Manchester United made a triumphant return to the UEFA Champions League after a three-year absence, securing a dominant 4-0 victory over Azerbaijani champions Sabah at Old Trafford. The match served as a stark introduction to Europe’s elite competition for the visitors, a club established only nine years ago.
Matheus Cunha broke the deadlock in the 27th minute, capitalizing on a precise cross from Patrick Dorgu, who filled in for the absent Luke Shaw. This opener signaled the start of a clinical performance from the hosts, who effectively ended the contest with two goals in a three-minute burst just before halftime.
Captain Bruno Fernandes doubled the lead following a clever exchange with Youri Tielemans, marking his fourth goal in two home appearances this season. Shortly after, Bryan Mbeumo set up Benjamin Sesko, who rounded goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov to score on his first start of the campaign. Lisandro Martinez completed the scoring in the second half, pouncing on a loose ball after a scramble involving Joshua Zirkzee and a deflected free-kick from Fernandes.
United manager Michael Carrick praised his side’s performance, noting, “It’s nice to have a clean sheet and obviously win the game. I thought some of our attacking play was fantastic, some of the football we played was really good.” The victory provides a boost for the Red Devils, who have had a modest start to their domestic Premier League season with four points from three matches against Hull, Ipswich, and Everton.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Sabah showed initial confidence in front of a 74,000-strong crowd. Their coach, Valdas Dambrauskas, who previously worked at Manchester United Soccer Schools, acknowledged the gap in experience. “We will all go home tonight thinking we could have done a little bit better,” Dambrauskas said. “I didn’t feel that we are scared and we are afraid but also we didn’t have enough courage, especially from the back line to move up.”
The match allowed Carrick to manage his squad ahead of the upcoming Manchester derby against City. Key players including Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Marcus Rashford were omitted, while Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo, Mbeumo, and Sesko were substituted during the second half to preserve their fitness.
While this result was a positive start, tougher challenges await the team, beginning with an away fixture against Atletico Madrid in five weeks. The win adds to a successful week for English clubs in the competition, with Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Manchester City all securing victories in their respective opening matches. The report also notes that yet the difference in class between the three-time European champions and a club only formed nine years ago told once Cunha opened the floodgates on 27 minutes. The report also notes that sabah navigated four rounds of qualifying to earn their night at the Theatre of Dreams. The report also notes that dambrauskas conceded even before the match that Sabah had leapfrogged a few stages in their development by reaching the Champions League proper before they had even experienced the Europa or Conference League. The report also notes that however, they could not live with the Premier League giants once the Red Devils clicked up through the gears. The report also notes that the danger for Sabah looked to have been averted when Joshua Zirkzee’s backheel from Fernandes’s scooped free-kick was blocked. The report also notes that but the ball bobbled around the Kazakh goalkeeper’s feet and he presented Martinez the chance to slam into an empty net.
