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Played
November 25, 2009 7:45 PM GMT
 
90′ +10
That's all from me, Edward Pearce, but stay with Goal.com for a full match report and all the reaction. And join us again soon to see if Man Utd can secure first place in the group away at Wolfsburg in the final group game.
 
90′ +9
Phew! That was one of the most one-sided and action-packed 1-0 defeats I've seen. United impressed and should have had a penalty, but will now have to build their home record again - it stood at 24 unbeaten at Old Trafford in Europe until tonight.
 
90′ +8
Besiktas boot the ball upfield, anywhere will do now, and the Stephane Lannoy finally brings the game to a close. In true Red Devil style, Ferguson's team never gave up, but they just couldn't break down a stubborn Turkish side who managed to hold onto their first-half lead under relentless pressure. It finishes Manchester United 0-1 Besiktas.
 
90′ +7
Yet more stoppage time, as the referee books another player for time-wasting. One more attack, Macheda gathers on the left, his ball misses Welbeck, but Carrick collects on the 'D', fires it for a goal at the death, but Rustu holds on!
 
90′ +5
Yellow Card Rüştü Reçber
 
90′ +4
Anderson surges forward towards the left, finds Owen - Beautiful reverse pass from Owen! Anderson races to the byline and Macheda heads for goal, but Rustu claws it away. The corner finds Brown and Foster, up from his goal, Brown heads goalward, but it's saved again, fine work from Rustu, plunging to his left with Neville lurking to bundle it home. So close for United!
 
90′ +2
But United always score in stoppage time, don't they? What number has Sir Alex chosen this week, the cynics might say - and it's FIVE! That seems generous, but home fans won't complain. United skirting the area once more, but yet again all they can manage is a shot from distance - Carrick scoops the ball over with his left.
 
90′
United have just a minute plus stoppage time to avoid a first European defeat here for 8 years, Besiktas are bidding for a first away win in 7 in the Champions League. Obertan dances free once more on the right, but his cross is blocked away.
 
88′
Replays show the referee had a perfect view of that penalty appeal - he must have decided Evra was looking for a penalty, but the defender definitely blocked the Frenchman off with his arm after being caught flat-footed
 
85′
Batuhan comes on for his European debut and is booked for time-wasting within a minute. 14 seconds in fact! Evra races into the box, he's cynically shut out with the ball long gone, but the referee waves play on. Should have had a penalty.
 
85′
Yellow Card Batuhan Karadeniz
 
84′
Neville's dipping cross arrows just ahead of Macheda as the Old Trafford crowd roars their team on. Could the Italian have gambled a bit more on that one?
 
84′
Substitution Bobo Batuhan Karadeniz
 
83′
Brown cuts out a Besiktas break. United dominating territory and possession even more with extra experience on the field, but still missing the presence of Berbatov or Rooney as a focal point in attack. Evra cracks one goalward from nearly 30 yards and it's easily held at the near post by Rustu.
 
80′
Evra and Obertan set up Macheda for a left-footed cross, but the ball is cut out. Evra has been busy and involved since coming on, but Owen is dropping very deep for the ball. Welbeck wins another free kick, 25 yards out to the left of goal as Carrick looks at it. Can he do better than his understudy Gibson did? No. Low and into the wall.
 
78′
Quarter of an hour to play and every red-clad player is in the Besiktas half once more.
 
77′
Evra combines with Owen then plays in Welbeck, but his shot from 25 yards is hopelessly scuffed - too weak even for a through-ball to Macheda.
 
75′
Neville plays a perfect pass down the right for Obertan, but he can't quite pull back the cross on the byline. Tello limps off for a second enforced Besiktas change.
 
75′
Substitution Rodrigo Tello Valenzuela Uğur İnceman
 
74′
Substitution Rafael Silva Patrice Evra
 
73′
Another Turkish player is down, this time it's Tello. The home crowd are losing patience, but replays show he turned his ankle. Genuine injury, but hardly worth the frantic arm-waving. Off comes Gibson - he's played well - but it's time for Michael Carrick. And Evra is on for Rafael. Time for United to show their class.
 
