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The Nigeria international has promised to give his best for the Goodison Park outfit in any role he is deployed
Alex Iwobi has expressed his readiness to play in any position for Everton after impressing against Fulham on Sunday.
The 24-year-old started in his familiar midfield role in the opening first half of the Toffees’ 3-2 victory over the Craven Cottage outfit.
Iwobi was then redeployed to a wingback role in the second half as Fulham attempted to launch a comeback after they were down 3-1.
The Nigerian international impressed in the right wing-back role to help Carlo Ancelotti’s side secure their fifth Premier League win of the season.
Iwobi has also played on the flanks, midfield and forward roles since teaming up with the Goodison Park outfit from Arsenal and is prepared to continue his versatility for the club.
“I am a forward-thinking player, I like to get on the ball and express myself,” Iwobi told Everton TV.
“We were able to do that quite freely in the first half and had a lot of joy. We were very good going forward and created a lot of threats and chances.
“I played right wing-back a couple of times with Arsenal, they wanted me to bomb on and, like I was doing in the first half at Fulham, get crosses in and run down the line with the ball.
“It is not something I have done a lot but anywhere I am told to play, I try to do my best. Ben [Godfrey] and James [Rodriguez] and Doucs [Doucoure] were talking to me and made it more comfortable.
“Sometimes, with my defensive position, I wouldn’t know where to be but with them helping and talking it was a lot easier.
“I will take the positives but there are still things I have to learn if I am going to play in this position, especially defensively.
“At least, for me, playing right wing-back, the manager has in his mind, I can play anywhere on the left and right and in the middle.
“Anywhere he wants me to play, I will be able to do that job. And wherever I am playing I will give 100 per cent for the club.”
Victory against Fulham helped Everton to climb to sixth spot on the Premier League table.
Iwobi is hoping the win at Craven Cottage will motivate then to perform well in the remaining games of the season, starting with their clash against Leeds United on Saturday.
“It was important for us to kick-start our season, we hadn’t won in a while so the main thing was to get that result and use it as motivation going into the next game," he continued.
“Fulham changed their tactics for the second half and made it difficult for us. But we were able to withstand the pressure and come out with three points, so it was a good result.
“We started the season really well but the past couple of games weren’t good. This will be great for us to kick on and do well for the season.”
Iwobi has made 10 appearances across all competitions for Everton this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
Having been named in the Black and Yellows’ bench against Club Brugge, the Cameroonian will be hoping to eclipse a record set in 1994
Youssoufa Moukoko will attempt to break a 26-year-old Champions League record when Borussia Dortmund take on Club Brugge in Tuesday’s Champions League Group F encounter.
The Cameroonian prodigy was named among the Black and Yellows’ 12 substitutes to battle Philippe Clement's men at the Westfalenstadion.
Should he get to feature against the Belgians, he would become the youngest player in Champions League history, in the process eclipsing Nigeria’s Celestine Babayaro’s record.
Aged 16 years and 86 days, the former Chelsea star Babayaro set the record in 1994 when he played for Anderlecht in the 1-1 draw against Steaua Bucharest.
Moukoko, at 16 years and one day, became the Bundesliga's youngest-ever debutant, playing the last six minutes as Borussia Dortmund ran out 5-2 winners against Hertha Berlin to close within a point of Bayern Munich at the summit of Germany’s elite division log.
The previous record was held by Nuri Sahin, who was 16 years and 334 days old when he made his debut for Dortmund against Nurnberg in 2005.
"I can't do anything about being good at football," the Germany youth international told DAZN. "The one who works harder gets rewarded in the end.
"It was always my dream to become a professional football player. And if you have that dream you have to chase it like a lion."
Lucien Favre’s Borussia Dortmund occupy top spot in Group F after three games.
Chelsea beat Rennes through a late Olivier Giroud header on Tuesday to secure Chelsea's qualification from Champions League Group E.
Olivier Giroud powered in a stoppage-time header as Chelsea beat Rennes 2-1 to book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare.
Frank Lampard's side won the reverse fixture 3-0 earlier this month but they were made to work a lot harder for Tuesday's victory - their sixth in a row in all competitions.
Serhou Guirassy looked to have rescued a point for Rennes when he cancelled out Callum Hudson-Odoi's first-half opener in the 85th minute at Roazhon Park.
But second-half substitute Giroud won it in added time to ensure Chelsea will progress from Group E along with Sevilla.
Timo Werner blazed over the crossbar from six yards but Hudson-Odoi, who set up that early chance, soon had Chelsea in front when he controlled Mason Mount's long pass and tucked home after 22 minutes.
Mount should have added his name to the scoresheet seven minutes later, the midfielder thwarted by a superb reaction save from Alfred Gomis.
Chelsea were denied a second when Werner - on target twice from the penalty spot in the reverse fixture - converted Cesar Azpilicueta's cross but was flagged for offside.
Rennes had lost their previous three matches in all competitions without scoring but they managed to find a way past Edouard Mendy, who joined Chelsea from the Ligue 1 side in September.
