Match report
Anyway, the Europa League action keeps on coming ... so may I politely turf you out of this MBM, and send you running into the loving arms of Paul Doyle and Simon Burnton, who are taking turns to show you a good time as Wolves, Rangers, Arsenal and Celtic get their gamefaces on. Thanks for reading!
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That result isn’t too costly for United, who had already qualified for the knockout stage. But it does mean AZ Alkmaar can leapfrog them into first place in Group L tonight. The Dutch side host Partizan Belgrade this evening, and a win would put them on 11 points, one ahead of United. But whatever happens, United still have their fate in their own hands: they welcome AZ to Old Trafford on 12 December to sort out what’s what.
FULL TIME: Astana 2-1 Manchester United
The champions of Kazakhstan have beaten the kids of Manchester United. Astana didn’t turn up in the first half, but they came out resurgent in the second, and experience proved too much for youth in the end. Mind you, had Tahith Chong not missed that open goal ...
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90 min +2: The Astana Arena prepares to party. OK, this might not be peak Manchester United. But they are still Manchester United. And the minnows from Kazakhstan are about to beat the famous Manchester United.
90 min: Levitt has a whack from 35 yards. Full marks for ambition. Rangelo Janga replaces Roman Murtazayev. There will be three minutes of added time.
88 min: Lingard is booked for a late clatter on Rukavina. Then the seventh United debutant of the evening arrives, Ethan Galbraith replacing Angel Gomes.
87 min: Pertsukh robs Levitt in the midfield, and sets Maevski away down the right. Bernard does extremely well to stick to the Astana man and snuff out the attack.
85 min: Sergei Khizhnichenko makes way for Yuri Pertsukh.
84 min: Laird busies himself down the right, and his sheer persistence wins a free kick just outside the box. Before it can be taken, James Garner makes way for Largie Ramazani.
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83 min: Shomko sees yellow for sliding in unnecessarily on Greenwood.
81 min: Beysebekov is booked for a cynical tug on Lingard.
80 min: United have stepped it up again. Laird, who has been extremely impressive on the attack, wins another corner down the right. The ball’s hit long, and Gomes whips it back in from the left flank. Eric is worried about it sailing into the top right, but it goes wide, and he withdraws his hand just before making any contact.
78 min: Another sensational save by Eric! Gomes bursts infield from the left and rolls a pass across to Greenwood, who shapes like Zidane at Hampden in 2002 and batters a rising shot towards the top right. He’s denied by the keeper’s strong hand. The corner leads to nowt.
77 min: United come back at the hosts, Garner and Gomes combining well down the middle. The latter’s bundled over, and it’s a free kick just outside the D. Gomes takes, whipping the ball over the wall and down towards the top-left corner. It’s going in, but Eric fingertips over the bar. A magnificent free kick, and a save to match. The corner comes to nothing.
75 min: Astana are looking for a third. Sigurjonsson has another attempt, coming in from the right, only to be denied by Bernard. Then Murtazayev tries to replicate Lingard’s first-half goal, but his effort flies wide of the bottom-right corner.
73 min: Gomes glides in from the left and tees up Lingard, whose curler towards the top right is deflected out for a corner kick. Greenwood whips it in. Eric flaps, but does just enough to get it away from bother. Astana go straight up the other end and nearly score a picturebook goal: Rukavina deep on the right to Shomko on the left, Shomko inside to Rotario, who shuttles the ball on to Sigurjonsson by the right of the D. He whistles a low drive millimetres past the right-hand post.
72 min: Shaw turns on the jets and whizzes down the left. His cutback nearly finds Gomes in space in the area, but several yellow shirts swarm the single red one, and that is that.
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70 min: There’s no point having a shot from those sort of distances, unless you’re Cristiano Ronaldo or Marcus Rashford. So United pass it around instead, and keep hold of possession.
69 min: Logvinenko is booked for an agricultural lunge on Lingard. A free kick to United, 35 yards out.
