Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Sociedad in their Europa League last-16 first leg clash on Thursday.
The Red Devils are enduring a woeful season and winning the competition offers their only realistic route to Champions League football. However they could not protect their lead in San Sebastian as Mikel Oyarzabal coolly converted a penalty in the 70th minute after Joshua Zirkzee had put United in front 13 minutes earlier.
The hosts came close to snatching a winner late on but Orri Oskarsson twice failed to finish, leaving the match evenly poised ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford next Thursday.
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Ruben Amorim
Reflecting on the game, United manager Ruben Amorim said, “Before the penalty I thought the team was in control, I think it [the game] changed with the penalty… we take the game to Old Trafford, we’ll try to win there. [The team] are really anxious to score goals and win games.”
Zirkzee, who broke his five-game goal drought believed his side failed to make the most of their chances. “We have to be relentless [with our] chances. We had enough of them today,” Zirkzee told TNT Sports. “Happy [to score], but in the end we have to win and we didn’t today,” he added.
The first half was a drab affair with neither side attacking with confidence. But United began the second half with more vim and eventually the breakthrough came for the away side as Zirkzee bundled home from a cross by Alejandro Garnacho.
However, the Red Devils weren’t able to enjoy their lead for too long as Bruno Fernandes was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area as he tried to clear a corner. Oyarzabal then slotted home from the spot.
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