Manchester United came within one minute of falling to their third defeat from four pre-season matches against Cerezo Osaka this afternoon.
Osaka took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Kenyu Sugimoto took advantage of a defensive error to fire past Anders Lindegaard.
United were awarded a penalty in the second half when Ashley Young took a tumble inside the box, but Shinji Kagawa missed from the spot against his former club.
The home favourite made up for that miss just one minute later, however, squeezing a shot in from a tight angle to level the sides.
Osaka regained their lead in stunning fashion when Takumi Minamino smashed an effort into the top corner from the edge of the box, but hopes of a famous victory were dashed when Zaha tapped the ball in with virtually the last kick of the match.
You can read how an entertaining 90 minutes unfolded with Sports Mole's live play-by-play coverage below.
Good morning! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's pre-season encounter between Cerezo Osaka and Manchester United, let's get straight down to business!
TEAM NEWS: First things first: the Manchester United team news has already been announced. The headlines are that Robin van Persie starts for the Red Devils having shaken off a thigh injury, while Shinji Kagawa will also play against his former club. Full team news coming right up...
MANCHESTER UNITED STARTING XI: Lindegard; Rafael, Smalling, Ferdinand, Buttner; Young, Giggs, Jones, Kagawa; Welbeck, Van Persie
What can we make of that team, then? Well, the inclusion of Van Persie points to manager David Moyes taking this game relatively seriously. The Dutch striker needs game time under his belt before the new season and it will be interesting to see how long he stays on for today. Having just come back from injury, I'm slightly surprised to see him in the starting lineup, and he could well only play 45 minutes in this match.
There is no doubting who the star of the show is today, however. The vast majority of the fans in the ground will have flocked to see Shinji Kagawa. The Japanese midfielder played for Cerezo Osaka between 2006-2010, scoring 57 goals in 127 appearances before moving to Dortmund. He is still a big fan favourite in Osaka and you can be sure that he will receive a huge ovation today.
While we're on United, let's have a look at how their pre-season tour has gone so far. It hasn't been the best start for David Moyes at the helm having lost two of their matches already. Their last outing saw them fall to a shock 3-2 defeat at the hands of Yokohama F Marinos. That result leaves Moyes United record at P3 W1 D0 L2.
It is, of course, far too early to judge Moyes at United. His predecessor was given 26 years while Moyes is now in his 26th day in charge. However, those who were sceptical about his appointment have had their worries amplified by those results.
Although pre-season is primarily about fitness and gelling as a team rather than results, Moyes will be desperate for a win today. Three defeats in your opening four games - albeit in friendly matches - is an inauspicious start by any standards, yet alone those expected by United.
Who exactly will Moyes's side be coming up against this morning, then? Well, if they struggled against Yokohama then Cerezo Osaka will be no pushovers either. They are currently fifth in the J-League, just four points behind Yokohama and six points behind top-of-the-table Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
They have amassed 30 points from their 17 games so far this season, scoring 27 goals and conceding just 17 - the third best defence in the league.
Their last outing saw them overcome Sagan Tosu 4-1, with Yamaguchi, Sakemoto, Yokoyama and Yamashita getting on the scoresheet. Their home form has been strong also, having lost just once at the Nagai Stadium all season.
Having said all that, United still go into this match as undoubted favourites. They should have more than enough quality in their starting XI alone to win this match but, as we've seen already on this pre-season tour, sometimes it isn't that simple.
As for United's absentees, the only players rumoured to be doubtful for this game were Van Persie and Carrick. Moyes put the fears over Van Persie to bed yesterday and has included him in the starting lineup, but Carrick hasn't recovered in time to make the first XI. The influential midfielder is still out with a thigh injury.
PREDICTION: Right, we're five minutes from kickoff here, which means that it is time for my prediction! I think Uniyed should comfortably have enough to see off the challenge of Osaka today. The Japanese side won't make it too easy for them, but I still see a fair few goals. I'm going to go for 4-1 United.
We're nearing kickoff here and, as ever with these far-flung pre-season matches, the atmosphere is electric! There are over 50,000 in the ground for today's match.
KICKOFF: Here we go! It's a huge match for the home side and quite an important one for United too. It is the English side who get us underway.
CHANCE! Huge chance for United within the first minute! The two Osaka central defenders get in the way of each other and suddenly Van Persie finds himself in on goal. He takes his shot first time and it is well saved by the keeper. Van Persie would have expected to score that.
Osaka's first foray forward sees them win an attacking throw, but all of their hard work is undone when it is deemed as a foul throw. United counter and Giggs has a bit of space, but he doesn't have the same pace as he used to and the defence can get back to block his cross.
Almost a lovely one-two between Van Persie and Kagawa as the Dutchman plays an exquisite touch to the hometown favourite, who looks to return the favour with an incisive through ball. The pass is just a yard or so too heavy, however, and the keeper collects.
Sugimoto goes on a decent run at the United defence which excites the crowd a little, but his subsequent shot is nothing to shout about. It skews a long, long way wide.
SAVE! Lindegaard is the first keeper to be forced into a save, and it is a good one as well. The shot was swerving in the air and bounced just before the United keeper, who got his whole body behind it to make a decent stop.
Ashley Young has his first chance to run at his opposition full-back. He throws in a few step-overs and gains a yard, but his cross is deflected behind for a corner.
CHANCE! It's another big chance for Van Persie, but again he is denied by the keeper. Kagawa stabs a nice little ball through to the striker, who takes a touch before trying to dink the ball over the onrushing keeper with his weaker right foot, but the Osaka shot-stopper makes himself big enough to make the save.
