Cadiz vs. Manchester United: Manchester United were defeated 4-2 by Cadiz of La Liga in the first two mid-seasons friendlies.
A highly rotated United team struggled in the first half, going two goals down early and clawing one back before the intermission. The second half saw a lot younger XI go to the field, and despite moments of brilliance, Cadiz battled back for a triumph.
After not playing in over a month, Manchester United returned to the field in the only manner they could be losing from a set piece after eight minutes. Cadiz changed the angle of a deep free-kick, and Carlos Garcia sneaked in under the leaping Victor Lindelof to head past Martin Dubravka for a 1-0 lead.
United found themselves 2-0 down just as they were getting their bearings and shaking off the cobwebs. Cadiz regained control and pieced together a counterattack along the right wing by carrying many people forward. Aaron Wan-Bissaka could not make a tackle on Alex Fernandez, who quickly squared for Anthony Lozano to score.
United equalized after 21 minutes with a penalty kick. Zidane Iqbal worked his way into the 18-yard box and was taken down before Anthony Martial scored with his best Achraf Hakimi imitation from 12 yards.
After a frantic first quarter-hour, with United getting into a rhythm of continuous possession and Cadiz attempting to respond. Ten Hag’s team played well in periods, with some wayward passes and soft touches to be anticipated.
However, they weren’t always flexible and often switched wingers to create a more consistent routine. Cadiz never seemed too stretched and always had an outlet when attacking down United’s right side, allowing them to take the lead at half-time with the Red Devils stuck in second gear.
The second half saw wholesale changes, with United’s XI roughly approximating the one that won the FA Youth Cup last season. Kobbie Mainoo, a fan favorite at United, equalized nearly immediately after the interval, cutting inside and curling low into the far corner with his left foot.
But their inexperience started to show as Cadiz reclaimed the initiative, dominating possession, dictating the pace, and regaining the lead shortly before the hour mark. Ruben Sorino got on the end of a terrific in-swinging cross that caught United’s youthful backline off guard as they attempted to play offside.
Ten Hag’s much-changed and suddenly very young squad performed better in the closing 20 minutes or so. Their form was excellent, and they burst through the Cadiz press many times, putting together slick passing combinations. However, they were penalized for a turnover on the ball with less than 10 minutes remaining when Tomas Alarcon made it 4-2.
Ten Hag will be more concerned with the first-team players’ poor start and how they react against Real Betis at the weekend, with enough for the younger generation to learn from in a fantastic chance to put on the United jersey.
Manchester United player Ratings (4-2-3-1)
Martin Dubravka, goalkeeper – 5/10 Nothing could be done to prevent either of the two early goals. However, it was hardly the most compelling performance; nervy in spells. The lone player who survived the frenzy of half-time substitutions.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – RB – 4/10 – The ring rust was visible. Cadiz’s second should have been closer to Fernandez, but he was still severely constrained when attacking.
Teden Mengi – 4/10 – CB A first appearance for United’s senior squad since January due to injury issues, but not the one he had hoped for. Mengi seemed to be out of his depth.
Victor Lindelof – 4/10 – CB You’d expect a lot more from Lindelof as the senior guy on defense. It’s not a performance that will push him back ahead of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.
LB: Brandon Williams – 5/10 – Tried to invert when United had the ball, but having two right-footed players on the left side at all times made it difficult.
Zidane Iqbal, CM – 7/10 He took his opportunity once again, just as in pre-season. Always eager to get on the ball and impact the game. An assured and mature performance.
6/10 CM: Scott McTominay Could’ve done more to get back in for Cadiz’s second goal, but it wasn’t all his fault. The pacing was ideally dictated.
RW: Alejandro Garnacho – 6/10 – United’s last scorer before the World Cup seemed frantic for a way into the game, switching sides constantly, but couldn’t find one.
Donny van de Beek – 5/10 – AM Not helped by sloppy passing around him in the first half, but he didn’t take the game by the scruff of the neck as supporters may have wanted.
LW: Anthony Elanga – 4/10 – Struggled to adjust to the fast pace of play, which damaged United. He is offside, unable to kill passes with his first touch and pick them out moving forward.
ST: Anthony Martial – 7/10 – Crisp penalty. After then, the play was quite good. United must maintain this player fit for the remainder of the season. Erik, wrap him with bubble wrap.
Substitutes
Marc Jurado – 6/10 – Foolhardy to attempt to get Cadiz offside; should have cleared the cross nonetheless. He’ll benefit from it. After that, he picked up and showed a willingness to go ahead.
6/10 – Di’Shon Bernard is A forgotten name among Manchester United supporters. Given the time constraints, the display is composed.
Tyler Fredericson – 5/10 – There is nothing noteworthy to report.
Sam Murray – 5/10 – Pressed well on the left flank, complementing Shoretire in front of him. However, naive defensively – there is plenty to learn and improve on.
7/10 – Kobbie Mainoo That’s how you create an impression. Minutes after being introduced, the highly regarded 17-year-old demonstrated his superb talent with a well-taken goal.
Charlie Savage – 6/10 – grew in stature and was the calmest in possession.
Noam Emeran – 6/10 – Drifted in and out of the game, yet he may be proud of his performance.
6/10 – Isak Hansen-Aaroen Lots of great tattoos and a couple of excellent ball touches. That’s pretty much it.
5/10 for Shola Shoretire There are glimpses of what he’s capable of, but no outstanding moments. I messed up a lot.
5/10 – Charlie McNeill Wasn’t hesitant to dive for the ball and attempt late, penetrative runs but was entirely devoid of service.
Manager Erik ten Hag – 6/10 – Difficult game to evaluate the manager on, with so many changes and the primary goal being to match sharpness. It was nice to see him give so many young players a chance, and he encouraged his squad to take up a dominating form on the ball.
