Cesco soars as Manchester United beat Sabah to return to Champions League

It was an evening of romance given the amazing story Sabah brought with him to Old Trafford for their Champions League debut. This is a club that didn’t even exist ten years ago and nobody saw winning the title in Azerbaijan last season; they were 41 points off the top in 2024–25. The job their manager Valdas Dambrauskas has done since taking over last summer has been outstanding.

It was also a night of cold, harsh reality. Manchester United returned to Europe’s elite competition after a two-year hiatus and needed something to calm them down after suffering a last-gasp injury as they picked up two points in Sunday’s Premier League draw with Everton. And ahead is an extremely serious Sunday derby against Manchester City. They got it on the back of a first-half performance that was slow to burn before catching fire.

Sabah were in the game. United were clinical. It was Matheus Cunha who broke the deadlock midway through the first half, with the defining moments coming late in the period when Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesco sent United into the break with a three-goal cushion. Lisandro Martinez added a fourth late. For Michael Carrick it was a job, no hesitation. Now about the City.

United were looking to put their best foot forward when they heard the Champions League aria following the chaos and embarrassment of their previous involvement in the competition. Erik ten Hag was coach for the 2023–24 season and his side finished bottom of the group with four points, beginning and ending with defeat to Bayern Munich. What happened between the halves against Galatasaray and Copenhagen still makes some people shudder. This was a period when United panicked uncontrollably when in the lead. When protective gifts from them came in crazy clusters.

Carrick did not risk his starting XI. Rotation in the midfield and front line was minimal, with the exception of Cesco’s first start of the season in the ninth position. It would have been easy to think that before the City game the manager wanted to play Youri Tielemans and Kobby Maina in central midfield.

United were hoping Bruno Fernandes would help them move forward. As always. There were clever escapes from him; the cut on his passes, that wonderful camouflage on some of them. The breakthrough goal came as a result of him chasing a high ball over the top of the pitch in what looked like a lost cause, but he kept it in play. What happened next quickened United’s pulse. When Sabah played the ball cheaply to Brian Mbeumo, United moved quickly down the left flank. Patrick Dorgu crossed and Cunha scored cleanly.

Sabah lined up in a 4-3-3 formation; no bus parking. They wanted to question a United defense that felt improvised. They had confidence in possession of the ball and a desire to take it forward. And a huge chance in the 35th minute when Kaheem Parris crossed at the back post. Joy-Lance Mikels passed Nousser Mazraoui only to head home. The angle was wrong. This didn’t exactly excuse him.

Sabah were brutally dealt with by the half-time scoreline, although United played ahead and created opportunities. It was a one-two punch in the closing stages of the first period that changed everything. Fernandes – who else? – made it look easy with a side-foot shot after Tielemans burst inside on Cunha’s pass, spun and cleared it to the tee. The third followed Fernandes’ first pass to Mbeumo, who nevertheless cleared Cesco cleanly. Sabah’s back line was high. Sesco went around the goalkeeper and scored. He never looked missing.

There was a beautiful scene 90 minutes before kick-off as some of the Sabah players wandered around the pitch, the stadium virtually empty, phones on to capture the calm before the storm, the sheer scale of Old Trafford. They smiled widely. They were determined not to be afraid when it all started. The performance of central midfielder Ivan Lepinitsa was certainly impressive. They were too loose at the back.

United played very well at times, Mainu and Fernandes were always involved. When Carrick’s passing and moving game works, it’s easy to sense that possibility. Enforcing this against quality teams is the name of the game. We start against City.

Carrick introduced Mason Mount at half-time for his first football of the season, Tielemans came on and his job was done. He could be pleased with his influence. Carrick was always going to recall other likely starters against City, such as Mainu. Sesco took the lead in the 64th minute and received warm applause. Has he done enough since his goal against Everton on Sunday to start the derby?

United controlled the second half. The danger is long past. The fourth goal summed up Sabah’s misery in the defensive third. It was Fernandes’ free-kick for substitute Joshua Zirkzee, and when his heel struck Aden McCarthy, Sabah goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov became disorientated, the ball stuck at his feet. This was a blow for Martinez. Substitute Orphe Mbina headed towards Sabah at the very end. There wasn’t supposed to be any fairytale goal.