Real Sociedad and Manchester United draw 0-0 inChampions League

(Xinhua) 10:19, November 06, 2013

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Real Sociedad and Manchester United drew their Champions League tie in the AnoetaStadium 0-0 on Tuesday night in a result which will please the English side much morethat the Basques.

Although the draw means Real Sociedad have taken their first point in the competition andmathematically they still have a chance of reaching the last 16 of the competition, thereality is they need a miracle to even finish third in the group and qualify for the EuropaLeague in the New Year and the home fans will be disappointed by a seeming lack ofambition from their side over the 90 minutes of the game.

Both sides began confidently with Manchester United happy to play the ball in their ownhalf and wait for the chance to hit the Basque outfit on the break and they almost got theirreward when Patrice Evra crossed for Shinji Kagawa, who is now getting more time on thepitch from coach David Moyes.

Claudio Bravo not called on to make a serious save despite Manchester United's confidence,although he had to be attentive to block a dangerous Kagawa cross.

The home side's best chance of the half came just ahead of the half hour when ImanolAgirretxe slipped when presented by a opportunity thanks to the good work of DavidZurutuza.

Real Sociedad looked to open the full width of the pitch in an open game and just before thebreak Alberto De la Bella saw a shot go just wide of the David de Gea's left hand post.

Real Sociedad had been guilty of being timid in the first half but came out of the blocks inthe second period with a clear desire to try and take control of the game with an ambitionwhich had been lacking in the first 45 minutes.

However, it was United who missed the best chance of the game so far when JavierHernandez sent Kagawa's cross over the bar from inside of the six yard box.

The English side appeared to be playing with one eye on their game this coming weekendand with 25 minutes remaining David Moyes replaced the ever-dangerous Wayne Rooneyand Hernandez with Robin Van Persie and Ashley Young and their first act was to combinefor Van Persie to hit the post with a left foot shot.

Manchester United were generously given a penalty with just over 20 minutes to go whenYoung took advantage of a slightest of touches from Markel Bergara to fall to the ground,but Bravo was the hero with a fine save to deny Van Persie and keep his side in the game.

At the other end Carlos Vela went close with his chest as he tried to deflect Xabi Preito'sshot, but Real Sociedad coach Jagoba Arrasate looked to have given up the ghost when hereplaced forwards Agirretxe and Griezmann with Chori Castro and Haris Seferovic, whowas booed by the home fans after a gesture he made to them at the weekend.

Marouane Fellaini was sent off for United in the last minute, but even with a player lessagainst them, the home side seemed almost scared to try and win the game althoughSeferovic wasted a half chance when his control let him down.

（Editor：WangXin、Gao Yinan）