Manchester United Crush Sabah 4-0 in Champions League Opener

Manchester United beat Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford on 10 September in the opening fixture of the Champions League league phase for both sides.

Matheus Cunha put United ahead in the 27th minute, Bruno Fernandes doubled the lead on 42, Benjamin Sesko added a third on the stroke of half-time and Lisandro Martinez completed the scoring in the 69th minute. Sabah held out for almost half an hour before the floodgates opened.

The Azerbaijani side became only the second club from the country to reach the league phase, after Qarabag, who played in the group stage in 2017-18 and reached the league phase again this season.

Michael Carrick praised Sesko afterwards, telling Sky Sports: "He's a different type of threat. That's the great thing about him - we know what Ben gives our team. His physicality, his ability to play on the last line and the speed with which he gets in behind defenders... there aren't too many players who can give you what Ben gives you." He added: "He's a real threat, and it's great that after working on his fitness he's playing at that level again."

Sesko now has 2 goals in 4 matches this season, having worked to build up his physical condition after a spell out, by Carrick's account.

Sabah's night was defined by individual errors at the back. Kahim Parris's misplaced pass in his own half set up Cunha's opener and he was withdrawn in the 63rd minute having lost seven of eight duels. Left winger Veljko Simić, who has scored 10 times for Sabah since joining the club in March, was overrun in central areas and offered little going Forward before his substitution in the 75th minute. Aiden McCarthy struggled to pick up United's runners for the first-half goals and was replaced after the hour.

Sabah's changes brought on Aleksey Isaev, a product of Krasnoyarsk side Yenisey's academy who has scored 5 times for the club since 2023, in the 63rd minute, along with former Zenit player Du Queiros and Khasavyurt-born Abdulakh Khaibulaev.

Patrick Dorgu linked the win to United's next assignment, saying the side had "gained confidence ahead of the derby."

United travel to Atletico Madrid in the next round, while Sabah host Slavia at home. Both fixtures are scheduled for 13 October, with Sabah due to face Arsenal away later in the league phase.

A comfortable opening result gives Carrick's side a platform before a tougher trip to Madrid, while Sabah's makeshift back line will need to tighten up quickly if the Azerbaijani club are to avoid another heavy defeat against English opposition.