CSKA Moscow vs. Manchester United: Winners and Losers from Champions League Game
Anthony Martial scored in the second half as Manchester United claimed a 1-1 draw Wednesday at CSKA Moscow in a UEFA Champions League Group B match at the Arena Khimki.
The visitors dominated possession throughout the night but had to chase the result after Seydou Doumbia gave CSKA a 15th-minute lead. The goal came from a rebound after David De Gea had saved Roman Eremenko's penalty.
The score remained 1-0 until the 65th minute, when Martial headed in Antonio Valencia's cross for the equalizer. United continued to dominate possession thereafter but could not find a winner.
Up next, the same two teams meet again on Matchday 4, Nov. 3, at Old Trafford. Both sides have four points through three matches and trail Group B leaders Wolfsburg by two points.
Here, B/R selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner and Loser: Anthony Martial
1 of 5
Anthony Martial scored the all-important equalizer for Manchester United, ensuring the Red Devils would leave Russia with at least a point Wednesday night after falling behind in the first half. The 19-year-old will be especially pleased with the strike because it was his first in the UEFA Champions League.
And why not? It was a good goal, with Martial showing great positioning to head Antonio Valencia's cross in off the post.
But Martial also conceded a penalty in the first half with a foolish handball, and so he can't be considered solely a winner in this article. In fact, apart from the goal, Martial largely struggled to make an impact on the match from a wide attacking position.
But when he had a chance, the teenager scored a fine goal that turned out to be crucial for his side.
“Anthony Martial didn’t let his head go down, which can happen after the penalty, and he scored a great goal," United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin told BBC Sport. "Then we pushed on and gave everything and couldn’t get the second goal which was a shame.”
Winner: Seydou Doumbia
2 of 5
Seydou Doumbia netted the opener for CSKA with an alert play following a saved penalty in the 15th minute.
United goalkeeper David De Gea pushed Roman Eremenko's spot-kick on to the bar before attempting to kick the ball clear, but Doumbia read the situation perfectly, reacted quickest and fired in from close range to give his side the lead.
The finish was deceptively difficult. After beating Phil Jones to the ball, Doumbia had a tough angle from which to shoot. But replays showed that the Ivorian wrapped his foot around the ball expertly to make the shot appear easy.
Winner: David De Gea
3 of 5
David De Gea was unable to keep out Seydou Doumbia's rebound, but the Manchester United goalkeeper deserves credit for making a fine save on the original penalty, as well as for another good stop later in the first half.
First, in the 15th minute, the Spaniard dived to his right to redirect Roman Eremenko's penalty on to the post with a superb fingertip save. Then, 15 minutes later, he made an acrobatic stop to keep out Ahmed Musa's ambitious curler from long distance.
It's nothing new to say that De Gea is a top-class goalkeeper. The Spaniard showed it yet again Wednesday night.
Loser: Possession
4 of 5
United held 67 percent of possession against CSKA Moscow, per UEFA.com but threatened the hosts' goal rarely and scored just once.
The visitors' best spell of the match came after halftime, when they raised the tempo and attacked CSKA with balls played directly into the box. For most of the rest of game, however, United struggled to create much danger.
In this game, dominance in possession did not translate into dominance on the scoresheet. Who's to blame? Well, that depends.
Was Louis van Gaal right to leave Juan Mata on the bench? The Spaniard has been United's most potent attack threat in the Champions League this season, creating more chances than any of his teammates, per Squawka.
Was Van Gaal right to persist with Rooney in the middle, sending Anthony Martial out to the flank? Rooney was ineffective again, and Martial wasn't able to influence the match as well on the flank as he can in the middle.
In the end, a draw in Russia was a decent result for United. But in order to top the group, Van Gaal will have to coax a better attacking performance from his side.
Winner: Group B
5 of 5
Halfway through the fixture list, Group B is shaping up quite nicely. All four teams have a chance to qualify for the knockout stage, with just three points separating first place from last.
Wolfsburg currently top the group with six points, having beaten PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night. Manchester United and CSKA Moscow are level on four points, while PSV are fourth with three points.
Matchday 4 will feature the same matchups as Wednesday night, only with the roles of host and visitor reversed. In such a tight group, every result matters, and every match is potentially pivotal.