67 min: Sigurjonsson warms Grant’s hands from distance. Then United go up the other end and win their first corner for a while, Greenwood’s persistence a factor. A game of pinball ensues, only to end when the flag goes up for offside. “Chong had time enough to light up a cig if he wanted to,” writes Mary Waltz. “Instead he misses. Ah, the travails of youth.”
65 min: D’Mani Bughail-Mellor replaces Tahith Chong, who will wonder how he didn’t get on the scoresheet tonight. He’ll never get an easier chance in his whole career. Ah well, while it hurts now, the experience should stand him in good stead.
64 min: Khizhnichenko nearly breaks clear down the right, but is shepherded away from danger by Bernard, who has done very well to clear his head after that own goal. An awful slice of luck.
GOAL! Astana 2-1 Manchester United (Bernard 62 og)
Astana rip United apart with some pretty triangulation down the right. A ball’s suddenly slipped down the inside-right channel for Rukavina, who is sprung clear into the box. Where’s Shaw? Anyway, Rukavina pulls the ball back ... and it smacks off Bernard’s head and into the top-right corner, past a wrong-footed Grant. What terrible luck for young Bernard. A freak goal, albeit at the end of a lovely passing move.
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60 min: From the resulting free kick, sent in from the left by Sigurjonsson, Shaw does extremely well to flick a header out of harm’s way with yellow shirts lurking everywhere. The corner that results is a waste of time. But United’s very young team are under the cosh now.
59 min: Levitt is booked for a garden variety coming together with Beysebekov in the midfield. There really didn’t seem much in that, it’s a very strange decision.
57 min: A big 38 seconds, that. Astana have been a completely different team since the restart.
GOAL! Astana 1-1 Manchester United (Shomko 55)
The thin margins of success and failure. Shaw bursts down the left , draws the Astana keeper Eric, and rolls the ball across the face of goal. All Chong has to do is tap it in ... but he leans back and misses it, blazing it over the bar! How on earth? And then, 38 seconds later, a ball slipped down the inside-left channel finds Shomko just inside the United area, Shomko whips it across Grant and into the bottom right.
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54 min: Something for the home fans to shout about! A free kick out on the left leads to a game of pinball in the United box. Eventually the ball falls to Maevski, who fires a shot inches wide of the left-hand post.
53 min: There’s not a great deal to excite the crowd at the minute. Lingard overruns the ball when presented with a pocket of space just outside the Astana box. The busy Postnikov blooters it long for Khizhnichenko but the striker’s miles offside.
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51 min: United get their foot on the ball for the first time since the restart. They don’t go anywhere but that’s not the point. A modicum of control has been reestablished.
49 min: A free kick for Astana out on the right. Rotariu swings it in deep. Postnikov gets a head to the ball but his effort is soft and an easy one for Grant.
48 min: Astana are clearly moving around with more pace and purpose. Beysebekov powers down the left and fires a low ball across the face of goal. Bernard blocks, but in a very uncoordinated fashion, slicing the ball backwards over his own crossbar. Nothing comes of the corner.
46 min: Astana have presumably been given a good talking-to by their manager Roman Grygorchuk. Beysebekov and Murtazayev combine well down the left to win a corner. From the dead ball, Postnikov heads well over the bar.
We’re off again! No half-time changes.
Half-time entertainment.
HALF TIME: Astana 0-1 Manchester United
United’s young team have acquitted themselves very well. Though how much Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has learned from their performance is moot, given how bad Astana have been. They’re giving United all the time in the world to play. But you can only beat what’s in front of you, eh.
45 min: Murtazayev hoicks a shot miles into the air. Fortunately the roof’s shut, or that ball would be halfway to Beijing.
44 min: Lingard sets Greenwood clear down the middle. The flag goes up for offside, correctly, and the whistle goes. Greenwood scoops the ball over Eric and into the net anyway, earning himself a comprehensive bollocking from the referee. But no yellow card.
43 min: Shomko makes off down the left. He’s got men in the box. And slaps his cross into the first man. Astana have been dismal.