Mendy did well to save attempts from Gerzino Nyamsi and Guirassy but the latter made the hosts' pressure tell when left all alone to head in.
Just when it looked like Rennes had done enough to frustrate Chelsea, Giroud - on the field for 22 minutes - towered above Nyamsi to score a header of his own after Werner's initial shot was saved.
What does it mean? Job done for in-form Blues, Rennes miss out
Boss Lampard was eager for Chelsea to wrap up qualification at the earliest possible opportunity given his side's "brutal" December fixture list.
Giroud's late goal ensures the Blues cannot be caught by Rennes and Krasnodar, with Sevilla - late 2-1 winners over the Russian side on Tuesday - also advancing.
Lampard therefore has the luxury of being able to rotate for the remaining two group matches following this victory, which makes it 10 games without defeat.
Frustrated Giroud makes his mark
Lampard on Monday vowed to give Giroud more opportunities in the coming weeks after the striker admitted to being frustrated by his lack of playing time.
He was again a substitute here but made the most of his chance from the bench, becoming the fourth player to score for both Arsenal and Chelsea in the competition, along with William Gallas, Cesc Fabregas and Nicolas Anelka.
Chilwell's mixed bag
The left-back looked good in an attacking sense, setting up Mount's big chance in the first half and firing in a couple of shots of his own, one of those testing Gomis.
But he very nearly cost his side with a couple of blind passes and gave away possession 27 times, with Rennes midfielder Benjamin Bourigeaud the next worst culprit (22).
What's next?
Rennes travel to Strasbourg on their return to Ligue 1 action on Friday, while Chelsea have a huge derby with Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Seagulls manager shares his thoughts about losing the right-back for Saturday's Premier League tie
Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter wants the club to move on from losing Tariq Lamptey to suspension ahead of Saturday's epic Premier League clash with Liverpool.
The Ghana target was sent off in stoppage time during last week's 2-1 away win over Aston Villa for a second bookable offence.
He copped his two yellow cards within a period of two minutes, the first coming for a foul in the 89th minute and the second in the first minute of injury time for a late challenge.
“It is what it is. We have to get on with it," Cooper said, as reported by AE Daily.
“We have a squad of players and we have to adapt. At the same time, Tariq has done really well for us.
“He is an important part of what we are trying to do and I thought he was really good.
“He has got some incredible attributes we try to use the best we can.
“Don’t forget he was playing on Jack Grealish’s side, who is in an incredible moment of form.
“He is having to cover a bit of ground and I thought his teammates helped him, covered behind him well.”
Lamptey's good form for Brighton has caught the eye of Ghana football officials who have launched a strong bid to secure his international future from England.
The 20-year-old right-back, who was born to Ghanaian parents in Hillingdon, currently plays for his country of birth at U21 level.
“In fact when I was watching him [Lamptey] on TV, the first thing I did was to call a couple of people and it was clear that he will be a good player for our national team, the Black Stars,” Ghana FA Executive Council member George Amoakoh told Nhyira FM in September.
“It is not going to be easy [to get him to switch international allegiance]. The national team's department is making serious efforts to get his parents and the boy to agree to play for Ghana.
“But it's not going to be easy. I don’t want to sound like it's impossible, but it's not going to be easy.
“Most of the [Ghanaian] players born in Europe, if you want to entice them to come and play for Ghana, it is very difficult. They mostly aspire to play for their country of birth or host countries. Even their parents don’t opt for their children playing for Ghana."
Lamptey is one of two main England-born targets of the Ghana Football Association, the second being Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.
The duo teamed up for their side's first goal at Rennes on Tuesday in a game they ultimately won 2-1
Callum Hudson-Odoi has hailed the vision of Mason Mount after his Chelsea team-mate picked him out with a fantastic long pass for the club's opener against Rennes on Tuesday.
Mount collected the ball near midfield in the first half and found Hudson-Odoi with an incisive through ball, before the winger calmly finished when in alone against the goalkeeper.
The goal gave Chelsea the lead before Rennes equalised the Champions League match late through Serhou Guirassy. But substitute Olivier Giroud would grab a stoppage-time winner for the Blues to seal a 2-1 victory and a place in the last 16.
The Blues have now won six matches in a row in all competitions, but Hudson-Odoi has urged his side to keep their feet on the ground.
"Everybody is playing well at the moment but we want to keep improving," Hudson-Odoi told BT Sport.
"I need to take each opportunity I get when I'm in the team. I want to keep getting goals and assists and working hard for the team. I'm happy with the three points."
The 20-year-old saved particular praise for Mount, saying his team-mate's "amazing" vision was on full display on his 22nd-minute goal.
"I know Mason, he works really hard and presses well in the middle of the pitch so as soon as he got the ball I knew I was in front of the full-back," Hudson-Odoi said. "His vision is amazing and [I knew] he'd pick me out so I got in there and got the goal."
The Blues can now turn their focus to the Premier League, with a massive London derby coming up on Sunday against league-leaders Tottenham.