73′
Substitution Darron Gibson Michael Carrick
 
71′
Anderson clatters a Besiktas defender, but he nicked the ball first, so it's insult to injury for the winded man. Gibson curls the kick from the left corner of the penalty area straight at the goalkeeper - too far ahead of his team mates' runs. Carrick will be on soon.
 
69′
United players line up on the eighteen yard line: Macheda, Obertan, Anderson, Welbeck, but the black wall of defenders is too well manned and it's time for a change. Off comes Park - an industrious hour on his return from injury - and on comes Michael Owen. Can he make a difference?
 
69′
Substitution Ji-Sung Park Michael Owen
 
67′
Substitution Ibrahim Toraman Erhan Güven
 
66′
On comes Guven for the battered Toraman in defence - it's his European debut.
 
62′
Pinball from the corner, United are seething around the box like ants. Macheda picks a cross from the left and Obertan's header loops just over a covering goalkeeper. A brief lull as Toraman is stretchered off with a nosebleed - he caught Obertan's elbow smack between the eyes actually.
 
61′
Park races into the left side of the box, crosses for Welbeck, the ball is cleared and he hooks it back in while lying on his back. Here comes Obertan half a minute later, dribbling and swerving through the centre! He places the ball in the far corner, but that's a fine left-handed diving save from Rustu!
 
59′
At the other end Vidic robs Bobo imperiously and the men in red advance again. Owen & co. are warming up on the sidelines in their purple Champions League-branded bibs. Time for a change? Macheda hurtles after a back pass and Rustu's sidestep almost puts the Turkish goalkeeper in danger. Still plenty of legs in United's young strikeforce.
 
57′
United break in space! Gibson brings it 50 yards then loses it with a lazy pass, but it comes back to him! He plays in Park to his left, Park surges into the box, but shoots wide with two defenders shutting off his sight of goal.
 
54′
Gibson dives in rashly on Bobo, and Besiktas have a free kick in the inside left channel 25 yards out. Tello is lining it up with that left foot, but he launches it well over the bar. No sight of goal or Rafael's helping head there.
 
52′
Park and Macheda combine delightfully after a long ball, but once again Welbeck can't get in position for a clear shot before he's closed down.
 
51′
Besiktas play some impressive keep-ball, with Tello at the centre of it deep in the Man Utd half, and the visitors eventually win a free kick, but it's too far out to threaten, as is a shot that goes high and wide half a minute later. The Turkish side seem more combative so far this half.
 
48′
Obertan carves his way diagonally 30 yards to the left wing with the ball at his feet, before feeding Rafael. The Brazilian's cross is too weak to threaten.
 
46′
Composure is the word on Sir Alex Ferguson's lips as the teams emerge for the second half, and he has plenty of it on the bench, with Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes and Owen all ready to enter the fray if needed. Manchester United kick off the second half.
 
45′ +1
United have not lost at Old Trafford in the Champions League in 24 matches, but the half-time whistle finds them trailing by a single goal to Besiktas. They played some terrific football in the visitors' half, but didn't manage to put the ball in the net.
 
45′
Macheda's lay-off finds Welbeck - their mobile interplay has really been hard for Besiktas to pin down - but once more United can't breach the 18 yard line. They've looked less sharp near goal since conceding.
 
43′
Neat combinations from Besiktas - Bobo lays off a forward pass to Fink! Fink picks his spot from 12 yards, facing Foster's left upright - and clips the outside of the post with a side-footed shot. Close! He should have hit the target with so much time and space.
 
40′
Hairy moment for Gibson after cutting out a cross, as he momentarily loses the ball while turning in his own area. He eventually brings the ball out of defence under minimal pressure.
 
38′
United are setting up attacking situations with embarrassing ease, but have yet to find the slick combination or cutting edge to find an equalizer.
 
35′
Ekrem runs clear down the right for Besiktas and Vidic has to cover for Rafael. Brown's emphatic header knocks it behind for a corner. Foster collects easily from the ensuing cross.
 
34′
A rare threat from Besiktas after Anderson smacks a pass into Macheda's back from point-blank range, but Bobo's second touch is too heavy and Foster collects.
 
32′
Obertan's in again! Acres of space on the right of the area - he takes a touch and pulls the trigger, but four flying black-clad feet slide in to deflect his low shot behind.
 
