Manchester United faced a Real Sociedad side who had won 12 of their previous 15 games in all competitions, however United knew that they needed to get at least two goals to finish above the team from the Basque Country to finish top of Group E.
Sociedad started strong as they pressed United and forced them into making some mistakes but this United team kept their composure, playing Ten Hag’s football.
Through that, a goal came from Argentinian international Alejandro Garnacho who received the ball from a Cristiano Ronaldo pass which the youngster converted into a goal using his weaker left foot.
A first senior goal for the Madrid-born player as United looked to get that vital second goal. Ronaldo came close to adding that second goal just before halftime as a lofted shot went over the bar which many thought the Portuguese were offside.
The last bit of action before the first half ended was when David De Gea was forced into making a double save, the first from an outside-of-the-box half volley from right back Gorosabel and the second straight after from Marin which De Gea saved with his head.
We move on and we keep going after our goals this season! Thanks to our supporters that never give up on us!👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/KPXpPz2Jng
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) November 3, 2022
Both teams’ defenses were more open in the second half with United changing to a three at the back which Ten Hag use to do at Ajax when he needed to get a big goal. Club captain Harry Maguire was brought on as a striker to add more height in the Sociedad box but the last chance came when Ronaldo flicked the ball onto Casemiro who couldn’t get his shot away early but it was blocked in the end as a flurry of chances in the same play were blocked by the blue and white army.
“You do not always get what you deserve. I think tonight that is the fact. I think we played a good route in the group, we win five times, only one defeat and the defeat is by a penalty where you can have discussions.” That was Erik Ten Hag’s response to why the win was not enough.
United finishing second means that they will face any of these teams in the round of 32: Ajax, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, RB Salzburg, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Lisbon.