That Manchester United were going to take care of business in their Champions League opener was rarely, if ever, in doubt. Even before Matheus Cunha turned home the first of three first-half goals that broke the resistance of Azerbaijan champions Sabah, the gulf in talent was clearly too great. The gulf between these sides was typified by the fourth goal of this 4-0 win.
Bruno Fernandes' cheekily lobbed a free kick over the defensive line, Joshua Zirkzee met it with a back heel and Sabah goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov wrapped himself in cartoonish knots searching for a ball that had landed between his feet. Lisandro Martinez will never score an easier goal. This season at least, United may well not play an easier opponent.
Football is a low-scoring, high-variance sport but even so, a team with a lower ELO rating than Leicester City will do well to keep the scoreline respectable. Sabah will feel they did that and will wonder what might have been if that one moment had broken their way. Kaheem Parris had been giving Patrick Dorgu a few difficulties in the first half and his quick feet earned him the space to hang a cross up at the back post.
Joy-Lance Mickels met it well enough and there was just enough space between Senne Lammens and his post for the ball to squirm in. Instead, the header swished into the side-netting and Sabah's best chance for an historic goal was gone. Whatever the result, a goal at the Theatre of Dreams would surely have made the journey more than worth it for the 500 visiting fans in Old Trafford's away end.
It would not have led to much more. If a team like Sabah is to pull off an upset when so overmatched, it demands a level of organization on and off the ball that they could not deliver. A half-opening for a counter instead saw Parris roll the ball carelessly into midfield.
What had been five behind the play for United instead became overwhelming numbers in the Sabah box, Patrick Dorgu crossing well for Cunha to flick in his first Champions League goal. Given the dominance United had enjoyed, that goal would eventually have come with or without Sabah's help but the first 26 minutes did follow a familiarly disappointing trend for Michael Carrick this season. All the possession and territory they had was not deployed with any great authority, too many sideways passes and low-tempo moves meaning that before the opener United had had just six shots worth 0.26 xG.
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