Chelsea are in third, two points behind Spurs and Liverpool, and Hudson-Odoi is feeling bullish about his side's chances of picking up all three points at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"We'll go in there trying to win, we're confident and playing well at the moment. We've got to recover well and hopefully get the win there," Hudson-Odoi said.
The two sides have already met once this season, with Tottenham coming out on top after a shootout in the Carabao Cup in September.
The Super Falcons defender has signed a one-year contract extension with the Swedish Damallsvenskan outfit
Nigeria international Faith Micheal has signed a one-year contract extension with Swedish club Pitea, Goal can exclusively report.
The development brings an end to protracted talks over her contract extension with the Damallsvenskan side following the expiration of the defender's deal.
Last week, the Super Falcons star, who turns 34 in February, had offered some positive updates regarding her future at LF Arena.
"I will play with Pitea IF. Nothing has been signed yet, but I have talked to the club and hope that we can solve everything," She told Pitea-Tidningen.
"Pitea is home to me. When you are in a place that makes you happy, there is no point in changing."
Having put pen to paper, the veteran defender, who joined the club in 2011 will be staying put at Norrbotten beyond a decade.
While confirming her contract extension to Goal, she explained her decision to remain at Pitea amid tempting offers from rival Swedish clubs.
"It's done and dusted. I have signed a new one-year deal with club (Pitea)," she told Goal.
"I choose to extend my contract with the team because I like it here, even there were also other offers."
The 2018 champions struggled for most period of the 2020 season before confirming their stay in the Swedish top-flight. This was following a final day 1-0 triumph at Orebro on November 15.
And the 33-year-old, who played the duration in all her side's 22 matches during the season, opened up on the secrets that saw her side succeeding in their long battle against relegation.
"It was not by my power but the grace of God for me to play all matches without being substituted or injured. It's a blessing," she continued.
"First, I was praying for the team believing God that no matter what, we are not being relegated but on the other hand, the harmony in the team played a vital role.
"We were not moved by the situation but told ourselves that we must stay up against all odds because many rival teams even wanted us out due to the distance and how cold the city is.
"The club's board played their part by organising fun activities like car races and some other fun games. Others from the community twice organised lunch or dinner for us as players.
"All these were done just for us to be happy, united as a team and deliver the results on the pitch.
"We got massive support, so all that was left for us to appreciate them was by working even harder and to see every match as a final.
"So out of 4 matches to end the season, we ended up winning three of them and only lost one. It's tough but ended in praise at the end."
She becomes the fifth player to sign a new deal ahead of the 2021 season after Astrid Larsson, Linnea Sehlberg, Guro Pettersen, Sofia Wännerdahl and Maja Green for Stellan Carlsson's team.
Following her extension, Micheal will unite with compatriot Anam Imo who joined from Rosengard on a three-year deal last week.
On completion of her new deal, Micheal would have played in the Swedish top-flight for 16 years since her first signing for QBIK in 2004, including a two-year stint with Linkopings.
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The midfielder pulled off an inspired assist to send Callum Hudson-Odoi away for the Blues' opening goal against Rennes on Tuesday
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was pleased to see Mason Mount play a crucial part in qualifying his team for the Champions League knockout phase, with a performance he believes answers many of the young midfielder's detractors.
The Blues secured passage to the last 16 with two games to spare on Tuesday with a tense 2-1 victory away to Rennes in Group E.
Callum Hudson-Odoi had fired his side into the lead 22 minutes in, only for the hosts to strike back towards the end through Sehrou Guirassy.
But just when it looked like Guirassy had earned his team a point, Olivier Giroud emerged to score the decisive goal deep into injury time, leaving his side assured of qualification alongside Sevilla.
Mount played a key role in Chelsea's opener with an inspired long pass that set up Hudson-Odoi for the opener, and Lampard backed his former charge at Derby County to keep shining at Stamford Bridge.
"I'm really pleased. With Mason there's been a lot of talk and any negative talk just needs to go away," the manager explained to BT Sport after the final whistle.
"I've been lucky enough to be closer to him and what he did at Derby last season has been outstanding.
"I'm not going to undermine the quality he has and when we have two No.8s he's got all the qualities - I think he can get more goals and assists. The pass for Callum Hudson Odoi's goal was top class. You saw Kai [Havertz] coming on too, we need to keep that competition.
"I actually don't speak to [Mount] too much. We have a good relationship, not as close as some think. He knows I'm here if he needs any guidance but it's the social media world, in the modern-day world we all have opinions and want different things from players.
"It should only be what I think, the players think and proper Chelsea fans think of him. The conversation just needs to move on, there's nothing to make of it."
Lampard added on Hudson-Odoi: "I'm happy. I knew he'd had a couple of good performances last week for [England] Under-21s and I know he wants more minutes.
"It's not cut and dry, he's still developing and he came off the back of a really bad injury.
"There's loads of great things about Callum and things he can improve, he's a big player for Chelsea and got a big future for Chelsea. His all-round performance was great tonight."
