Real Sociedad founded a nice balanced second stage of their Europa League Last-16 draw, because Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty yielded a 1-1 home stretch against Manchester United.
Joshua Zirkzee broke the impasse for the visitors, but Bruno Fernandes was punished for a handball in the box, with the resulting spot kick repair parity.
United had the better chances in the first half and should have demonstrably had a quiet lead. Diogo Dalot chose Fernandes at the penalty spot, but his first effort was blocked on the line, before Alex Remiro Zirkzee denied, who then flashed the rebound wide.
The visitors quickly came out of the blocks in the second half, with Alejandro Garnacho in the side-Kletse shot before Zirkzee broke the impasse. The run of Rasmus Hojlund opened the space excellently, with the Dutchman Curling Garnachos Cross in the first time.
However, La Real got a lifeline against the Run of Play. Fernandes jumped to erase his lines, but the ball hit his raised arm, with a VAR review that the Spot kick saw.
Oyarzabal stepped up Cool from 12 meters, stuttered his run -up to Andre Onana, before he curled his punishment on the left and sent the goalkeeper in the wrong way.
La Real searched late for a winner, with Onana who made smart saves to deny Brais Mendez and Orri Oskarsson, who had previously seen a poked shot of the post from the post very close.
We have been held into a draw in San Sebastian, but it is all to play in the second stage #mufc || #Uel
– Manchester United (@manutd) March 6, 2025
Data debrief: On the spot
United remains unbeaten in the Europa League under Ruben Amorim, but the Red Devils may feel somewhat loudly done by the criminal decision.
It was the third fine given away by Fernandes for United in all competitions and his second in the Europa League, which had also admitted one against Barcelona in February 2023.
Oyarzabal then made no mistake of the place, so he set his 11th goal in the large European competition for La Real, more than any other player for the club.
United had the better chances in the first half, but again had trouble making their chances. After scoring in the first half of each of Amorim's first three games that are in charge, they have now done this alone in three of the 21 outings since then.
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