- Pogba leaves after 18'
- Fellaini goal, assist
- Rashford, Lukaku score
With Paul Pogba injured, substitute Marouane Fellaini broke the Basel wall as Manchester United beat visiting Basel 3-0 in both teams UEFA Champions League group stage openers at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Fellaini assisted a Marcus Rashford goal and Romelu Lukaku also scored for United, who next takes to the road for a Sept. 27 match with CSKA Moscow. Basel will host Benfica on the same Wednesday.
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Henrik Mkhitaryan tapped a side-footed shot off the near post from within eight yards, then saw his rebound shot collected by Basel backstop Tomas Vaclik.
But United found its breakthrough before halftime when Ashley Young cut hard to win a yard of space on the right flank for a cross that Fellaini headed hard and home. 1-0.
Fellaini heads in Man United's opener after coming on for the injured Pogba. https://t.co/4ZNQdkUnhf
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 12, 2017
Anthony Martial cut in from the left in the 52nd minute to threaten goal, but his low bounding shot was collected before it could reach the far pos
United regained possession quickly, and Lukaku made it 2-0 off a Daley Blind cross. It wasn’t much different from the opener, as dominant United cushioned its lead.
Mohamed Elyounoussi nearly won a penalty from Victor Lindelof but instead earned a dangerous shot that David De Gea leapt to push over the bar as Basel bid to pick up its first goal.
Fellaini’s cut back pass through the 18 went through Mkhitaryan’s legs and onto a plate for Rashford to blast past Vaclik.
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100 - Marouane Fellaini's goal is the 100th scored in the Champions League by a Belgian player (excl. own goals). Devils. pic.twitter.com/j6FItI1KTU
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 12, 2017
[ MORE: Full lineups, stats, box score ]