Manchester United opened their Europa League campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat against Real Sociedad. United had plenty of chances in the first half. Eriksen and Ronaldo were linking up pretty well against the away side buy they often failed to put it in the back of the net.
Just after the half hour mark, Diego Dalot put a brilliant lofted pass to Ronaldo who made no mistake to put it at the back of the net. After a close look at it, it was deemed as offside making the score line as it is.
Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez were subbed on as soon as the 2nd half began. They replaced Dalot and Eriksen respectively. Within the next ten minutes, Martinez denied Alexander Sorloth by clearing the ball away which certainly would have gone in. But a few minutes later Martinez was penalized for handball inside the box, giving the away side a penalty. After a VAR review, the penalty was given despite the fact that the ball hit Martinez’s leg and then touched his arm. It was certainly a weird and unfortunate incident for Martinez and the team as a whole.
B.Mendez took the penalty. He hit the ball to his right with quite an effort. De Gea judged the right side of the post but was unable to deny the ball from getting in and handing Real Sociedad a much undeserving goal. Academy striker Charlie McNeill came on late in the second half for his first-team debut.
MATCH DETAILS
United XI: De Gea; Dalot (Martinez 45), Lindelof, Maguire ©, Malacia (McNeill 83); Fred, Casemiro; Antony (Sancho 71), Eriksen (Fernandes 45), Elanga (Garnacho 71); Ronaldo
Subs not used: Dubravka, Heaton, Fredericson, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, Iqbal, McTominay.
Bookings: Martinez 57; Fred 83; De Gea 90.
Real Sociedad: Remiro; Gorosabel (Sola 84), Elustondo, Pacheco, Munoz; Zubimendi, Merino, Mendez (Turrientes 84); Kubo (Barrenetxea 78), Silva (Cho 65), Sadiq (Sorloth 45).
Subs not used: Illarramendi, Zubeldia, Zubiaurre, Guevara, Navarro, Gonzalez de Zarate, Karrikaburu.
Goals: Mendez (p) 59.
Bookings: Silva 60; Munoz 70; Turrientes 89.
