Burak Yilmaz was the match winner as Galatasaray kept their Champions League hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Group H.
The striker headed home a 54th minute corner to snare the points at the expense of the under-strength Red Devils with his fifth goal in three matches in the competition.
The hosts had the best of the chances
throughout and should have doubled their advantage when Hamit Altintop smashed the crossbar with a late thunderbolt.
The visitors rarely troubled the Turkish rearguard but could have gone in leading at the interval when Nick Powell headed against the woodwork.
The result means Galatasaray remain in second spot, level on points with Cluj, heading into the final round of matches.
The pre-match chatter inevitably centred upon the intense atmosphere a young United side would face at the Turk Telecom Arena.
The Old Trafford outfit had already secured qualification to the knockout stage on matchday four and it was no surprise that Alex Ferguson turned to his fringe players for the test in Turkey.
The absentee list read like a who’s who of United stars; Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were all missing.
It would certainly have given the hosts a huge boost in confidence ahead of kick-off and they were first on the attack on five minutes.
Burak picked up a loose pass from Phil Jones and fired in a long-ranger that Anders Lindegaard could only parry to safety.
And the striker was left frustrated again on the quarter of an hour mark when he guided a free header over the top following a dangerous cross from the left.
Next, Altintop forced the United stopper into a top-drawer save with a 30-yard strike as the hosts looked to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
The visitors had struggled to test Fernando Muslera in the Gala goal, but he could well have been picking the ball out of his net on the stroke of half-time.
Tom Cleverley’s corner found Powell at the far post where the 18-year-old was unlucky to see his thumping header cannon back off the crossbar.
United’s young side visibly grew in confidence as the contest wore on but were undone when ‘Aslan’ stepped it up after the break.
Ex-Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue picked out the superb run of Felipe Melo, only for the Brazilian to see his header brilliantly kept out by Lindegaard on 54 minutes.
However, it was the briefest of respites for the away team as Burak rose highest to thump home a header from the resulting corner.
United pressed for a leveller late on, but it was the home team who came closest to scoring when Altintop smashed the bar with a thunderous drive.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Burak Yilmaz – Galatasaray: The hitman made it five goals in his last three Champions League matches with an all-important winner. A constant menace to the United rearguard.
PLAYER RATINGS
GALATASARAY: Muslera 6, Nounkeu 6, Semih Kaya 5, Eboue 6, Hamit Altintop 7, Selcuk Inan 6, Felipe Melo 7, Riera 7, Amrabat 7, Elmander 7, Burak Yilmaz 8. Subs: Baytar 6, Emre 5, Bulut 4.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Lindegaard 6, Rafael 6, Buttner 5, Jones 6, Carrick 6, Anderson 6, Cleverley 7, Fletcher 6, Powell 6, Hernandez 6, Welbeck 6. Subs: Young 5, Macheda 5, King 4.
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