The veteran has played sparingly this season but his manager has insisted he is set to be a key performer moving forward
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has insisted Olivier Giroud is a major part of his plans after the striker sent the Blues into the Champions League last 16 with a late winner at Rennes.
Serhou Guirassy looked to have rescued a point for the Ligue 1 side when he cancelled out Callum Hudson-Odoi's first-half opener in the 85th minute at Roazhon Park.
But Giroud, who came on as a second-half substitute, would have the last word as he netted a header in stoppage time to give Chelsea a 2-1 win.
The 34-year-old has grown frustrated at his lack of minutes at Stamford Bridge this season, as he's made just one total start and played only 36 minutes in the Premier League.
The play of Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham has helped keep Giroud on the sidelines, with the France international looking for a move in January to gain more minutes ahead of Euro 2020.
In his press conference after the game, Lampard saluted Giroud's professionalism during what has been a difficult period.
"The things behind the scenes, everybody kind of feels from the outside to be fair what a great professional he is and how highly regarded he is by his team-mates and myself," Lampard said.
"So for him to get a goal, you saw the reaction of his team-mates, he's so professional in how he trains and looks after himself that age isn't even a factor for him. He's getting better with age if anything in terms of how he looks after himself.
"So he offers a lot for us and I keep saying it but the big schedule coming up and the way we play means I will rely on players. So thankfully for me he's a player that always keeps the right attitude if he's not playing regularly, and I know when I call upon him that he comes in as he did today."
As Chelsea get set for a busy December that will see them play eight matches, Lampard has stressed the importance of Giroud to his plans.
"It is selection issues for me," Lampard said. "We need that. We need that with playing every three days, maybe at Christmas we are playing every two days unless the schedule gets sorted out.
"With Oli, it is hard to say I have to prove it to him. I have to look at it game by game and play him to get the best for us. At the moment, Tammy is in great form as well. I think Oli knows how much I am happy with him. I hope he knows how much I rely on him.
"Every player wants to play every game and that's an impossible part of my job to keep them all happy but hopefully he knows and feels content. He got minutes, he came on today and there will be games where he starts for us as well."
The Portuguese star found the back of the net on Tuesday to bring up a milestone that only his Argentine rival has also managed
Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half strike against Ferencvaros has seen the Juventus attacker bring up his 70th home goal in the Champions League - a record haul he now shares with Lionel Messi.
After Andrea Pirlo's side went behind in the 19th minute via a goal from Myrto Uzuni on Tuesday, Ronaldo brought Juve level 16 minutes later as he fired home from distance after being set up by Juan Cuadrado.
The 35-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season in front of goal and has eight goals from just five Serie A appearances this campaign. After missing Juventus' first two Champions League group games through Covid-19, Ronaldo now has his first goal in the competition this season.
Overall, Ronaldo has struck 131 Champions League goals across just 172 games with the former Real Madrid attacker winning the competition an impressive five times to date.
The Portugal icon also recently celebrated scoring his 100th international goal as he continues to etch his name into football history for both club and country.
After seeing Ronaldo strike twice for Juventus on Saturday in a 2-0 win over Cagliari, Pirlo was quick to praise his star man and noted that he sets an example for everyone.
"He is a great professional, as we already knew," Pirlo told DAZN . "He is a real champion and sets the example for everyone around him, both in the matches and in training.
"The only advice I can give him is to keep going in the same way."
Speaking prior to the match against Ferencvaros, Pirlo was also quick to stress that Ronaldo gets no special treatment despite his importance to the Turin side.
"I treat him like I treat all the other players. I'm always available on and off the pitch," Pirlo told a press conference on Monday.
"It's easy to have a good relationship between humble people. I'm like that. I behave with him – a champion – like I do with [Gianluca] Frabotta or [Manolo] Portanova, who are two young players.
"I do the same things I was used to doing when I was a player."
The A-League side looked like they were going to seal their first ever win in the competition until a late collapse
Perth Glory have come heartbreakingly close to their first ever Asian Champions League win until a late burst from South Korean side Ulsan saw the Australians lose 2-1 in Qatar on Tuesday.
Daniel Stynes looked to have secured all three points for the A-League side as stoppage time approached, but late strikes to Kim In-sung and Junior Negrao at the Education City Stadium saw the Glory shattered.
Glory were on the back foot for most of the match, against a team that featured former Perth defender Jason Davidson at left back, with centre-half Jonathan Aspropotamitis putting in a solid shift at the back.
Richard Garcia's side defended stoutly however and they got their reward on 71 minutes when Stynes scored his first senior goal for the club with a low drive from outside the area.
Ulsan turned up the pressure in the latter stages of the match and Glory were finally overwhelmed on 89 minutes when Yoon Bit-garam brought down a cross and played it across to Kim to score the equaliser.
Despite being shellshocked by the equaliser, Glory nearly went ahead again straight after through a Bruno Fornaroli free-kick that was superbly saved by Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Su-huk.
