Report: Cadiz 4 United 2

Wednesday 07 December 2022 21:22

Manchester United's first warm-up match for the restart of 2022/23 may have ended in defeat, but it was very much a worthwhile exercise as 21 members of Erik ten Hag's travelling squad gained valuable minutes on the pitch.

The manager changed all of his outfield line-up at the interval, with only goalkeeper Martin Dubravka completing the full 90 minutes at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla where goals from Carlos Garcia and Choco Lozano in the first period and Ruben Sobrino and Tomas Alarcon in the second gave our hosts Cadiz their 4-2 victory.

Anthony Martial replied from the penalty spot midway through the opening half, and Academy midfielder Kobbie Mainoo made his mark by equalising just a few minutes after coming on at the break.

The fluid build-up to both goals will have pleased Ten Hag and no doubt there will be other positive moments, as well as areas for improvement, to pore over as he takes his squad back onto the training pitch in the next few days ahead of another friendly, against Real Betis on Saturday (17:00 GMT) which will also be shown live on MUTV.

Highlights: Cadiz v United Video

Highlights: Cadiz v United

Watch the key moments from the first match of our winter training camp in Spain, against Cadiz...

The Reds got off to a bad start, falling behind in only the eighth minute from a set piece. Alex Fernandez took a short free-kick on the right-hand side and when possession was returned to him by Ivan Alejo, the Cadiz captain whipped in a cross to the far post where young defender Carlos Garcia stooped to head the ball past Dubravka from inside the six-yard box. 

Six minutes later, the deficit was doubled. Good work by Brian Ocampo set Fernandez free on the left flank and when his low delivery into the box was stepped over by former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo, Honduras international Choco Lozano hammered home a first-time finish.

Between the two Cadiz goals, Anthony Martial forced the first save from the hosts' goalkeeper Jeremías Ledesma, who dived left to push away the Frenchman's effort and keep his side in front. But our no.9 would not be denied when the pair next eyeballed each other, after referee Jesus Gil Manzano awarded United a penalty.

The incident was preceded by Anthony Elanga driving at the Cadiz defence with electric pace on the left side, only to be upended outside the area. Play was allowed to continue and seconds later, Zidane Iqbal's clever one-two with Martial enabled him to break into the box where he was hauled down by centre-back Luis Hernandez. Martial stepped up and dinked his spot-kick calmly down the middle, Panenka-style, to give the Reds a foothold in the contest after 21 minutes.

Garnacho and Elanga carried a greater threat from the flanks as the half unfolded but United would have to wait until after the break, when Ten Hag replaced all 10 outfield players, to create another clearcut chance. 
That came just three minutes into the second period as the fresh young legs sent on by the Reds manager combined to deadly effect. Shola Shoretire fed Marc Jurado with a short corner on the right and the Spanish right-back provided the assist for Mainoo, who turned and twisted inside the area with the ball at his feet before unleashing a fierce shot that beat Ledesma via a helpful deflection.

It was a wonderful moment for Mainoo, a key member of United's FA Youth Cup-winning side last season, and it augured well for the remainder of the game and indeed the rest of this training week in Spain.

However, the hosts had other ideas. It was if they had felt indignant at being pegged back by a much younger XI when Congo international Theo Bongonda cut inside from the right wing and used his left foot to fizz the ball into the six-yard box, where 30-year-old forward Ruben Sobrino was waiting to convert the simplest of chances. Dubravka and his defenders understandably appealed for offside, but with no VAR in operation, their protests were in vain.

The dangerous Bongonda registered his second assist after breaking up an attempt by United to play out from the back. Cadiz's no.10 slipped a pass into the path of Tomas Alarcon and the Chilean midfielder, a half-time substitute, smashed his strike past Dubravka to make the final score 4-2.

Ten Hag: We will draw a line and move on

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Erik says he and his side will not dwell on the defeat to Cadiz.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Dubravka; Wan-Bissaka (Jurado 46), Mengi (Bernard 46), Lindelof (Fredericson 46), Williams (Murray 46); McTominay (c, Savage 46), Iqbal (Mainoo 46); Elanga (Emeran 46), van de Beek (Hansen-Aaroen 46), Garnacho (Shoretire 46); Martial (McNeill 46).

Subs not used: Bishop, Heaton, Hugill, Hardley, Bennett, Gore, Oyedele.

Goals: Martial 21, Mainoo 48.

Cadiz: Ledesma (Gil, 45), Spatz (Iza Carcelen 45), Hernandez (Jose Mari 45), Garcia (Fornes 74), Arzamendia (Espino 45), Alejo (Liebanas 45), Alcaraz (Bongonda 45), Alex Fernandez (Lucas Perez 45), Ocampo (Sobrino 45), Lozano (Gimenez 38; Bastida 84), Negredo (Alarcon, 45).

Goals: Garcia 8, Lozano 14, Sobrino 57, Alarcon 77.

Iqbal: We are all still learning

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Zidane insists he and his United team-mates will take the positives from our friendly defeat to Cadiz.

NEXT MATCH: REAL BETIS V UNITED

Saturday's game (KO 17:00 GMT) will be shown live on MUTV*, which can be accessed via the United App on the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, on ManUtd.com or via the following connected TV platforms: Samsung Smart TVs, Android TV, LG Smart TVs, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV and Xbox.

*Live MUTV coverage will not be available in Spain due to broadcasting restrictions.

Match videos:

  • Matchday Review: Cadiz v United Video

    Matchday Review: Cadiz v United

    Watch our post-match analysis, following United's friendly match against Cadiz...

  • 90 in 20: Cadiz v United Video

    90 in 20: Cadiz v United

    90 in 20 | Watch the extended highlights of our winter friendly against Cadiz...

  • Ten Hag: It was a good lesson Video

    Ten Hag: It was a good lesson

    Erik ten Hag believes the 4-2 loss to Cadiz will help his side improve moving forward...

  • Iqbal: It's been a great experience so far Video

    Iqbal: It's been a great experience so far

    Despite United's loss to Cadiz, Zidane Iqbal says our winter training camp is teaching the Reds valuable lessons...

  • Watch Mainoo's goal v Cadiz Video

    Watch Mainoo's goal v Cadiz

    Kobbie Mainoo makes his competitive debut against Charlton. Watch his goal from the friendly with Cadiz...

  • Martial's deft chip Video

    Martial's deft chip

    We've seen a few Panenkas this week, but have any been better than Anthony Martial's? Watch the video and decide...