20 Friday, November 24, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Friday, November 24, 2017 21 Midfielder shows just Basel Shock what Jose Mourinho’s side have been miss- Manchester Lyon roars with ing with all-action United return from injury Basel embarrassing relegation to the anchester United missed second-tier Europa League, a chance to reach the which they won last season. run-out to slow MChampions League knockout United are still top of the stages with a match to spare section with 12 points from for the first time since 2014 five games, three ahead of after a late goal condemned second-placed Basel and third- them to a 1-0 defeat at Basel in placed CSKA, who kept alive a pulsating Group A clash on their hopes of reaching the last EnglandLondon in Ashes Wednesday. 16 with a 2-0 home win over ngland’s James Vince Pogba Midfielder Michael Lang Benfica earlier in the day. Ewas left kicking himself shows tucked in an 89th minute United defender Daley Blind after he was spectacularly run winner for the Swiss side after blamed himself for Basel’s late out close to an Ashes debut Raoul Petretta found him with winner, saying that he had century, as Australia struck a pinpoint low cross at the far been too late in covering the late to leave the first Test post, giving United’s stand- dangerous Lang. finely balanced after day one in keeper Sergio Romero no Yet his manager Jose yesterday. importance chance. Mourinho, frustrated that his Captain Joe Root and Basel’s late triumph created side had not completed the job Alastair Cook both fell a complicated scenario ahead and complaining that United cheaply before the tourists of the last round of games but had wasted the chance to be five reached 196 for four when United are still almost assured goals ahead by halftime, was bad light ended an attritional, of progressing. adamant the Dutchman should rain-affected day at Brisbane’s They need only to avoid not be made a scapegoat. Gabba ground. toLondon Man Utd comeback win, his long-legged technical artistry, the defeat by more than six goals at “It is not fair for Blind to Vince top-scored as the e does not yet share teammate Pogba was the recognition of Pogba’s influence on home to CSKA Moscow to be blame himself. He had a very tourists went along slowly, HZlatan Ibrahimovic’s cult status, but man of the match and United’s play has been slow in coming. sure of avoiding an positive game. We have to blunting Australia’s much- Paul Pogba’s display on his comeback his overall display helped His then world-record £89.3 million blame everyone on the pitch vaunted pace attack at a venue from injury showed his importance to United find a level they (US$118 million) transfer from Juventus because we had so many dubbed ‘The Gabbatoir’. Manchester United is second to none. have struggled to reach last year created huge expectations and chances,” Mourinho said. But Australia loosened Having toiled in Pogba’s absence, during his two-month absence. although his first season was successful, “We don’t need to win England’s hard-earned recently taking four points from “He affects our football,” said United there were few fireworks. the (final group) match, we advantage when they a possible 12 in the Premier League, manager Jose Mourinho. “We all know, Pogba finished the season with nine don’t even need to draw, but dismissed Vince late on, just United rediscovered their swagger myself and the fellow players, that certain goals in 51 appearances and winner’s obviously we will try to win.” prior to the key wicket of against Newcastle on Saturday when the players influence the levels of the team. medals in the League Cup and Europa (Reuters) Root who went lbw to Pat Frenchman made his return. With him we have much more creation.” League, his goal in the final of the latter Cummins. Australia’s David Warner dives to stop the ball during the first day With a goal and an assist in a 4-1 Though he has often dazzled with setting United en route to victory over At stumps, Dawid Malan Ajax. was batting on 28 along with But he could not compete with Moeen Ali, whose 13 included “It was a good piece of early loss of Cook. most satisfying I’ve ever got,” Ibrahimovic, whose goalscoring feats the day’s only six. fielding. In hindsight I It took a special piece of Cummins said. and larger-than-life persona immediately Vince, on 83, scampered wouldn’t have taken the run, fielding from Lyon to end If the ball is swinging, to made him a favourite with the Old for a quick single off Josh but it was a good pick-up and Vince’s 170-ball, four-hour set him up with a couple of Trafford faithful. Hazlewood but a brilliant off- throw to be fair,” Vince said. vigil and give the Australians overs of out-swing, then try United’s fans had invented a song balance throw from Nathan “I’m sure