The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fernandes steers United to revenge
Bruno Fernandes’ rocket set Manchester United on course for a comprehensive Champions League victor y against Istanbul Basaksehir as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side took a big step towards the knockout phase.
After kicking off the European campaign with superb victories against Paris St Germain and RB Leipzig, defeat to the Turkish champions at the start of November threatened to derail the Red Devils ’ Group H campaign.
But United exacted revenge and got back on track at an empty Old Trafford, where Fernandes’ first-half brace was complemented by Marcus Rashford’s penalty and a late Daniel James goal in a 4-1 win against Basaksehir.
Solskjaer’s side now only need a point from their remaining two Group H matches to secure progress to the last 16, which they have only reached three times since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Fernandes fired home a thumping strike on the bounce just seven minutes in and tapped in his second after Basaksehir goalkeeper Mert Gunok flapped at a cross.
Rashford then fired home a spot-kick he won to put the hosts in cruise control at the break.
United ’s standards dropped in the second half and Basaksehir pulled one back late on as David De Gea failed to push out Deniz Turuc’s free-kick, but substitute James struck in stoppage time to add gloss to the scoreline.
Paris St Germain secured a much-needed 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig with Neymar’ s11th-minute penalty the only goal.
● Olivier Giroud spared Chelsea’s blushes with a poacher’s finish in stoppage time to secure a 2 -1 Champions League victory at Rennes.
Callum Hudson- Odoi’s crisp finish had the Blues leading 1-0 for the majority of their Group E clash in France, only for Serhou Guirassy to equalise five minutes from time for Rennes.
But just when the visitors were starting to regret a host of missed chances, up popped the ever-reliable Giroud to head home and snatch back the victory.
Chelsea’s four th win from their four matches sealed safe passage to the Champions League’s last 16, and with two group matches to spare.
Frank Lampard’s men have now gone 13 matches unbeaten in all competitions and they travel to fellow qualifiers Sevilla – 2-1 winners over Krasnodar – on December 2 knowing a win would leave the Blues favourites to top the group.
● Barcelona put their domestic struggles to one side with a 4-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv that sealed their progress to the knockout stages.
Ronald Koeman’s side suffered another LaLiga loss at the weekend, this time to Atletico Madrid, but they have been perfect in Europe so far with four wins from four.
Barca are three points ahead of Juventus, who left it late to clinch a 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros and are also into the last 16.
● Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet yet again for Borussia Dortmund, this time with a brace in a 3-0 victory over Club Brugge.
Dortmund lead Group F by one point from Lazio, who were 3-1 winners over Zenit St Petersburg in Rome.