Europa League Last 16, first leg: Real Sociedad 1 (Oyarzabal 70 pen) Manchester United 1 (Zirkzee 57)
In the end, two outstretched hands were decisive. The first, from Bruno Fernandes, probably denied Manchester United a victory; the second, from André Onana, definitely denied Real Sociedad one.
After a first half low on quality, Manchester United gave themselves a first-leg lead against Real Sociedad when Joshua Zirkee guided a side-footed shot beyond Alex Remiro that had appeared to set them up not just for a win but potentially one big enough to virtually see them through.
But an eagle eye and a video replay gave Real a penalty that allowed them to draw level and in the very last minute, they almost added a second.
Ultimately, a 1-1 draw is not a bad result for United to take from a night when they did not always impress, but it will have frustrated them and it offered little evidence of them having overcome their most pressing problems. Instead it revealed some of the flaws, epecially in the first half.
The game began with United’s players running into the left corner and waiting for a long, largely aimless punt in their rough direction, and for much of the opening period that felt like it had set the tone a little. More, certainly, than Onana’s neat little drag back to escape Mikel Oyarzabal a few seconds later. United’s first shot was a slightly scuffed effort from Alejandro Garnacho after 10 minutes. Soon after that, Fernandes looked up, appealed for some movement and struck a long diagonal out of play.
The game was slow and cautious and not particularly precise. Real Sociedad had more of the ball, which United didn’t seem to mind; not least as the game only really accelerated when Take Kubo took possession and those were only fleeting glimpses.
When Beñat Turrientes came inside and took aim, he slipped and the shot dribbled apologetically wide. At which point, the referee, Ivan Kruzliak, pointed at his watch and told Onana to hurry up. They had been playing only 18 minutes, and this already felt like it was dragging.
That Real Sociedad had more of the ball did at least offer United the space to run into and Noussair Mazraoui released Diogo Dalot up the right. Rasmus Højlund was screaming for it, first time, inside the area but instead Dalot slowed, turned back and went to Garnacho instead. Crowded out now, the space closed, the ball was eventually worked to Patrick Dorgu who sliced well over. Højlund made his displeasure very visible. The next time Dalot had it, he gave it away, and immediately after that so did Dorgu.
Half an hour had gone and Real Sociedad’s fans start singing. Because, well, someone might as well try to make this fun. United’s fans joined in. “Hello, hello,” they began. Put a question mark at the end of that and it would be pretty appropriate. Was there anybody out there? Not really. Only, that was when the chance came. A superb pass released Dalot and he pulled it back for Fernandes, by the penalty spot. His shot was blocked by Aritz Elustondo, Zirkee’s first follow up hit Remiro’s legs and his second sliced wide, something a little comic in how it had all unravelled.
What was it Ruben Amorim had said about United’s difficulties scoring? “There are things that are hard to explain. Sometimes it’s luck.” Sometimes it is; other times, though, it is just not that good. When Fernandez lifted a lovely ball into the area and Dalot got behind the defence, the contact on the header was not clean and it dropped harmlessly into Remiro’s arms.
United were, though, starting to get chances and they became clearer and more frequent as the second half began, red shirts beginning to stream through the middle of the pitch. The goal was not far away.
A smart pass from Fernandes and a neat flick from Zirkzee set up Dorgu to drive the ball right the way across the six-yard box, through four men, Højlund included. The ball reached Garnacho at the far post; he should have scored but hit the side netting. Next, a lovely clipped delivery from Casemiro allowed Fernandes to set up Garnacho for another effort. And then United were away again. This time, Casemiro and Dalot began the run. Receiving on the right, Garnacho drew in three defenders and played it across the face of the area where Zirkzee struck it first time, side footed through Turrientes’s legs and past Remiro.
All that had happened within eight minutes of the restart and a moment later Garnacho hit the side netting again, United were entirely in control now, the only doubt how many more they might add. Or so it seemed. Real Sociedad had not managed a shot on target; the first time they did, it was from the penalty spot and they were level. In the VAR room, they had spotted a Fernandes handball. Mikel Oyarzabal beat Onana, and Real Sociedad were alive, suddenly back in this and looking for more than a draw.
Onana had to dive to push away a superb, swinging Brais Méndez shot and then la Real should have gone ahead when two substitutes combined, Sheraldo Becker’s perfectly weighted delivery across the area reaching Orri Óskarsson who, six yards out and with the outside of his right foot when he might have used his left, somehow put the ball wide. The next time Becker got it, he did the same; this time, Matthijis de Ligt slipping but somehow scrambling it away with Óskarsson waiting behind him. United were on edge and when Oyarzabal’s lovely pass set up Óskarsson on 93 minutes, they need Onana to fly to their rescue.
