Real Sociedad 0 Manchester United 0
David Moyes might be getting his message through to Manchester United but Ashley Young remains deaf to his warnings about diving. The England international produced another theatrical tumble to win United a penalty at Real Sociedad but justice was served when Robin van Persie struck a post with the spot-kick. The controversy should not have been necessary to give United a rare victory in Spain.
United missed a glaring chance through Javier Hernández, hit a post through Van Persie and also had Marouane Fellaini sent off in the 90th minute for a second bookable offence as they stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches to remain in a comfortable position in Group A. Fellaini had flirted with trouble for an hour as the £27.5m signing again struggled to impose himself in midfield but it was Young’s theatrics that left the sourest taste. Moyes spoke to the winger following a dive against Crystal Palace earlier in the season but that instruction has clearly not got through.
The Champions League has brought respite for Moyes in his early days as United manager and this was an opportunity to improve the club’s poor European record on Spanish soil. For a club with a rich European tradition, United have only a meagre return from Spain, two wins from 21 trips prior to meeting with Sociedad, while the Premier League champions had not won away in Europe since beating Braga 12 months ago. Improving those statistics was the collective challenge and there were several individual tests to be overcome too, with Fellaini, Hernández and Shinji Kagawa all handed a starting role. Adnan Januzaj was omitted from the 18-man squad altogether and Van Persie rested on the bench with Sunday’s game against Arsenal at Old Trafford in mind.
Hernández, his United future under scrutiny in the absence of a regular starting role, made an immediate impression on Sociedad’s Iñigo Martínez and was somewhat fortunate an elbow into the central defender’s face was deemed accidental. The Mexico international clearly checked where Martínez was before raising an arm into the player whose own goal decided last month’s match at Old Trafford and left the Basque club pointless in Group A. Sociedad’s players did not stage much of a protest, although there were piercing whistles around the Anoeta stadium when Wayne Rooney escaped a booking for felling Martínez later in the half.
Of the three United starters under pressure to stake their claim for more regular football it was Kagawa who stood out as the visitors made a composed start. The left wing may not be the ideal platform for the Japan international to showcase his strengths but he was prominent in all of United’s chances in the first half and the only visiting player who threatened to unlock the home defence. Not that there was an abundance of chances or incident before the interval.
Kagawa linked well with Patrice Evra down the left and a slick combination between the pair, plus a flick from Rooney, presented the midfielder with the first opportunity of the night. His low shot deflected wide of Claudio Bravo’s goal but the Sociedad keeper was forced to act when Kagawa released a powerful drive from the corner of the area after more good work from Rooney. Kagawa turned provider when he beat Carlos Martínez to the byline and sent an inviting cross towards Hernández at the near post only for Inigo Martínez intercepted well. For all of United’s control in the first half, that was the sum total of the threat they brought.
Considering Jagoba Arrasate’s team had to win to guarantee that their Champions League interest remained alive Sociedad were strangely subdued in the opening exchanges. The home side were second best in the challenge and careless on the ball, but finally found their rhythm as the game progressed to stretch the United defence.
Imanol Agirretxe shot harmlessly wide when unmarked on the penalty spot from David Zurutuza’s cross, although the delivery was slightly behind the Real striker, and David de Gea made an unconvincing attempt to punch a Carlos Vela cross as Sociedad ended the first half strongly. The former Arsenal player was then released in behind Evra but was foiled inside the area by a fine Nemanja Vidic challenge as he waited in vain for support from Agirretxe. Alberto de la Bella also went close having cut inside Antonio Valencia on the left, though de Gea had the full-back’s effort well covered.
Sociedad continued where they left off after the break but it was United, and Hernández, who should have made the breakthough with their first response. Almost inevitably Kagawa was at the heart of the chance, toying with Carlos Martinez at right back before threading the ball through three defenders across goal. Hernandez arrived unmarked behind the last man but, with the goal gaping, somehow skied his left-foot shot high over the bar from six yards. The striker immediately turned to look for an offside flag, as though it could lessen his embarrassment, but it stayed down.
Hernández and Rooney were withdrawn shortly afterwards and the switch immediately injected greater urgency into United’s play. The introduction of Van Persie and Young allowed Kagawa to move into his favoured central role behind the Dutchman and the midfielder, rightly denied a penalty following a fair challenge by Mikel González that brought appeals from Moyes, continued to shine. His first act in the central role was to release Young down the left. Young swept the ball across the Sociedad goalmouth and Van Persie, like Hernández before him, arrived unmarked only to hit the outside of the post from a difficult angle.
Moments later the Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli stunned the Anoeta by awarding United a penalty when Young responded to a slight pull by Markel Bergara with one of his dying swan acts. Justice was served superbly as Bravo threw himself to the left and foiled Van Persie’s penalty with a stunning save.
