MU showed positive changes in the 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16.
The Europa League is the only competition left for MU to salvage this season. They still have a chance to reach the final in Bilbao (Spain) on May 22, after a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16.
The match started in a tight manner, with neither team creating many notable chances. Throughout the first half, goalkeeper Andre Onana did not even have to make a single save. MU’s best chance came in the 37th minute, when Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee (twice) had the chance to put the “Red Devils” ahead but failed.
MU accelerated after the break and opened the scoring in the 57th minute from a well-coordinated play, ending with a shot from Zirkzee. However, MU’s lead was short-lived when VAR determined that Bruno Fernandes handled the ball in the penalty area, giving Real Sociedad a chance to equalize from the 11m mark. Oyarzabal made no mistake, scoring the only goal for the home team from their first shot on target of the match.
Real Sociedad then continued to put pressure on, forcing goalkeeper Onana to make some excellent saves to keep the score at 1-1.
An acceptable draw
This was a match that left mixed feelings for MU. In the first half, the “Red Devils” proactively conceded the game to Real Sociedad, defending with a deep-lying formation. MU’s 38% ball possession rate in the first half was the second lowest figure since coach Ruben Amorim took over the Old Trafford team. In return, this approach and the 5-4-1 formation when not in possession helped MU not face any dangerous situations.
Zirkzee’s goal reflected the change in MU’s playing style after the break. However, the equalizer from a somewhat unlucky situation prevented the “Red Devils” from having a big advantage before the second leg at home.
In all respects, the 1-1 draw away from home is still considered acceptable, especially when goalkeeper Onana had to work hard in the last 15 minutes. With their recent form at Old Trafford inconsistent, Amorim’s side will need to put in a better performance to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Zirkzee’s perfectly placed goal
The first half was a fairly accurate reflection of the situation for both Real Sociedad and United, with the two sides scoring just 56 goals in 53 league games this season. United were constantly making long passes aimed at their strikers, and their best chances came from full-backs pushing forward, or transitions, especially with Real Sociedad missing Martin Zubimendi through illness.
Zirkzee’s goal was a combination of both. In the second half, Diogo Dalot moved more centrally, allowing Alejandro Garnacho to play wide on the right, while Casemiro showed more creativity in his passing.
In the 57th minute, Casemiro made a bold pass with the outside of his foot to Dalot, who was moving centrally. Unmarked, the Portuguese full-back dribbled forward before passing to Garnacho, who then crossed for Zirkzee to finish with one touch, beating goalkeeper Alex Remiro. Notably, Rasmus Hojlund provided good cover to give Zirkzee space to finish.
This type of goal has caused United to concede many times under both Amorim and his predecessor Erik Ten Hag, so it’s interesting that this time they were the beneficiaries. MU players coordinated well to create a beautiful goal, marking a positive change in coach Amorim’s approach to the match. This gives them more options to find a way to “settle” their opponents in the second leg.
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