Manchester United Thrash Sabah 4-0 in Champions League Return

Manchester United made a commanding return to the UEFA Champions League on Thursday night, cruising to a 4-0 victory over Azerbaijani champions Sabah at Old Trafford.

The emphatic victory marked United’s return to Europe’s elite competition after a two-season absence and gave manager Michael Carrick a winning start to his first Champions League campaign as a coach.

United took control of the match in the 27th minute when Matheus Cunha opened the scoring. Bryan Mbeumo helped initiate the move after Sabah lost possession, before Patrick Dorgu’s cross found Cunha, who finished cleanly.

Sabah had an opportunity to respond when Joy-Lance Mickels found space at the back post, but his header went wide.

The visitors were eventually overwhelmed shortly before half-time. Bruno Fernandes doubled United’s advantage in the 42nd minute before Benjamin Sesko added a third three minutes later, sending the hosts into the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

United remained in control after the restart, with Carrick making changes as he managed his squad ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby against Manchester City.

Lisandro Martínez completed the scoring in the 68th minute after a free-kick from Fernandes created confusion inside the Sabah penalty area. Joshua Zirkzee’s backheel attempt was not properly dealt with by the visitors, leaving Martínez with a simple finish.

The victory also gave United a clean sheet, something Carrick highlighted after the game as an important aspect of the performance.

“It’s nice to have a clean sheet,” Carrick said, praising his team’s attacking play and defensive organisation.

The result was particularly significant for United after their previous Champions League campaign in 2023-24 ended in disappointment, when they finished bottom of their group.

For Sabah, the match represented their first appearance in the Champions League’s main stage. Despite the heavy defeat, the Azerbaijani champions had already made history by becoming the first team in the competition to name a starting XI consisting of players from 11 different nationalities.

United will now turn their attention to Sunday’s Manchester derby, while Sabah face the challenge of recovering from their difficult introduction to Europe’s premier club competition.