CSKA 1 Manchester United 1
Anthony Martial scored his first
Champions League goal to seal a 1-1 draw for Manchester United in
Wednesday's trip to CSKA Moscow.
Seydou Doumbia
put the home side ahead inside quarter of an hour after turning home the
rebound
from Roman Eremenko's saved penalty, which Martial had conceded
with a needless handball.
The France
international redeemed his error in the second half with a fine headed
equaliser " his first career goal in the competition after exactly 11
hours of action.
United dictated possession for
the majority, but it was an encounter low on quality, with CSKA diligent
in their defensive duties and the visitors too often lethargic on the
ball.
Memphis Depay " left out of the starting XI
again " was thrown on for the final 10 minutes, but the visitors could
not find the winning goal to take them level on points with Wolfsburg at
the top of the group.
Martial had an early
penalty shout waved away after tumbling under pressure, but the France
international was culpable in his own box in the 15th minute,
inexplicably raising a hand to block Mario Fernandes' attempt to keep
the ball in play.
Eremenko's spot-kick was
superbly saved by David de Gea low to his right, but Doumbia pounced on
the rebound to put CSKA ahead after a kind deflection off the
goalkeeper's legs.
De Gea rescued United on the
half-hour mark, tipping Ahmed Musa's curling effort from 30 yards over
the crossbar as Louis van Gaal's side played at a remarkably pedestrian
pace.
Wayne Rooney's flick goalwards after 33
minutes " their first shot of the match " following Antonio Valencia's
cross was blocked by Igor Akinfeev and the England captain curled wide
moments later, but United looked short of ideas against CSKA's deep
defensive line.
United continued to dominate
possession after the break but Rooney's header, from a Ander Herrera
cross, into the arms of Akinfeev from close range was their only
meaningful chance before the hour mark.
Champions
League debutant Jesse Lingard spurned a superb chance to equalise after
being played through by Herrera as his low finish towards the far corner
was hit tamely, before Eremenko fired straight at De Gea on a rare
break forward for the hosts.
Herrera was beginning
to dictate matters in the final third and the Spaniard played a crucial
role when United finally found an equaliser. His precise ball to
Valencia gave the Ecuador international room to cross for Martial, whose
excellent glancing header went in off the far post beyond the dive of
Akinfeev.
United pushed forward for a winner and
Akinfeev reacted well to parry the ball away from substitute Marouane
Fellaini after Depay's cross, but CSKA held out for a draw, keeping them
level with Van Gaal's side on four points from three games in Group B.
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