ISTANBUL: Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands as his new side held his former club Manchester United 1-1 on Thursday to extend the English giants’ wait for a Europa League win.
United have drawn all three of their European games this season and a point does little to ease the pressure on under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.
Christian Eriksen fired a depleted United in front on 15 minutes, but Fenerbahce had the better of the chances and got their reward when Youssef En-Nesyri equalized early in the second half.
A point leaves United languishing in 21st of the 36-team table and with their chances of securing a top-eight finish to progress directly to the last 16 fading.
Fenerbahce are in 14th on five points, with a top-24 finish enough to qualify for the playoff stage.
United were without 10 players, including captain Bruno Fernandes, due to suspension or injury.
Ten Hag said the players available to him were still capable of getting the job done but their failure to do so means United have not won a European game for a full year.
In Fernandes’ absence, defender Noussair Mazraoui started in an unfamiliar attacking midfield role and had a part to play in an impressive opening goal.
Manuel Ugarte dispossessed former United midfielder Fred to launch a counter-attack that involved Alejandro Garnacho and Mazraoui before Joshua Zirkzee teed up Eriksen to blast home from the edge of the area.
Marcus Rashford was inches away from doubling the visitors’ lead with a low shot that clipped the outside of the post after a jinking solo run.
However, for the third time in three Europa League matches, Ten Hag’s men failed to build on taking the lead.
Ugarte has struggled to establish himself since arriving in a £50 million ($65 million) deal from Paris Saint-Germain in August.
But the Uruguayan showed the defensive awareness that attracted United’s interest with a brilliant goal-saving challenge to deny Dusan Tadic a tap in.
United also needed an excellent double save from Andre Onana to parry two En-Nesyri headers to protect their lead at half-time.
It was wiped out within four minutes of the restart as more sloppy defending allowed En-Nesyri to head in Allan Saint-Maximin’s inviting cross.
Fenerbahce were furious moments later when penalty appeals for a foul on Bright Osayi-Samuel were waived away.
Mourinho took his protestations too far as he was dismissed by experienced French referee Clement Turpin.
United had the better chances to snatch all three points in the closing stages as Dominik Livakovic was forced into saves from Mazraoui and Rasmus Hojlund.
There remains plenty of time for United to dig themselves out of trouble with five more favorable looking Europa League fixtures to come against PAOK, Bodo Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, Rangers and FCSB.
However, whether Ten Hag will still be in charge for all of those fixtures remains a major doubt after winning just four of United’s opening 12 games of the season.
Mourinho sees red as Fenerbahce hold Man United
https://arab.news/9xzps
Mourinho sees red as Fenerbahce hold Man United
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
