Manchester United kept their Europa League hopes intact – and a desperate season alive – with a hard-earned draw in San Sebastian, but it wasn’t pretty on a tough night at the Reale Arena.
Four days after he was in tears having had a decisive penalty saved in the FA Cup shootout against Fulham, Joshua Zirkzee fired United ahead in the second half.
But the lead didn’t last long as Mikel Oyarzabal levelled from the spot to make it all square going into next week’s second leg at Old Trafford.
United will be slight favourites after maintaining their record as the only unbeaten Champions League and Europa League team this season. But it was an unconvincing performance and there is still a long way to go before they can think about returning to Basque country in May to play in the final in neighbouring Bilbao.
After the Fulham defeat, this remains United’s last chance of a trophy and the only thing preventing their season from effectively ending in March. Winning it would mean automatic qualification for the Champions League and a £100million windfall, but first they must take care of Sociedad.
There were no surprises in Ruben Amorim’s line-up, largely because he had so little choice. With 10 players left at home injured and young striker Chido Obi ineligible for Europe, United had travelled with a 18-man squad. It included two rookie goalkeepers who were on the bench which left only five outfield players among the substitutes.
Joshua Zirkzee broke the deadlock for Manchester United against Real Sociedad on Thursday
VAR replays showed the ball hit Bruno Fernandes’ hand to give the hosts a golden opportunity to get back into the game
Real Sociedad skipper Mikel Oyarzabal then levelled from the spot with 20 minutes left to play
‘Freshness is important but we don’t have a lot of options,’ said Amorim before kick-off. ‘We are ready. In the second half we will feel it a bit, but we are excited to be here.
‘We need to be really strong. In the beginning it will be intense and we chose the team thinking about that. Possession of the ball is important. If we have it, it’s impossible to score. If we lose it in the build-up, they are really strong and fast to go to the goal. We need to improve possession.’
Sociedad were missing their best player in Martin Zubimendi, who is attracting a lot of interest from Arsenal, and came into the game following back-to-back defeats to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey and Barcelona in La Liga. The latter saw the ninth-placed team in Spain fail to score for the 12th time in 26 league games this season.
It was United who had the first effort on goal in the 12th minute. Alejandro Garnacho, whose first goal for the club came on this ground and in this competition when United won 1-0 here in November 2022, received the ball from Rasmus Hojlund as United broke and aimed a shot straight into the arms of Alex Remiro from the edge of the box.
From another break eight minutes later, Garnacho fed Patrick Dorgu but he lifted his effort high and wide from a similar position. Dorgu gave United a scare shortly afterwards when he went down with nobody near him, but was able to continue after treatment which was a huge relief given the injury situation.
Dalot had a chance to play in Hojlund midway through the half but didn’t take it, much to the annoyance of United’s £72million striker whose goal drought has now entered its 20th hour, and he made his feelings known to his teammate.
‘For Dalot not to see it is criminal,’ said former United midfielder and TNT Sports pundit Paul Scholes.
While Sociedad enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in a drab first half – 61 per cent compared to United’s 39 per cent – it was Amorim’s side who continued to pose the greater threat and their best chance arrived in the 37th minute.
Alejandro Garnacho was involved early on as United poked and probed for the opener
Patrick Dorgu gave United a scare when he went down off the ball with nobody around him
Ruben Amorim’s side have now gone 20 games without scoring a goal in the first half
Andre Onana did not face a shot on his goal prior to Oyarzabal’s penalty in the 70th minute
United keep their season alive with the draw, but it was not pretty in northern Spain at times
Casemiro and Garnacho combined on the right to give Diogo Dalot the chance to cross, and he pulled the ball back to Bruno Fernandes who was unmarked. The United skipper’s first-time effort was going in, but it hit Aritz Elustondo and Joshua Zirkzee’s follow-up attempt came to nothing.
Fernandes returned the favour in the 42nd minute, dinking a pass into the box for Dalot who rose above Nayef Aguerd to head straight at Remiro. It was just as well for the Sociedad keeper because he had strayed off his line expecting Aguerd to win the header, and his goal was exposed.
It meant that United have now gone 20 games without scoring in the first half, but at least they were in front within 12 minutes of the restart.
Once again it came from a break, Casemiro picking out Dalot’s run over halfway with a pass off the outside of his right boot. Dalot’s first touch wasn’t ideal but he brought the ball under control and fed Garnacho on the right. The Argentina winger ran at two defenders and pulled the ball back for Zirkzee on the edge of the box who met it with a sweeping first-time finish.
The shot was at the centre of the goal but Remiro’s reaction was slow and the ball flew under his body as Zirkzee celebrated only his second goal in 17 games.
But Sociedad were level in the 70th minute when VAR official Pol van Boekel spotted that Fernandes had handled with his left arm as he challenged Aguerd at a corner and advised Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak to go to the pitch-side monitor. He pointed to the spot and captain Oyarzabal stepped up to send Andre Onana the wrong way with Sociedad’s first genuine effort on goal of the night.
It could have been even worse for United when Sheraldo Becker crossed to the far post in the 84th minute and fellow substitute Orri Oskarsson only had Onana to beat, but he stabbed wide under pressure from Leny Yoro. Onana then parried from Oskarsson in added time as a tired United clung on to the end.