Poor defending costs United in loss to Başakşehir in CL

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Manchester United slumped to its first loss in the Champions League as dreadful defending contributed to a 2-1 defeat at competition newcomer Istanbul Başakşehir on Wednesday.

Demba Ba, a 35-year-old striker who used to play in the Premier League, was allowed to run through on goal unopposed from 15 yards (meters) inside Başakşehir’s own half and slot home a finish to give the Turkish champions a 13th-minute lead.

United midfielder Juan Mata was then dispossessed near the halfway line, before a pass along the edge of the penalty area was dummied by Ba to give Edin Višća the space to slam a rising shot into the net for 2-0 in the 40th.

Anthony Martial reduced the deficit for United by glancing in a header three minutes later, but Başakşehir weathered incessant pressure in the second half — with Alexandru Epureanu clearing the ball off the line in stoppage time — to claim its first win in the Champions League after earlier losses to Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain.

United had beaten both those teams — scoring seven goals in the process — to seemingly set Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s on its way to advancing from Group H early.

This surprise loss gives both PSG and Leipzig renewed hope ahead of their meeting in Germany later Wednesday.

Başakşehir’s lineup included Brazilian defender Rafael da Silva, a former United player.

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