Match ends, CSKA Moscow 1, Manchester United 1.
CSKA MoscowCSKA Moscow1Man UtdManchester United1
Anthony Martial rescued a point for Manchester United as they drew with CSKA Moscow in the Champions League in a laboured performance.
Seydou Doumbia gave CSKA the lead, reacting first after David de Gea saved Roman Eremenko's penalty, awarded for a handball by Martial.
United improved after the break with Martial making up for his mistake by heading in Antonio Valencia's cross.
They are now second in Group B as Wolfsburg beat PSV Eindhoven to go top.
Captain Wayne Rooney was quiet, and it was not a thrilling display with Sunday's Manchester derby looming large, especially as their city rivals earned a late win over Sevilla on the same night.
But a point against a CSKA team in freezing conditions allows them the opportunity to stamp their authority on an open group, should they beat the Russian league leaders in the return fixture at Old Trafford on 3 November.
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United make sluggish start
It could have been a lot worse for Louis van Gaal's side, who have been unconvincing so far in Europe after a year's break from the Champions League.
In addition to the 15th-minute opener - which saw the United defence slow to react after De Gea pushed the initial effort on to the post - the Spanish keeper also had to claw away Ahmed Musa's long-range effort before the break.
Initially, United offered little response to Doumbia's eighth goal for club and country, any attacks sorely lacking in pace.
But Marouane Fellaini's introduction at half-time signalled an improvement, as Ander Herrera dropped deeper and injected more pace into the visitors' passing.
And it was from Herrera's pass that Valencia crossed for Martial to head his first Champions League goal.
Did Van Gaal get his selections right?
Questions will once again be raised about Van Gaal's team choices, with the United boss favouring Martial on the left wing, Wayne Rooney up front and 22-year-old Jesse Lingard making his Champions League debut on the right.
Martial continued in the same position as he did against Everton on Saturday, given the task of taming of CSKA right-back Mario Fernandes, who was a constant threat.
The decision appeared to backfire early on as Martial found himself deep in the United area and handled Fernandes' flick to concede the early penalty.
The hosts' defenders were also quick to surround the former Monaco forward during the first half as he struggled to make an impact in attack.
But the 19-year-old changed the game's complexion with a brilliant header from 12 yards for his fifth goal of the season.
The strike came from a central position, where the £36m signing has largely played in his early United appearances, and with Rooney failing to make a huge impact in his place, it will be interesting to see whether Van Gaal keeps them there for Sunday's derby.
Rooney struggles at top of attack
Despite being United's top-scorer this season with six goals, Rooney spent long periods on the game's periphery.
Playing at the point of the visitors' attack, he had a half-chance in the first period from Antonio Valencia's near-post cross, and a second-half header was well saved by CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
But the 29-year-old touched the ball only 40 times, more than De Gea's 39 but less often than Fellaini's 47, despite the Belgian only being introduced at half-time.
Van Gaal has already defended his captain this season but if the player is so crucial to the United manager's success, it is arguable he should play in a position where he is more involved.
Stats you need to know
- Anthony Martial scored his first Champions League goal after exactly 11 hours on the pitch in the competitions.
- Seydou Doumbia has scored 13 Champions League goals for CSKA; more than twice as many as any other player for the club.
- Doumbia has now scored six goals in five Champions League games against English clubs (five v Manchester City, one v Manchester United).
- Morgan Schneiderlin completed 119 passes in this match - the most by a United player in a Champions League game since Darren Fletcher v Cluj in October 2012.
What next?
The Manchester derby takes place at Old Trafford on Sunday - kick-off 14:05 GMT. United have back-to-back home games in the Champions League, with the return fixtures against CSKA Moscow before hosting PSV Eindhoven on 25 November.
Line-ups
CSKA Moscow
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 35Akinfeev
- 2Figueira Fernandes
- 24BerezutskiSubstituted forBerezutskiat 42'minutes
- 4Ignashevitch
- 42Schennikov
- 7Tosic
- 3Wernbloom
- 10DzagoevSubstituted forCaunaat 87'minutes
- 18Musa
- 25Alekseevich EremenkoSubstituted forPanchenkoat 83'minutes
- 88Doumbia
Substitutes
- 1Chepchugov
- 6Berezutski
- 8Panchenko
- 14Nababkin
- 19Cauna
- 23Milanov
- 60Golovin
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 25A Valencia
- 4Jones
- 12Smalling
- 5RojoSubstituted forBlindat 63'minutes
- 31SchweinsteigerSubstituted forFellainiat 45'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 28Schneiderlin
- 35LingardSubstituted forDepayat 80'minutes
- 21HerreraBooked at 80mins
- 9MartialBooked at 14mins
- 10Rooney
Substitutes
- 7Depay
- 8Mata
- 16Carrick
- 17Blind
- 20Romero
- 27Fellaini
- 36Darmian
- Referee:
- Carlos Velasco Carballo
- Attendance:
- 18,456
Match Stats
Home TeamCSKA MoscowAway TeamMan Utd
- Possession
- Home28%
- Away72%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, CSKA Moscow 1, Manchester United 1.
Booking
Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Ander Herrera (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow).
Booking
Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United).
Post update
Zoran Tosic (CSKA Moscow) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, CSKA Moscow. Aleksandrs Cauna replaces Alan Dzagoev.
Substitution
Substitution, CSKA Moscow. Kirill Panchenko replaces Roman Eremenko.
Post update
Anthony Martial (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Georgy Schennikov (CSKA Moscow).
Booking
Ander Herrera (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Ander Herrera (Manchester United).
Post update
Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester United. Memphis Depay replaces Jesse Lingard.
Post update
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Sergei Ignashevitch.
Post update
Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow).
Post update
Attempt missed. Alexei Berezutski (CSKA Moscow) header from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Alan Dzagoev with a cross following a corner.
