Champions League

[monks data]

Champions League | Group Stage

Oct 21, 2015 at 7.45pm UK

CSKA CSKA Moscow
1-1
Man Utd Manchester United

Doumbia (15')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Martial (65')

Anthony Martial earns Manchester United battling point in Moscow

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 21 October 2015

Anthony Martial scores his fifth goal for Manchester United to earn his side a 1-1 draw away at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.

Manchester United have battled back from a goal behind to earn a 1-1 draw away at CSKA Moscow in their Champions League clash at the Arena Khimki.

Manchester United's Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea misses to stop a goal during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between PFC CSKA Moscow and FC Manchester United at the Arena Khimki stadium outside Moscow on October 21, 2015. © Getty Images

Following a rather tame start to the contest the home side began to settle quicker than their opponents, with Dusan Tadic firing in an early warning when his shot deflected narrowly wide.

The Russian outfit did not have to wait much longer to make a breakthrough, though, and it came on the back of Anthony Martial's handball inside the box to gift CSKA a penalty.

Roman Eremenko saw his effort kept out by David de Gea, who also managed to get to the rebound first to clear away, but it fell into the path of Seydou Doumbia to rifle home the opener.

It could have been two for the Red-Blues soon after, if not for De Gea's crucial stop to deny Ahmed Musa's smart shot which was dipping in off the frame.

CSKA Moscow's Ivorian forward Seydou Doumbia celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between PFC CSKA Moscow and FC Manchester United at the Arena Khimki stadium outside Moscow on October 21, 2015. © Getty Images

United were largely frustrated for the remainder of the opening 45 minutes as they chased a leveller, but Wayne Rooney did flash one wide of the post shortly before the interval to offer some hope for the second half.

CSKA were unbeaten in their last three European home games heading into tonight's meeting, and they could have been well on their way to making that four without defeat when Marcos Rojo handled inside the box, only for loud appeals to be turned down by the officials.

The Red Devils were still struggling to break their opponents down as the game entered the hour mark, with their play remaining rather uninspired and lacking any real ideas in attack.

Manchester United's players celebrate after Manchester United's French forward Anthony Martial scored a goal during the UEFA Champions League group B football match between PFC CSKA Moscow and FC Manchester United at the Arena Khimki stadium outside Mosco © Getty Images

However, despite being far from their best, and seeing CSKA edge the game's best chances, Louis van Gaal's men levelled things up on 65 minutes when Martial headed home Antonio Valencia's cross for his fifth United goal.

The match then had a different feel to it all of a sudden as the Premier League title chasers pushed on, and they nearly had one big opening to claim maximum points as Martial looked to pick out substitute Marouane Fellaini, only for Igor Akinfeev to intercept the pass.

That proved to be it in terms of chances, ensuring that the two sides remain on four points apiece after three games in Group B.