41 min: Shaw finds Greenwood out on the right with a glorious crossfield spray. Greenwood lays off to Chong, who runs down a cul-de-sac.
39 min: Sigurjonsson is booked for an unnecessarily hard lunge on Lingard. His studs crumped on the top of Lingard’s boot, and you’ve seen red cards given for that. As it is, he’s still on the pitch, with a guilty but not particularly contrite smile spread across his cheeky face.
37 min: United continue to boss possession, though. They’re not doing a great deal with it at present, but control isn’t to be sniffed at. The home crowd are getting a little bit testy.
35 min: So having said that, Beysebekov, coming in from the left, meets a deep cross coming in from the other flank. He sends a meaty shot goalwards, forcing Grant into his first save of the evening. He makes it with ease. Safe hands.
34 min: Shomko launches long, in the 1980s style. Murtazayev is caught miles offside. Grant gathers the ball. He’s had absolutely nothing to do.
32 min: Lingard has a whack from distance. His shot takes a huge deflection off Postnikov, looping up over the stranded keeper Eric and nearly dropping into the empty net. Nearly. The ball settles on the roof of the net, and nothing comes of the resulting corner.
30 min: The lull continues. Astana caused United a few problems at Old Trafford. Not many, but a few. They’re causing their visitors no bother tonight. Some of these young lads will be thinking big boys’ football is a doddle.
28 min: A lull. United’s travelling support have just belted out 2019’s first rendition of their festive 12 Cantonas song. Too early? Nah. It’s snowy, and the John Lewis advert has been out for a good week or so.
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26 min: Logvinenko has a dig from the best part of 30 yards. Nope!
24 min: Garner is eased off the ball by Maevski, illegally from behind. A free kick 30 yards out. Greenwood fancies it, and blooters it straight into the wall.
22 min: Astana should be level. Beysebekov glides in from the left, and plays a diagonal pass into the area that cuts out Shaw, who is totally oblivious to Rotariu lurking behind him. Rotariu’s instant slapshot flies wide right from eight yards. He had to at least hit the target there. No idea what Shaw was thinking of there. Not much, is my wild guess.
20 min: United are in total control here. Chong drives towards the box with options either side, but fails to pick a penetrative pass. Then another run by Laird, who tears down the right flank, cuts back to see off Shomko with great ease, and tees up Lingard for a wild hoick. This Laird looks the business.
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18 min: Another positive run by Laird, who reaches the byline and pulls a ball back into the Astana box. It’s intercepted and cleared before it can find Greenwood.
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16 min: Gomes makes good towards the Astana box down the middle. He slips the ball out right for Chong, who feeds Laird on the overlap. Laird lashes a shot-cum-cross straight into the arms of Eric. A decent move, with the right-back Laird showcasing his attack-minded philosophy.
14 min: The first job for Lee Grant to do. A free kick for Astana out on the left. Sigurjonsson swings it into the mixer, and it’s easy pickings for the former Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley keeper.
13 min: Replays show Lingard’s shot taking a slight deflection off Sigurjonsson’s boot. A fine effort nonetheless.
12 min: That goal had been coming. United have started very brightly, while the home side are struggling to string more than a couple of passes together at any one time.
GOAL! Astana 0-1 Manchester United (Lingard 10)
Lingard drops deep and powers towards the Astana area. He slips a pass wide right for Chong; his attempt at a curler into the top left is blocked. But United pick up possession again, Shaw cutting in from the left. He slips the ball to Lingard, who from the edge of the box takes a stride and larrups a low shot across Eric and into the bottom right. What a way to mark your first match as Manchester United captain!
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8 min: Shaw sets Greenwood away down the left, but the young striker has gone far too early and the flag goes up for offside. United are well on the front foot here.
7 min: United look dangerous. Gomes strides down the left, cuts into the box and shoots. The Astana back line comes together and closes the door just in time.
6 min: Nothing much comes of that, Eric smothering the ball with Greenwood in reasonably close attendance.