However, in the third minute of stoppage time as both teams went for the win, the Koreans struck a decisive blow as Junior clinically volleyed home Kim's cross to go top of the group at the halfway point of the stage.
Glory have yet to get a point from their three group matches to date and will likely face elimination from the competition if they fail to defeat Ulsan in the return match on Friday.
Truter feels that his charges got carried away during their clash with Amakhosi as he reflected on the match
Kaizer Chiefs head coach Gavin Hunt was disappointed in the officiating and missed chances following his side's narrow defeat to Swallows FC on Tuesday evening.
Amakhosi suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Birds in a PSL match which was played at Dobsonville Stadium and the loss extended their winless run to five matches.
Hunt's side dominated the first-half with Philani Zulu hitting the crossbar and Daniel Cardoso's goal was disallowed as he was adjudged to have fouled Swallows goalkeeper Virgil Vries.
"Uhm obviously disappointed, I thought we did enough in the first half," Hunt told SuperSport TV.
"We had some great opportunities, scored the goal, I don't know why it was disallowed, I'm not sure. And they had one chance, they scored, I mean, yeah.
"There wasn't much threat the whole night, I didn't think there was any threat in front of us you know. So yeah, but you got to score."
Hunt explained why he introduced Bernard Parker and Njabulo Blom, who replaced Lebogang Manyama and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo with 20 minutes left.
"There [was] no defensive structure, it just becomes a game that goes from end to end," he added.
"I wanted a little bit more structure in the game, we have to try play players, you know... it is what it is. Away, try go again and come back, try again."
Chiefs, who are placed 11th on the PSL standings, will now take on Cameroonian side PWD Bamenda in the Caf Champions League match on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Swallows coach Brandon Truter was pleased to see his side improve after a poor first-half performance in the Soweto Derby encounter.
"What an awful game to watch in the first half, haha yoh! But I think it was the excitement, it's our first season back in the PSL," Truter said on SuperSport TV.
"We do have experienced guys but the youngsters were excited, got carried away by the occasion, it's Chiefs, not just another game.
"It showed, it was long ball after long ball, me and Gavin [Hunt] had a go at one another, 'what game is this we're watching?" he asked.
"But yeah we managed to settle in the second-half, calmed them down, told them to enforce the structure and keep the ball better."
Truter was happy for Mhlongo, who marked his debut for Swallows with a late winning goal which took the team to the top of the league standings.
"So yeah, second-half was better, I'm just happy for Joe [Joseph Mhlongo], came back from a long lay-off, didn't have much of pre-season," he continued.
"We wanted to give him 20 minutes, well he scored the goal. Our pressing game is low, some of the guys lost energy, the gas was gone."
Sammy Seabi, who had a good game in midfield for Swallows, was replaced by Musa Nyatama and the hosts continued to dominate the game.
"We had to make changes in the front line, also Sammy Seabi, it was his first start today, He also ran out of legs, we had to replace him," he said.
"In my opinion, at that time we were dominating and we didn't want to change much."
Swallows' next match is against Lamontville Golden Arrows in a PSL match on December 5.
Manchester United 4-1 Istanbul Basaksehir: Fernandes leads the way as Solskjaer's men close on last 16
Manchester United edged closer to Champions League progression thanks to a 4-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes was integral for Manchester United yet again as he scored a brace in Tuesday's 4-1 Champions League win over Istanbul Basaksehir, taking them a step closer to the last 16.
United had suffered a shock 2-1 defeat in Turkey prior to the international break that provided Group H rivals RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain with encouragement, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men bounced back at Old Trafford.
It was not entirely plain-sailing early on for United, who did afford Basaksehir a few chances, but the hosts were clinical in the first half as Fernandes netted twice – the first a glorious strike – to take his goal-involvement tally to 34 in 35 games for the club.
Marcus Rashford converted a penalty before United appeared a little more conservative in the second period, and Basaksehir pulled one back via a Deniz Turuc free-kick before seeing Edin Visca hit the crossbar, but the Red Devils sealed victory nevertheless as Daniel James struck a much-needed late goal.
It took United just seven minutes to begin the scoring, and they did so in style, Fernandes lashing a ferocious half-volley in off the crossbar from just outside the box after Basaksehir partially cleared a corner.
The Portugal star was in the right place at the right time 12 minutes later, on hand to tap in from close range when Basaksehir goalkeeper Fehmi Mert Gunok inexplicably spilled a routine cross.
Fernandes might have had a hat-trick just past the half-hour mark, but he allowed Rashford – who earlier had an effort disallowed for offside – to take the penalty that the England international had won following a foul by Boli Bolingoli.
United lost Victor Lindelof to an apparent injury at the break and Basaksehir quickly looked to put a bit of pressure on them, with Visca forcing David de Gea to tip a fine effort around the post.
Basaksehir enjoyed more pressure late on, with Turuc's free-kick crossing the line despite De Gea's best efforts as he became the first player to score direct from a set-piece in the Champions League against the Red Devils since March 2010.
