Source: Telegraph
Manchester United 0 Besiktas 1: match report
An old Turk, Recber Rustu, denied the young Turks of Manchester United on Wednesday night. Besiktas' experienced keeper was the rock of ages on which the English champions' collection of hopefuls foundered. Sir Alex Ferguson's experiment with his youngsters failed as United lost the match and their 23-game unbeaten home run in the Champions League. [LNB]At the final whistle, as Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda looked crestfallen, Besiktas celebrated as if they had just won the Champions League itself. A famous victory for the outstanding Rustu, the goalscoring Rodrigo Tello and the rest of the determined visitors, this defeat means that United must take a point at Wolfsburg to secure top spot in Group B. [LNB] Related ArticlesChampions League actionChampions League tablesChampions League fixturesSport on televisionOpportunity had knocked for United's youngsters, Ferguson giving the right-sided Obertan and the front pair of Macheda and Welbeck their chance to shine. All three worked hard in guiding the ball to the edge of Besiktas' area, particularly Obertan, whose pace and trickery down the flank delighted Old Trafford. [LNB]The Frenchman eats up the ground, certainly loves a step-over when faced with a back-pedalling defender and never neglected his defensive duties, helping out Gary Neville. [LNB]Besiktas, humbled 8-0 on their last visit to England (at Liverpool), still provided the most telling moment of the first half, Tello's deflected strike, and they almost scored a second through Michael Fink, but there were elements to admire in the exuberance of some of United's movement into the final third. [LNB]The problem was the finishing. Macheda embarked on a 40-yard dribble, culminating with a left-foot shot wide. Welbeck wriggled in from the left, then the right but failed to threaten Recber Rustu's goal enough. [LNB]Darron Gibson kept shooting unsuccessfully from range, one of his efforts almost landing in the upper tier. [LNB]Tello showed United's kids how to finish after 20 minutes. Collecting possession on the right, the Chilean attacker cut inside, stepping into space obligingly ceded by Nemanja Vidic and Rafael, who both backed off. Mistake. Besiktas' No 14 needed little further invitation, letting fly left-footed. His shot clipped Rafael and carried it away from Ben Foster.[LNB]United's England international, whose every move is scrutinised incredibly closely in World Cup year, will inevitably face criticism for failing to get a hand to Tello's shot, although the deflection off Rafael was cruel. As Foster cursed his luck, Besiktas' supporters cranked up the volume even higher. [LNB]Their own fans stunned into silence, United sought to rescue the situation. Welbeck led the charge, first attacking Rustu's right-hand upright and then his left. Then Macheda had a shot blocked, following good approach play from Ji-sung Park. Obertan briefly threatened Cristiano Ronaldo's step-over record but, again, his effort was blocked. [LNB]United then pieced together a fine passing move, the ball speeding from Macheda to Welbeck, who angled a great pass through Besiktas' defence for the breaking Obertan. Rustu, the experienced keeper, proved equal to the challenge of Obertan's shot. [LNB]With nothing but pride to play for, the impressive, well-organised Besiktas continued to worry United on the counter. Opting for placement rather than power, Fink snaked a shot just wide of Foster's left-hand post. [LNB]United have grown stronger as games have progressed in the Champions League, often reserving their most potent football for the later stages. [LNB]They took time to get going in the second half, Gibson eventually setting up Park but the South Korean shot wide. New half, old story. Then the exciting Obertan raced through just after the hour, eluding the challenges of Ibrahim Kas and Ismail Koybasi before shooting left-footed, bringing a sprawling save from Rustu. United increased the pressure, Macheda dinking the ball in and Obertan sending a looping header just over. [LNB]With 21 minutes remaining, Ferguson sought to preserve that lengthy unbeaten Champions League home record by sending on Michael Owen, withdrawing Park and putting Welbeck on the left. Ferguson rang the changes again, Michael Carrick and Patrice Evra replacing Gibson and Rafael. [LNB]With the Stretford End chanting "attack, attack, attack'', United were almost 4-2-4. They still looked for a goal, for someone to take responsibility. Anderson was disappointing, the Brazilian to take control of midfield. The Turks, who had one eye on running the clock down and the other on looking for a counter-attacking chance, rarely seemed troubled. [LNB]Anderson suddenly burst into life, triggering a move that saw Macheda dart down the left but his final ball was poor and easily cleared. Nemanja Vidic attempted to lift United, whipping a low ball in to Welbeck, who was brought down by Erhan Guven. Carrick's free-kick was hugely disappointing, cannoning off the Besiktas wall. [LNB]With United so committed to attack, the Turks looked to punish the hosts on the break and only alert defending by Vidic denied Bobo. Evra then took charge for United, unleashing a low shot well held by Rustu. How United missed the cutting edge of Rooney. [LNB]With four minutes remaining, Evra was denied a clear penalty when barged over by Kas, the Besiktas full-back, who clearly put an arm across the United defender. But the French referee, Stephane Lannoy, refused his bemused compatriot a spot-kick. United were incensed. [LNB]With two minutes remaining, Old Trafford sighed in frustration as Evra overran the ball. Yet United fans were lifted when the fourth official hoisted the board showing five minutes added time. Carrick had a decent chance, granted a yard of space on the edge of the Turkish box, but his shot flew wearily over. [LNB]United thought they had scored when a brilliant pass from Owen sent Anderson towards the byeline. The Brazilian's cross was met powerfully by Macheda but Rustu saved superbly. The old Turk then kept out a header from Wes Brown and deserved his team-mates' applause. [LNB][LNB][LNB][LNB]
