headed wide from a corner.
United were certainly a more fluid outfit than in the first half and ultimately proved too strong for the plucky hosts, wrapping up victory in fine style through Obertan, with his first ever Reds' goal, and substitute Bebe. Ji-sung Park, who had earlier come on for Nani, delivered a pass into Obertan on the left wing and, after cutting inside, the Frenchman lashed a right-foot screamer high into the net on 73 minutes. Four minutes later, Bebe looked to have netted his first Champions League goal with a lovely flicked finish after the impressive Scholes had won possession and slotted a sublime reverse pass into his path. It was later credited as an Ali Tandogan own goal.
The result keeps United top of Group C and within touching distance of a place in the last 16. Job almost done.
Credit: Manchester United Ltd
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