Visca then rattled the bar from distance as United began to flag but a turnaround was beyond the visitors, with James making certain in injury time as Mason Greenwood set him up for a simple finish.
What does it mean? Job done for United as crunch matches await
A victory over Basaksehir here was the only acceptable result for United and Solskjaer given their final two group games are of course against Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain, both of whom are still desperately tussling over second place, the Ligue 1 champions having beaten the German side 1-0 on Tuesday to move level with them on six points.
Given the inconsistency United have shown this season, heading into those matches level on points with them would have given most fans feelings of unease and trepidation. Of course, they could still fail to progress even with nine points, but the odds are certainly in their favour.
Fernandes stamps his authority
It cannot be a coincidence that the biggest dip in United's performance on Tuesday came after Fernandes' exit. The Portugal star had a team-high four shots – three of which were on target – and they obviously led to two goals. On top of that, he also laid on three key passes. That was one less than Alex Telles, though the Brazilian played the full match.
Kahveci offers little
Ordinarily one of the stars of this Basaksehir team, it was a difficult day for Irfan Can Kahveci. The midfielder had just 25 touches of the ball, the fewest of his team's starting XI, he made no key passes and had hardly any presence defensively, failing to make a single tackle, clearance or interception.
Key Opta Facts
- Manchester United have won their past seven home games in European competition by an aggregate score of 24-2.
- Istanbul Basaksehir have lost their previous four away games in major European competition by an aggregate score of 12-2.
- United have scored nine goals in their two Champions League home games this season, compared to just three goals in five league games at Old Trafford this term.
- Daniel James became the first Welshman to score a Champions League goal for United since Ryan Giggs against Benfica in September 2011.
- Marcus Rashford has scored five goals in four Champions League games this season – as many as he had netted in his first 18 appearances in the competition.
What's next?
United return to Premier League action at Southampton on Sunday, before hosting PSG in the Champions League three days later. Basaksehir face Denizlispor on Saturday and then welcome Leipzig on Wednesday.
Barcelona made it four wins out of four Champions League games with victory over Dynamo Kiev thanks to Martin Braithwaite's brace.
Martin Braithwaite scored twice as Barcelona eased to a 4-0 victory over Dynamo Kiev in Champions League Group G on Tuesday.
After an underwhelming first-half display, Ronald Koeman's side took the lead early in the second period with a fine finish from Sergino Dest.
Braithwaite netted his first goal in Europe for Barca with a close-range finish from a corner before he added his second of the game from the penalty spot.
Substitute Antoine Griezmann put the gloss on the win in injury time with a clinical finish from the inside the box as Barca booked a place in the last 16 for the 17th season in a row.
Barca completed the victory without Lionel Messi, who did not make the trip to Kiev after Koeman gave him a break following a hectic schedule.
Koeman rotated his squad as he gave first starts of the season to Carles Alena, Junior Firpo and Braithwaite, while Oscar Mingueza made his first-team debut.
The side named by the Dutchman had an average age of 24 years and 206 days, which was the club’s youngest in the Champions League since 2011 and their seventh youngest ever in the competition.
A youthful Blaugrana showed early promise although Dynamo had the first meaningful attempt with Marc-Andre ter Stegen saving Carlos de Pena's scuffed shot.
Philippe Coutinho curled a free-kick wide from distance but Francisco Trincao's dipping effort, easily gathered by Georgi Bushchan, was Barca's only shot on target during a drab first half.
Koeman's side increased the tempo after half-time and soon took the lead with a well-crafted goal which saw Braithwaite slide the ball through for Dest, who crisply angled a low finish into the net.
Shortly before the hour-mark Barca added a second when Braithwaite stabbed home at the back post after Mingueza's deft flick from Alena's corner.
Braithwaite won a penalty after he was fouled by Denys Popov and the Denmark striker confidently stepped up to send the spot-kick high into the corner of the net.
Dynamo rarely threatened in the remainder of the contest while Riqui Puig missed a sitter for Barcelona late on when he fired over the crossbar.
Griezmann, a 66th-minute replacement for Coutinho, added a fourth in injury time when he swept the ball home.
What does it mean? Koeman's gamble pays off
A 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in LaLiga on Saturday was hardly the tonic Koeman was looking for after the international break.
Life has been more comfortable in the Champions League for the Dutchman, though, and this victory ensured Barca have won all of their first four group-stage games in the Champions League for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign.
Defeat against Dynamo would have meant more scrutiny on Koeman, so it was a calculated gamble to put his faith in a relatively inexperienced starting line-up. On this occasion, however, it paid off and Barca are sitting top of Group G with maximum points. Now to transfer that form to LaLiga.
Braithwaite takes his chance
Braithwaite's opportunities in a Barcelona shirt are typically few and far between, but he proved his usefulness as a reliable backup with an impressive showing. He became the second Danish player to be involved in three goals in a single Champions League game (two goals and an assist) after Nicklas Bendtner for Arsenal in 2010 (three goals) since at least the 2003-04 season.
