Manchester United cruise past Sabah to make winning Champions League return

The result also kept English clubs unbeaten against Azerbaijani opponents in European competition, with 11 wins and one draw from 12 matches.

Match highlight

For Sabah, the night began as the biggest occasion in the club’s short history. Founded only nine years ago, the Azerbaijani side had reached the Champions League league phase against the odds. For the opening 25 minutes, they played with discipline and enough composure to suggest they belonged on the stage.

They defended in numbers, limited Manchester United’s early space and kept the home crowd waiting but one mistake changed the match.

Kaheem Parris gave the ball away too easily, allowing United to attack quickly. Patrick Dorgu delivered a cross into the box for Matheus Cunha, who had been left unmarked and finished simply to break the deadlock.

Sabah had one chance to avoid the heavy defeat that many had expected. Joy-Lance Mickels found space close to goal but headed wide. It was their clearest opening of the match, and after it passed, United took full control.

The home side doubled their lead before half-time. Youri Tielemans played a clever cutback into Bruno Fernandes, and the United captain finished to make it 2-0.

Only three minutes later, Benjamin Sesko beat the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into an empty net. At 3-0 before the interval, the contest was effectively over.

With Sunday’s Manchester derby already in view, Michael Carrick’s side did not need to chase the game after the break. The second half was more controlled, with United managing their energy while Sabah struggled to create a route back into the match.

United still added a fourth goal. Lisandro Martinez was in the right place to tap in after two Sabah defenders and goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov failed to clear the ball from a dangerous area.

It was a ruthless result, even if United were rarely forced to play at full intensity after the break. Sabah arrived at Old Trafford for a David-versus-Goliath match, but they never had the chance to make it competitive for long.

Carrick will be pleased with the clean sheet, the goals and the chance to rest players ahead of the derby. United had scored freely but conceded too often in their opening Premier League matches, so a controlled European win was exactly what they needed.

For Sabah manager Valdas Dambrauskas, the first Lithuanian coach to lead a team in the Champions League, the focus now moves to a more realistic opportunity. Sabah host Slavia Prague next month, a match where they will hope their European dream looks far less daunting.