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
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Mourinho sees red as Fenerbahce hold Man United
Salama smashes course record with sensational 60 at Madinaty
- Spaniard cards 10-under-par round with 9 birdies and a chip-in eagle to lead by four in Egypt
CAIRO: Spain’s Juan Salama fired a sensational 10-under-par course record of 60 to take a four-shot lead after the opening round of the Egypt Golf Series.
Salama’s stunning round at Madinaty Golf Club bettered the previous record of 63 and included nine birdies and a chip-in eagle on the par-five ninth — his final hole of the day after the field started on the 10th.
The Spaniard, who finished runner-up to Jack Davidson in last week’s play-off at Address Marassi, dropped his only shot of the day on the eighth hole, meaning a par there would have given him the magical 59.
“It was definitely an early start today — I was up at 3:45 a.m. stretching, breakfast at 4:30, and we arrived at the course around 5:30, so I was warming up in the dark, which was pretty crazy,” said Salama.
“But it actually went really well. I love being first out because the greens are perfect with no footprints and the ball rolls beautifully. The conditions here at Madinaty Golf Club have been fantastic all week.
“I made nine birdies with just one dropped shot, and on the last hole I really fancied the chip-in for eagle. My personal best round is nine under, so I went for it and it paid off. I feel like my game has been in a really good place the last couple of weeks. I’ve been working hard, my family has been a huge support, and my wife keeps me very disciplined, so it’s nice to see that work paying off.”
Last week’s winner Jack Davidson is the closest pursuer after a six-under 64 that included seven birdies and just one dropped shot at the par-five 13th — his fourth hole of the day.
“It was a similar situation to last week, chasing Juan Salama again, but I’m really happy with six under,” said Davidson. “The wind made it tough at times, but I managed to hole a few nice putts and keep the momentum going after last week’s play-off win.
“The up-and-down on eight was a big moment. It’s one of the hardest holes on the course, so saving par there and going on to make birdie at the last was huge. With an early tee time tomorrow, hopefully we get slightly better conditions and fresher greens.”
Four players currently share third place at five under par: Argentina’s Gaston Bertinotti, Wales’ Owen Edwards, Germany’s Tim Tillmanns and Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo, who sits second in the MENA Golf Tour Rankings.
“It was a great round, to be honest. I played really solid,” said Bertinotti. “The course was playing pretty tough — really firm and fast, especially on the downhill shots — and the wind picked up after the fourth hole, which made things even more challenging.
“The wind makes the course a lot more challenging. There are holes where you can be hitting three clubs less than normal from the rough because the ball just doesn’t stop downwind. Both nines are tough in different ways. On the front you hit more drivers, and on the back there are a lot of demanding iron shots, especially with the par threes and the water in play.”
Rankings leader Chris Wood is absent this week as he competes in the Qatar Masters on the DP World Tour, and with Addabbo well placed heading into round two, there is an opportunity to close the gap at the top of the standings.
The Egyptian contingent found the windy conditions challenging but took plenty of positives from the experience of competing against the international field.
“Conditions are pretty tough with the wind,” said Ahmed Morgan, who carded an 81. “When I played this course on the Asian Tour without wind it was much easier, but with these conditions there are some really demanding holes. The greens are very fast, so it’s difficult to hold them, which makes knocking it close to the pin the key this week.”
Amateur Abdelrahman El-Defrawy echoed those sentiments after his opening 78.
“It was pretty tough out there with the wind, but the course itself is in great condition,” he said.
“The wind was probably the biggest challenge, especially with judging yardages between clubs. But that’s all part of the experience — playing under this kind of pressure is something I’ll take a lot from going forward.”