Karavaev give a stern test by Dest
This was a game that Dynamo full-back Oleksandr Karavaev will want to forget after he was given a torrid time by Trincao, and the overlapping runs of the superb Dest. Karavaev lost possession 15 times – the second worst in Dynamo's side – and was hauled off on the hour as he failed to make a single tackle.
What's next?
Koeman will hope for a return to winning ways in LaLiga when Barcelona welcome Osasuna to Camp Nou on Sunday while Dynamo host Vorskla in the Ukrainian Premier League a day earlier.
Neymar's penalty was enough for Paris Saint-Germain to secure a much needed, but unconvincing win over RB Leipzig.
Paris Saint-Germain leapfrogged RB Leipzig into second place in Champions League Group H after Neymar's first-half penalty secured a scarcely deserved 1-0 win over the Bundesliga side on Tuesday.
Thomas Tuchel's side suffered a 2-1 defeat in Germany three weeks ago but they got their campaign back on track at Parc des Princes despite an underwhelming display.
Neymar sealed all three points from the spot after 11 minutes, with the Ligue 1 champions then failing to have another shot on target until the closing stages of the match.
The result means the two sides are level on six points after four games, with PSG ahead courtesy of a better goal difference.
Neymar opened his Champions League account for the season early on, slotting home from 12 yards after Angel Di Maria had been fouled just inside the penalty area by Marcel Sabitzer.
Leipzig midfielder Sabitzer then saw an effort deflected narrowly wide soon after, with Keylor Navas tipping over Dayot Upamecano's header from the resulting corner.
Di Maria whipped a free-kick wide of Peter Gulacsi's right-hand post after 30 minutes as the hosts ended the first half with just 37.2 per cent possession, their lowest total at half-time in a Champions League game since facing Bayern Munich in September 2017.
The visitors continued to look bright after the interval, with Emil Forsberg and Sabitzer sending efforts just wide.
Yussuf Poulsen should have done better with a header from a corner with 10 minutes remaining as Leipzig looked the more likely to score.
PSG managed to hold on and claim maximum points, though, condemning Leipzig to a second consecutive away Champions League defeat following their 5-0 thumping by Manchester United in October.
What does it mean? PSG prevail despite insipid display
It will be of grave concern to under pressure head coach Tuchel that his side looked so short of firepower, despite having Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Di Maria in his starting line-up.
Last season's beaten finalists were badly off the pace against a lively Leipzig side, who can consider themselves unlucky to be returning to Germany with nothing after having 15 shots and 62 per cent possession.
Upamecano unlucky to be on losing side
Upamecano proved exactly why so many of Europe's biggest clubs are interested in his services with another imperious display. The Frenchman won nine of his 11 duels, completed more passes (83) than any player on the pitch and gained possession a game-high 14 times.
Mbappe endures a game to forget
Mbappe scored twice against Monaco last Friday to take his tally in Ligue 1 this season to nine goals, but his struggles in the Champions League continued. The 21-year-old did not manage a shot on target in what was his eighth game in the competition this year without a goal.
What's next?
PSG will hope to return to winning ways in Ligue 1 following their 3-2 defeat to Monaco when they host Bordeaux on Saturday, while Leipzig entertain Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga on the same day.
Juventus 2-1 Ferencvaros: Morata books last-16 place as Ronaldo equals Messi record
Juventus were made to work for a victory in Turin on Tuesday, but Alvaro Morata's stoppage-time header sealed their place in the last 16.
Alvaro Morata's late header lifted Juventus into the Champions League knockout stages as Andrea Pirlo's side claimed a last-gasp 2-1 win over Ferencvaros.
It looked as though Juve would fall five points behind Group G leaders Barcelona as they toiled in Turin, with Ferencvaros' goalkeeper Denes Dibusz having made a string of fine stops.
Dibusz had been beaten by Cristiano Ronaldo's thumping 35th-minute equaliser, which cancelled out Myrto Uzuni's opener and moved the 35-year-old level with Lionel Messi on 70 home Champions League goals.
Yet it was an error from Dibusz – who made several mistakes in the reverse outing – which ultimately cost Ferencvaros a point, the goalkeeper only able to fumble Morata's header over the line in the 92nd minute.
Paulo Dybala volleyed at Dibusz with a quarter of an hour gone and Juve fell behind four minutes later – Uzuni tucking into a gaping goal after Tokmac Nguen had capitalised on Matthijs de Ligt's mistake.
Juve soon hit back and, two minutes after he saw a strike disallowed for offside, Ronaldo equalled Messi's haul of home goals in UEFA's premier competition, lashing a strike into the bottom-right corner from the edge of the area.
Ronaldo almost had his second early in the second half, but Dibusz beat him to a poor backpass.
Dibusz pulled off another vital stop on the hour, tipping Federico Bernardeschi's venomous strike onto the upright before he then denied Ronaldo a tap-in with a well-timed dive at the forward's feet.
The post came to Dibusz's rescue when Morata curled a close-range strike beyond him, but another fine stop from Rodrigo Bentancur's effort seemed to have sealed a point.
