Manchester United thrash debutants Sabah to make fast Champions League start

[p]Arriving on Europe’s top stage just nine years after the club was formed, the Azerbaijani side’s performance matched the historic occasion for 25 minutes.[/p][p]However, after such a solid defensive showing, the ease at which the English side took the lead was an irreversible disappointment for the underdogs. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/parris-kaheem/x8DYRAJb/"]Kaheem Parris[/a] cheaply handed possession to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Red Devils[/a], who took maximum advantage when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dorgu-patrick/Sf4eaXAH/"]Patrick Dorgu[/a] crossed to an unmarked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a], with a simple finish enough to break the deadlock.[/b][/p][embed guid="0f569536-729e-4a68-bc83-7332877bc0f3" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2098133457830314411" social-type="twitter" /][p]The visitors missed their sole opportunity to avoid the thrashing many predicted they would receive, as Joy-Lance Mickels headed wide from close range, and with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sabah/WUPN62XK/"]Sabah[/a] now breached it became a question of ‘how many’.[/p][p][b]Late in the first half, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a] swept home a smart cutback from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tielemans-youri/GtkTQyib/"]Youri Tielemans[/a] to make it 2-0, and just three minutes later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sesko-benjamin/QDozP4IN/"]Benjamin Sesko[/a] rounded the goalkeeper and tapped into an empty net.[/b][/p][p]With the victory guaranteed with a whole half to spare – and one eye on Sunday’s Manchester derby – the hosts’ second-half display was just a glorified training exercise focused mostly on conserving energy.[/p][image alt="Match result" id="8097e004-8113-4921-8f3c-0c78651d4ca5" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8489c14d-44ec-435c-bcc7-b60084388b0c" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]Eventually [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carrick-michael/phM8NElP/"]Michael Carrick's[/a] team exerted themselves and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lisandro/GIzJAqQs/"]Lisandro Martinez[/a] added a fourth goal, tapping home an unmissable chance after two defenders and the Sabah goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pokatilov-stas/0pcgeIvU/"]Stas Pokatilov[/a] failed to clear the ball from danger.[/b][/p][embed guid="e2e73fc5-44b6-4748-bc30-65511653ffd3" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2098149919370404129" social-type="twitter" /][p]Ultimately, this was a David and Goliath clash – but one where David was sans-slingshot, blindfolded and had one arm tied behind his back.[/p][p]The first Lithuanian to manage in the UCL, Sabah head coach Valdas Dambrauskas will look towards a more realistic chance of success when they host Slavia Prague next month. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dorgu-patrick/Sf4eaXAH/"]Patrick Dorgu[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a])[/b][/p][infobox id="dc199909-a147-478b-9df8-61cba1e81b36" /][image alt="Momentum" id="2e2ccd8a-e589-4a3b-962e-78b77608129b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="a159dd2e-986f-48a4-860a-738a0a1f6e3f" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/sabah-baku-fNGcxbyr/summary/stats/?mid=EwQ5ud74"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="3758a48f-fadf-446f-811f-5a7fe003822a" /]