THE SWISS TEAM PULL OFF A SHOCK WIN AS MANCHESTER UNITED ARE STILL NOT ASSURED OF PROGRESS IN THE GROUP THEY WERE STROLLING THROUGH TILL NOW... THE SWISS SIDE ARE IN THE DRIVING SEAT AT THE MOMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ONE-ON-ONE WITH CSKA MOSCOW
That's all from me, Anirudh Menon. Thank you for reading
WAHAHA! What a shock for United - Steffen does superbly to draw United to one side before he switches play out wide to Petretta - whose ball into the box finds his opposite wingback and Michael Lang caps a fine performance with a goal of his own.
87' Oh no, Lukaku has gone down clutching his face - but it looks like its due to Suchy's arm striking his face, and he should be getting back up right pronto
85' Fellaini sees this off yet again before Nemanja Matic shepherds Elyounoussi - who in turn runs into the Serb's elbow - another decision that could have gone either way goes United's way
84' Basel are clambering all over United here - first they overwhelm Matic and the Serb gives away possession with a weak ball, Darmian attempts to win it back - he has no choice but to go for it - but fails and it's another freekick for Zuffi to swing in.
83' OOO A couple of spicy tackles in the middle of the field is accentuated by Darmian picking up a yellow for an incredibly poor challenge on Petretta near the United box.
79' Fransson will replace Serey Die, who departs to a standing ovation - the Ivorian left everything out there tonight and his congregation certainly loved every bit of it.
78' The corner is cleared once again by Fellaini - who has been rather god tonight, truth be told - but it's all Basel now... till Serey Die falls down clutching his hamstring once again.
77' OOOO! Serey Die puts his body and soul into thundering a piledriver at Romero, but apart from a pulled muscle and a corner he seems to have gained nothing... oh, a bit of a magic spray and Die looks like he'll be goof to continue.
76' OOOO! Matic picks out Lukaku with a dink down the middle, the Belgian then tries to combine with Ibra but the final touches are disappointing as the ball wriggles away from Ibrahimovic and into Vaclik's hands
74' Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes his Champions League debut for Manchester United as he replaces Anthony Martial. United seem to have gone to 4-3-3 with Lukaku out wide on the right
73' United punch it clear and Martial does ever so well to hold it up while waves of grey join him... it all ends with Rashford pumping a hopeless shot into the side netting
72' WHAT A TACKLE ROJO! Peretta plays in Oberlin with a lovely, lovely ball after a flowing Basel move - but Rojo flies across the box and get his leg in the way of the striker's shot.
70' OH MY! OH MY! CONTROVERSY AS STEFFEN FALLS OVER ROJO'S LEG INSIDE THE UNITED BOX... and a call that could have gone either way sees the ref wave play on!
69' Martial screams forward in typical fashion before trying to play in Blind - but the Dutchman simply doesn't see that coming and the move breaks down. Blind has been poor toaday
67' Basel are gaining much joy down United's left flank - Elyounoussi initially curls a dangerous ball across the face of United's goal before Steffan's delectable ball back into the box from the opposite flank is thudded onto the crossbar from five yards away by Michael Lang!
66' Haha, aiyyo, aiyyo. Fellaini lays the ball off to Lukaku who attempts an overhead kick of sorts - but it's about as graceful as a falling giraffe and about as useful
64' Rashford is brought on for the disappointing Lingard... while on the pitch, Pogba sends a low heatseeker toward Vaclik's goal but the goalkeeper is more than equal to the task.
63' Fellaini heads it away... Steffen curls it at goal it takes a deflection off Oberlin but it's a standard save for Romero. United can't get out of their own half, though and STEFFEN RAMPAGES DOWN THE WING, STRIPS BLIND, CUTS INSIDE AND CURLS A LOVELY SHOT JUST WIDE OF ROMERO'S FAR POST!
