Cerezo Osaka 2-2 Manchester United - REPORT

The former Crystal Palace star struck late to salvage a draw against the J-League outfit, with Shinji Kagawa also notching having earlier missed from the penalty spot.

The summer signing from Crystal Palace struck in the dying moments of the game to rescue a draw for the visitors, with Shinji Kagawa having earlier equalised immediately after missing from the penalty spot.

Michael Carrick remained sidelined due to a groin injury, while Robin van Persie was fit to start after being taken off with a thigh strain during the 3-2 defeat to Yokohama F Marinos. 

And the Dutchman should have put United ahead inside the first minute of play when he was sent clean through after a mistake from the Cerezo centre-backs, but the striker fired straight at the goalkeeper’s feet from 12 yards out. 

Van Persie was outsmarted by the goalkeeper again ten minutes later when he picked up a neat pass from Kagawa and attempted to chip the onrushing Kim Jin-Hyeon, but the Osaka shot-stopper stood tall and managed to keep the ball out.

It was his opposite number, Anders Lindegaard, who saw the most action though, as he tipped a 20-yard effort from Jumpei Kusukami around the post, before getting down to hold onto a deflected Tomonobu Yokoyama header from the resulting corner.

However, Lindegaard was unable to prevent Osaka from taking the lead in the 40th minute after a costly error from Chris Smalling. 

The England international was caught in possession on the edge of the United box and the ball fell toKenyu Sugimoto, who turned his man and left the keeper wrong-footed with a dragged shot. 

United should have grabbed an immediate equaliser when Danny Welbeck saw his powerful effort ricochet back off the post and Van Persie, rather than score himself, pulled the ball back for an unmarked Kagawa, but the hometown hero managed to scuff the ball high over the crossbar from close range. 

Kagawa was given the chance to redeem himself from the penalty spot shortly after the restart, when Ashley Young went down easily in the box, but his tame spot-kick was tipped away by the goalkeeper. 

But just as it seemed it would not be Kagawa’s day, he managed to net an equaliser from the resulting corner in the 54th minute. Ryan Giggs fed a low cross to the near post and the midfielder squeezed the ball through Jin-Hyeon's legs from an acute angle, much to the relief and delight of every supporter inside the stadium. 

Kagawa left the pitch to a standing ovation moments later and his replacement, Zaha, almost made an immediate impact for United. 

The former Crystal Palace man tricked his way past two defenders inside the box and fired a low effort a few inches wide of the post. 

However, it was young striker Takumi Minamino who looked to have won it, as the 18-year-old restored Cerezo’s lead in the 63rd minute with a magnificent strike into the top left-hand corner from 22 yards, which left Lindegaard dumbfounded. 

United managed to rescue a draw in the final minute of play, though, when Zaha tapped home from close range after some good work from Adnan Januzaj and an unselfish pass from Anderson.

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