Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 clash, with Bruno Fernandes conceding a penalty for handball that allowed the hosts to equalize.
United had taken the lead early in the second half through Joshua Zirkzee, who capitalized on a mistake from Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
However, Mikel Oyarzabal, the man who shattered England’s hopes in the Euro final against Spain, converted from the spot with 20 minutes remaining to ensure the contest remained level heading into the return leg.
With their season hinging on Europa League success, United delivered one of their strongest performances under Ruben Amorim.
However, they will rue missed opportunities, particularly in the first half. Fernandes had a shot cleared off the line, while Diogo Dalot opted not to square the ball to Rasmus Hojlund in the six-yard box, much to the striker’s frustration. Hojlund, now on a 19-game goal drought, was visibly upset with the decision.
Zirkzee’s goal came after a poor moment from Remiro, whose positioning left him unable to keep out a relatively weak effort from the edge of the area.
The game took a turn when Fernandes was penalized for handball while challenging for a header inside the box. Though the United captain felt hard done by, the decision was ultimately correct.
Sociedad had struggled to break through United’s defense, with Oyarzabal’s penalty marking their first shot on target in the match.
Despite United’s dominance, they nearly fell behind late on, as Andre Onana was called into action to make a crucial save, while substitute Orri Oskarsson squandered a major opportunity.
Amorim, whose flawless Europa League record now comes to an end, can still take encouragement from his team’s improved display.
With the second leg at Old Trafford looming, United will be determined to turn their performance into a winning result.