62' Another silly freekick given away by United as Fellaini charges into Zuffi from behind and it's another dangerous situation for the United defensive unit to handle.
59' Steffen sends Daley Blind's head into a tailspin, sashaying hither and thither before drawing a foul off the Dutchman at the edge of the box down the Swiss right flank, Zuffi, as is his wont, will take...
58' Fellaini, of all the people, pops up on the right wing and sends a fairly decent cross (compared to the fare the others have been dishing out) but Vaclik gathers easily
56' Serey Die does supremely well to lure in Herrera and Pogba before slipping away from them and bursting forward with United backpedalling furiously... he lays it off to Steffen, who shoots powerfully at goal - but it's straight at Romero and that's standard fare for Argentina's no. 1
54' Pogba tries to power his way through the middle of the park - using Lingard as a wall to bounce the ball off - but Basel crowd him out and launch a counter that ends with Elyounoussi smacking a rather weak shot straight at Romero.
52' Darmian and Lingard play it down the right like an ersatz Beckham and Neville - but with neither nowhere as good as their predecessors, the move breaks down far too easily... Basel come forward with Steffen but it's headed clear by Smalling.
50'... UFF! Fellaini thunders clear the lovely Zuffi delivery but it bounces out to Serey Die who absolutely leathers it just wide of Romero's near post from outside the area
48' Some pretty one-touch passing from Pogba and Martial rip open Basel's midfield (Martial's backheel a particularly delectable move) but the former's attempt to find Lukaku in the box is cut out by the ever-vigilant Suchy
47' OH LUKAKU! Tony Martial pings a lovely ball into the area that Romelu Lukaku thunders well wide of Vaclik's goal... he really ought o have done better there
46' Basel start with the enterprising Lang - their best player on the night - making space down the right... the ball is then worked out to Steffen who's lovely dink into the box is inches away from being thudded in by a flying Mo Elyounoussi!
Gary Neville in his $1000 three-piece suit and $400 shoes, paunch and the stamina of a beached whale, would probably cross better than Matteo Darmian right now. The Italian really needs to get his crossing game together - United are wasting so many good chances from the wings it's outrageous
No time added on as the ref calls the half to a close... United really, really should be a couple of goals ahead, but some poor crossing and some poorer finishing has let them down...
44' Even more scrappy football leads to Herrera pinging a superb ball out to Martial - THE FRENCHMAN HOLDS OFF SUCHY AND AKANJI AND RIPS INTO THE BOX, WHERE VACLIK MAKES AN EXCELLENT SAVE!
42' Plenty of scrapping about in the middle of the park sees the King of the scrapping about - Fellaini - emerge with the ball and he moves it wide... Martial picks it up, toys with Lang, cuts in and curls a tremendous ball that flicks Fellaini's hair and smacks into the far post. WOOF! SO CLOSE!
40' Steffen moves up through the gears and marauds infield and straight through the centre, before drawing a silly foul from Paul Pobga... a freekick in a dangerous position for the Swiss team, now.
39' Lukaku and Lingard try a quick give and go, and although the pass from the Belgian is awful, Elyounoussi nicks Lingard's heels and United have a freekick in a dangerous position... Blind's ball into the box, though, can find none of the massive targets in grey,
37' Pogba and Serey Die go shoulder to shoulder, and much to the crowd's chagrin there's only one winner there - United retain possession and pass the ball around patiently yet again.
SHARE
BASEL 1 - 0 MANCHESTER UNITED
THE SWISS TEAM PULL OFF A SHOCK WIN AS MANCHESTER UNITED ARE STILL NOT ASSURED OF PROGRESS IN THE GROUP THEY WERE STROLLING THROUGH TILL NOW... THE SWISS SIDE ARE IN THE DRIVING SEAT AT THE MOMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ONE-ON-ONE WITH CSKA MOSCOW
That's all from me, Anirudh Menon. Thank you for reading
'twas a pleasure
Toodle-ooo!