Manchester United slumped to its first loss in the Champions League as dreadful defending contributed to a 2-1 defeat at competition newcomer Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday.
Demba Ba, 35, a striker who used to play in the Premier League, was allowed to run through on goal unopposed from 15 metres inside Basaksehir’s half and slot home a finish to give the Turkish champions a 13th-minute lead.
United midfielder Juan Mata was then dispossessed near the halfway line, before a pass along the edge of the penalty area was dummied by Ba to give Edin Visca the space to slam a rising shot into the net for 2-0 in the 40th.
Anthony Martial reduced the deficit for United by glancing in a header three minutes later, but Basaksehir weathered incessant pressure in the second half.
Alexandru Epureanu cleared the ball off the line in stoppage time as the team claimed their first win in the Champions League after earlier losses to Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain.
United had beaten both those teams, scoring seven goals in the process, to seemingly set Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team on their way to advancing from Group H early.
This surprise loss gives both PSG and Leipzig renewed hope before their meeting in Germany later on Wednesday.
Basaksehir’s line-up included Brazilian defender Rafael da Silva, a former United player.
