Marouane Fellaini scores Champions League opener against Basel (Video)

Marouane Fellaini came on for an injured Paul Pogba to score for Manchester United in their Champions League opener.

Manchester United’s Champions League campaign got off to a bad start against Swiss side Basel. Star midfielder Paul Pogba was subbed off after only 19 minutes with an injury. Jose Mourinho decided to replace his French midfielder with Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian international rewarded his Mourinho’s decision to bring him on with a goal 16 minutes later on an Ashley Young cross.

Young received the ball on his chest outside of the box with Basel defender Blas Riveros marking him along the right wing. Young moved forward towards the goal, looking for some space to attempt a cross into the box. As Young moved back toward the top of the box, he was met by with Basel midfielder Mohammed Elyounoussi who provided defensive support at the top of the box for Riveros.

Young was forced to cut back toward the goal line creating separation from the Basel defender. Once free of Riveros, Young fired a cross into the middle of the box. Two Basel center-backs followed Romelu Lukaku as he inched towards the near post. However, the defenders left Fellaini unmarked behind them and he made them pay. Basel keeper Tomás Vaclík had no chance of stopping Fellaini’s header, giving United a 1-0 lead.

The goal gave United a 1-0 first half lead and was Fellaini 17th goal for United in all competitions. Fellaini’s goal was the 50th goal he had scored for an English team. United signed Fellaini from Everton after David Moyes was named manager of the club, replacing Sir Alex Ferguson The 29-year-old had never scored in any of his 10 previous Champions League appearances. United would add another goal in the early minutes of the second half, with Lukaku heading a Daley Blind corner into the back of the net.