lying in bed I’ll hope on a rugged first day on to bowl one big in-swinger, it for Ibrahimovic – their “Swedish hero” Lyon prowling in the covers have a few thoughts about an unresponsive Gabba pitch. probably only comes off one – before he had even made his official United caught him well out of his it (missing out), but at the Eighteen runs later, Root in a hundred times. debut. have ground. same time if you had offered fell leg before wicket to “But when it does it’s pretty Anthony Martial, too, is regularly scored 16 goals It was a moment of me scoring 80-odd I probably Cummins for 15 off 50 balls special.” serenaded, but Pogba is still waiting for in five Premier triumph for the spinner, who would have taken it.” after a review, in a another Australia have a formidable an ode in his honour to take root. League games this is normally taciturn but who Vince, who was earlier put huge scalp for the toiling record at the intimidating With Ibrahimovic sidelined by an season, at an average of 3.2 gained notoriety for telling down by recalled wicketkeeper Australians. Gabba, where they have not injury of his own, Pogba took centre- per game. the tourists that Australia Tim Paine off Lyon, led a “In terms of a fast bowler’s lost a Test match since 1988, stage in the opening weeks of the current When Pogba is not playing, the aimed to “end careers” in the fighting English rearguard wicket, it’s pretty much the and where England haven’t campaign as United made an impressive average goals figure halves. Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini in action Ashes series. with Mark Stoneman after the dream wicket. One of the won in 31 years. (AFP) start to the season. The 24-year-old has been directly Yet it was only during the period of responsible for eight goals in his last six absence brought on by the hamstring league appearances – four goals, four injury Pogba sustained against Basel on assists – and with him and Ibrahimovic September 12 that his importance began back on the scene, confidence is Tolisso leads Bayern over Anderlecht 2-1 in Group B to be truly acknowledged. flooding back. Brussels home from close range in the outside chance to win the “Pogba is a big miss because of his Manchester City opened up orentin Tolisso set up one 63rd. group if it can overturn a 3-0 confidence and arrogance,” said former an eight-point lead over United goal and scored another Tolisso turned finisher in the defeat by PSG earlier in the United captain Gary Neville after while Pogba was convalescing, toC give Bayern Munich a 77th when he headed home campaign, when the two sides Mourinho’s men succumbed to a 1-0 but both he and Ibrahimovic spoke 2-1 win over Anderlecht on a cross from the right. Still, it meet again in the final game on defeat at Chelsea. optimistically about reeling in Pep Wednesday in Group B of the was a flattering win for Bayern, December 5. “He takes the ball into tight areas, Guardiola’s side after Saturday’s Champions League. which was sleepwalking Bayern got some bad news holds the ball, beats a man.” game. After a lethargic first half, through much of the game just after halftime when Arjen Paul Scholes, meanwhile, said Pogba’s While United have lost ground in Bayern — which had already against a mediocre opponent. Robben asked to be replaced unavailability explained why Romelu the league, they have not missed a advanced to the last 16 — went “We cannot be happy with following a rash tackle from Lukaku had suddenly gone off the boil. beat in the Champions League and ahead in the 51st minute with a this,” Bayern defender Jerome Uros Spajic that left him “He [Pogba] links the team together,” visit Basel this week needing just a lightning attack that left Robert Boateng said. “It was our worst clutching his thigh with an said the former United midfielder. point to reach the knockout phase Lewandowski with a simple tap game in a long time.” apparent muscle injury. “I don’t think they have a good enough as group winners. in after Tolisso’s assist. The result kept the German Anderlecht came into the number 10 at the moment and that doesn’t Mourinho has indicated Pogba could Anderlecht scored its first champion in second place, game without a single point help Lukaku either. Lukaku is having to be rested, but whether he plays or not, his goal in the Champions League three points behind Paris or a goal. Even so, forward do a lot for himself, but Pogba will make return to fitness has given United a major campaign when Sofiane Hanni Saint-Germain which beat Teodorczyk had three clear Paul Pogba the difference.” With Pogba in the team, lift. (AFP) latched onto a header from Celtic 7-1 in the other group chances in the first half hour. Bayern’s Arjen Robben, left, shoots the ball Lukasz Teodorczyk and slotted game. Bayern still has an (AP)