30′
United have dominated the opening half hour, but it's Besiktas who have the lead. Obertan sprints down the right wing again - he's looking much more than the new David Bellion tonight - and unleashes a series of step-overs but can't break through.
 
26′
A beautiful pass sends Welbeck to the byline on the edge of the six-yard box, but he spends too long trying to pick his pass and has to settle for a corner.
 
24′
That was only Besiktas' second goal in this year's competition, and they're struggling to respond to the waves of red and white surging towards Rustu's goal. Obertan strikes the ball left-footed, but his shot lacks venom.
 
22′
Only a slight deflection, but enough to skid past the 'keeper there. United on the attack again, looking more measured - perhaps they've been sobered by that goal.
 
21′
GOAL TO BESIKTAS!!! Tello advances, the defence back off and his left-footed shot from all of 30 yards kicks off Rafael's head to fly across the hapless Foster and curl into his right-hand corner.
 
20′
Goal Rodrigo Tello Valenzuela
 
19′
Macheda this time, cuts in from the right, flirting with the penalty box before he fires not far wide of Rustu's near post.
 
16′
United are eager and energetic, but missing the composure and class in the final third that Rooney or Berbatov would bring.
 
13′
United win a corner with a deflected shot. Vidic is unattended, running round at the back post! He stoops into the ball, but the ball goes straight back in the direction it came from - disappointing. But Obertan plays an excellent ball from the right and Toraman does well to clear ahead of Welbeck. And now Gibson hits it from the inside left channel! United on the attack.
 
11′
Besiktas are settling down now, keeping possession and fashioning a whipped cross from the left that is well cleared. Neville dallies and Bobo has a run at Brown and Vidic, but skews his shot from the edge of the area well wide.
 
9′
Neat interplay from Besiktas after Bobo latches on to Anderson's pass. Fink makes space to hit a curler from 25 yards, but Foster holds it easily.
 
7′
Park lets fly from range, straight at the keeper. But Rustu spills the ball and Macheda is first there! It's just past the 18-year-old Italian, and he was offside in any case.
 
6′
Bobo twice threatens, but Vidic cuts out a through ball then tackles smartly to cut out any service to the Besiktas striker. At the other end Macheda finds Welbeck in the area, but he's crowded out.
 
4′
Macheda is looking sprightly here - he cuts infield 20 yards out but can't find a team mate with his probing prod.
 
3′
Besiktas are straight back into the United left-back position, but fail to threaten. United are looking fresh and keen - only three remain from the weekend starting XI.
 
2′
Obertan finds himself free on the right! He plays in a low ball, but it's just ahead of the onrushing Macheda on the edge of the six-yard box. Good start from United!
 
1′
Besiktas get the game underway, playing right to left in the first half in their dark change strip.
 
 
United need just a point to ensure they finish top of the group with a game to spare, after Wolfsburg lost to CSKA Moscow earlier this evening.
 
 
But it's a more experienced rearguard: Foster gets a chance to impress in place of van der Sar, while Rafael deputizes for Evra at left-back. Vidic, Brown and Neville complete the defence.
 
 
Danny Welbeck makes his Champions League debut alongside Federico Macheda in an inexperienced United attack. They are supported from the flanks by Obertan, yet to make a real impact at Old Trafford, and the fit-again Park Ji-Sung. Gibson gets a chance to add to his burgeoning reputation alongside Anderson in central midfield.
 
 
The referee is Stephane Lannoy of France.
 
 
Besiktas: Recber, Kas, Ferrari, Toraman, Uzulmez, Fink, Ernst, Dag, Tello, Koybasi, Bobo. Subs: Celikay, Karadeniz, Rodrigo Tabata, Inceman, Yusuf Simsek, Guven, Zengin.
 
 
Manchester United: Foster, Neville, Vidic, Brown, Rafael, Obertan, Gibson, Anderson, Park, Macheda, Welbeck. Subs: Kuszczak, Evra, Owen, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher.
 
 
Hello and welcome to the Goal.com live commentary on Manchester United v Besiktas. United are already through, but that means a chance for some of their younger players, who will be keen to make an impact at Old Trafford tonight.
 
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