It was not to be, though, with Dibusz failing to keep out a Morata header which was directed straight at him as Juve clinched their last-16 place with two games to spare.
What does it mean? Juve through, but Bianconeri have work to do at both ends
Juve are second on nine points, eight clear of both Ferencvaros and Dynamo Kiev with two games remaining, though they must be much better if they are to progress deep into the competition.
As would be expected, Juve dominated possession (66.1 per cent) and mustered 19 attempts. While profligate finishing will be a concern for Pirlo, his side were also open at the other end, allowing Ferencvaros to have nine shots, and the hosts were fortunate only two were on target.
Morata equals his Champions League best
A move back to Juve seems to have reinvigorated Morata, though his chance looked to have gone after he hit the woodwork when one-on-one with Dibusz.
However, luck was on his side, and Morata's header now means he has netted five Champions League goals this term, equalling his best tally in the competition, which came when he helped Juve to the final in 2014-15.
From hero to zero
It was a tough break for Dibusz, who had been at his best through the game, making five saves, with the finger-tip stop to deny Bernardeschi a particular highlight.
But his concentration ultimately slipped at the vital moment, and the 30-year-old will be left to reflect on another Champions League howler.
What's next?
Benevento are Juve's next Serie A opponents, before the Bianconeri host Kiev in the Champions League. Ferencvaros go up against Barca next week.
Michael Kibwage has also stated he has nothing to prove against his former side when they meet this weekend
Sofapaka FC head coach John Baraza is confident his team is ready for the upcoming 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League campaign scheduled to start this weekend.
The 2009 champions have made several quality signings in preparation for the forthcoming season. The tactician has pointed out the players have prepared well physically and psychologically, and the former striker is confident his charges have a higher chance of winning.
"We are delighted the league is back and we shall once again be engaged on the pitch," Baraza told Goal.
"The league has always been tough regardless of the team we are playing, so we are not taking anyone lightly. We will have to give the best and take our chances; KCB are a good side and I know they will offer us stiff competition."
Brian Kayanja, Nicholas Sebwato, Cersidy Okeyo, Isaiah Wakasala, Thomas Wainaina, Ronald Okoth, and George Maelo are some of the players who parted ways with the Nairobi-based side owing to different reasons.
Batoto ba Mungu replaced them with seven new signings among them Michael Bodo, Isaac Mitima, Michael Karamor, Michael Kibwage, Michael Bodo, Kevin Omondi, Roy Okal, and Paul Kiongera.
"They are good players who will give us different dimensions when it comes to game situations," Baraza continued.
"I am confident they will give us what we lacked in the abandoned [2019/20 season] and we will be among the top teams in contesting for the league title this season."
Michael Kibwage is one of the players signed by the club in the last transfer window and he will be playing his former side, KCB.
"I have nothing to prove against them; it was their decision to let me go and I am happy at my new team," the 22-year-old centre-back told Goal on Tuesday.
"This is a game like any other; furthermore, all we want is three points, just like in the other games. It is a tight game, but we are optimistic about getting maximum points.
"It is all about giving our best and sticking to the game plan. It is not going to be an easy game for either side."
The Limpopo side lost their first match of the season last weekend and will want to get their campaign back on track
Baroka FC coach Thoka Matsimela is not reading into Orlando Pirates’ good Premier Soccer League (PSL) run, declaring that their match against the Soweto giants at Orlando Stadium on Saturday is a “must-win.”
Bakgaka started the season on an impressive note, beating Maritzburg United 2-1 and Black Leopards 3-1, before a 1-1 home draw against Golden Arrows.
But their unbeaten run was halted last weekend when they were edged 1-0 by Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, leaving Matsimela declaring war on Pirates.
“That one is a must-win for us because we cannot manage to drop points. If we do that, we are inviting the other teams down there to come and close the gap,” Matsimela told Sowetan Live.
The Baroka coach’s war cry comes as they face a Pirates side that is yet to taste defeat in all competitions this season.
What could be worrisome for Matsimela is that his team has been conceding goals in every match and their trip to Gauteng coincides with the return from injury of Pirates chief forward Frank Mhango who joins his fellow attackers Zakhele Lepasa and Tshegofatso Mabasa whose goals sunk SuperSport United last Saturday.
Matsimela however admits that his men were far from being at their best when they allowed Tshakhuma to beat them and claim their first victory of the season.
One of the weaknesses in Baroka’s game is conceding late goals and the coach said they are working on improving their concentration levels ahead of the Pirates tie.
“We didn’t play well [against Tshakhuma]. I'm not impressed about the performance we dished out,” said Matsimela.
“We tried. It is just that this thing of concentration in the dying minutes is killing us. This is the second game where we lose concentration. If you remember our match against Golden Arrows, we gave away a goal in the last 30 seconds, and we threw away two points.
“We will work on those things but this thing of concentration...we need to work more on it, talk to them, and apply those leadership skills. We learned from this, and we will try to avoid it.”