5 min: United continue to knock it around. Suddenly they pick up the pace, Lingard sliding a pass down the inside-left channel for Greenwood, who shoots violently towards the goal from a not particularly promising angle. But he gets his effort on target, forcing Eric to parry. Corner coming up.
4 min: A bright end-to-end start as Chong tears off down the right. He doesn’t have a whole load of support, though, and is forced to check back. But United keep hold of possession and ping it around confidently in a very pretty style.
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2 min: A long pass down the Astana left. Murtazayev chases and wins a corner off Tuanzebe. United deal with the set piece with ease.
Here we go, then! United’s youthful team kick off. A feel of the ball for everyone at the back. Solskjaer shouts his encouragement from the bench. A few footballing journeys begin right here.
The teams are out! It’s a comparatively balmy eight degrees centigrade in the Astana Arena. The roof’s closed, you see. It’s minus 13 outside. A lovely scene in the tunnel beforehand, as Jesse Lingard made a concerted effort to say hello and talk to all of the mascots, making the young ones feel at ease. A lot of extremely wide smiles as they look up to the Manchester United captain with saucer eyes. Sweet. We’ll be off in a minute.
The last time Manchester United met Astana ⏪
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) November 28, 2019
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Ole! “It’s a great chance for the young players. A chance to show what they can do. It’s the start of something special I’m sure. One or two of these, we’ll definitely see a lot more of them. It’s exciting for us as coaches to see where we are at. Of course we want to win the game, but being away from home, and with such a long way to travel, this was the sensible decision. We’ve got a game on Sunday again. And we give the youth a chance to play in front of 30,000 people, to play men’s football, to get experience. Max Taylor has been an inspiration for all of us, we are so happy he is here. It’s great for the other boys to see that setbacks are sometimes part of life and you can fight back from it.”
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United’s inner sanctum. Here’s their kit laid out in the changing room ahead of the match. Confirmation that they’ll be playing in their world-famous red shirts. Astana will be in their first-choice yellow.
Hanging on the dressing-room door: the pennant captain Jesse Lingard will hand over to his opposite number, Nenad Eric.
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As expected, teenagers Ethan Laird, Di’Shon Bernard and Dylan Levitt make their Manchester United debuts.
The veteran goalkeeper Lee Grant also makes his first United start. Laird (18) is a right-back who likes to bomb forward in the modern style; Bernard (19) plays in the centre of defence; and Levitt (19) is a central midfielder who can pick a pass. The 19-year-old defender Max Taylor, thankfully fit and healthy now after his cancer treatment, is on the bench.
The teams
Astana: Eric, Rukavina, Postnikov, Logvinenko, Shomko, Beysebekov, Maewski, Sigurjonsson, Rotariu, Sergei Khizhnichenko, Murtazaev.
Subs: Muzhikov, Pertsukh, Zhakipbayev, Janga, Mokin, Zhalmukan, Prokopenko.
Manchester United: Grant, Laird, Tuanzebe, Bernard, Shaw, Garner, Levitt, Chong, Lingard, Gomes, Greenwood.
Subs: Puigmal, Bughail-Mellor, Kovar, Taylor, Galbraith, Ramazani, Mengi.
Referee: Donatas Rumsas (Lithuania).
Preamble
Welcome to our coverage of Manchester United’s experimental seminar in Kazakhstan. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side are already through to the knockout stage of the Europa League, so this fixture against Astana presents a chance to field some debutants.
Teenagers Ethan Laird, Di’Shon Bernard and Dylan Levitt, and 36-year-old goalkeeper Lee Grant, are expected to make their debuts at some point. There’s also a feelgood story in 19-year-old defender Max Taylor’s inclusion, promoted to the senior squad for the first time since cancer treatment.
So while on the one hand this match doesn’t mean very much, on the other it means everything. The game kicks off at 3.50pm GMT, 9.50pm in the Astana Arena in Nur–Sultan. The roof will be closed, which is just as well because temperatures outside are set to dip below -12 degrees centigrade. It’s on ... and we hope your hats, scarves and coats are too.