The conditions could well play a part as this match goes on. The home side will be used to it but the United players will no doubt be hit by the heat and humidity in the air today. They are already drenched with sweat and this one hasn't really got going yet!
Osaka have made a couple of promising breaks in the early stages, but it is United who are dictating the tempo of this match at the moment. They have had the best two chances so far, and they are two chances that you'd normally expect Van Persie to bury.
The home side have made some crucial interceptions already today, just getting a toe to the ball to deny a United man getting through on goal.
SAVE! It's another very good save from Lindegaard as Kusukami fires in from the edge of the box, trying to catch the United keeper out at the near post. It almost sneaks in, but Lindegaard changes direction and gets down very quickly to tip it wide for a corner.
SAVE! Another decent save from Lindegaard from the resulting corner as Yokoyama rises highest in the box to plant a powerful header downwards, just as the coaches teach you. Lindegaard gets down in time to keep it out, however.
CHANCE! The chances are flowing now! Kagawa is at the heart of it again as he gives the ball to Van Persie, who in turn clips a cross into the middle of the box. Phil Jones is waiting there unmarked but can't keep his diving header down.
As an indicator of how hot it is out there, the referee has just called for a drinks break!
CHANCE! That is probably the home side's best chance of the match so far. The ball breaks to Sugimoto on the edge of the box and, although he is painfully slow to react to it, the United defence are even slower. The striker tries to bend an effort into the top corner but gets it all wrong and sends it quite a way wide. He really should have done better there.
CHANCE! My word, United's defence has looked incredibly suspect at times in this pre-season tour and again it is lacking here. A cross is headed back into the mixer where Sugimoto is waiting unmarked about six yards from goal. If he puts his header a yard either side of Lindegaard it is 1-0, but he nods it straight at the keeper.
Van Persie looks short of full fitness at the moment, perhaps understandably. If he was at the height of his powers in this game he would already have two goals to his name. He has just been comfortably dealt with by Maruhashi while trying to take him on, the latest example of the defence coming out on top against the Dutch striker.
We're just over half an hour into this match now and it is still nice and open. United look most likely to score, but Osaka are by no means playing defensively. They want a goal and, the way they are playing, you wouldn't bet against them getting one.
GOAL! Cerezo Osaka 1-0 Manchester United (Kenyu Sugimoto)
What was I just saying? It is dreadful defending by Smalling as he gifts the ball to the opposition right on the edge of the box. Sugimoto picks it up and shows good strength to hold off Buttner before dragging his shot past a wrong-footed Lindegaard. Calamitous defending, but it was still a smart finish from Sugimoto.
The worries continue to mount for David Moyes. As things stand, he is set for his third defeat in four pre-season games. He shouldn't be judged on friendly results, of course, but the failure to beat inferior opposition is something that he will want to address.
OFF THE POST! How on earth are United not level here?! Some superb approach play sets up Welbeck on the edge of the box and he is unlucky to see his powerful low strike rebound off the inside of the post. It comes back out to Van Persie, who opts to pass it back inside to Kagawa instead of shooting for the open goal himself, but Kagawa balloons a glorious chance high over the bar from close range. That was the best chance for a fairytale goal that he will get!
SAVE! Kagawa looks to make amends for that horror miss with a lovely flick into the path of Giggs. The veteran cuts inside before trying to bend the ball inside the far post with his weaker right foot, but his effort is well saved.
It's all coming from United now. Welbeck is given the ball just outside the area and he only has one thing in his mind. He moves himself into a shooting position before flashing a low shot a couple of yards wide. Not too far away.
There will be one minute of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: Cerezo Osaka 1-0 Manchester United
So United go into the break 1-0 down after a good, competitive first half of football. Osaka have shown that they are no pushovers and that they are determined to continue their attacking philosophy. I wouldn't go as far as saying they deserve a lead, but you certainly wouldn't begrudge them it.
The goal came from Sugimoto, but the real story behind it was more poor defending from United. They struggled at the back against Yokohama F Marinos and those woes have come back again today. Smalling gave the ball away carelessly on the edge of the box and Sugimoto made no mistake.
United have had plenty of chances themselves, most notably through Van Persie and Kagawa. The former has forced the keeper into two good saves, while Kagawa really should have levelled the sides late in the half when he blazed a magnificent chance over the bar from close range.
The stats really show how even this match has been so far. They have had the same number of shots (8), the same number on target (4) and equal possession. It is clear that Osaka are fully fit due to their ongoing league season while United are far from their best, but you can still take nothing away from the hosts.
David Moyes will be calm on the exterior due to the low risk nature of losing such matches but no manager or player enjoys losing, so they will still be desperate to win this one today. They still have plenty of time to turn it around, and they certainly look capable of grabbing a goal.
It will be interesting to see how many changes Moyes makes at the break and throughout the second half. The conditions are very difficult out there so changes may well be necessary. Friendlies always see plenty of subs, but I wouldn't be surprised to see as many as eight or nine at the break.
MAN UNITED SUB: Well, what do I know? Moyes only makes the one change as Anderson replaces Phil Jones, and that could be to do with injury.
KICKOFF: Cerezo Osaka get us back underway. Can they hold on to this lead in the next 45 minutes, or even extend it?
I just wonder whether Moyes has kept largely the same side out so that they can continue the good form that they showed at the end of the first half. If that is the case, that would point at a priority of getting a result rather than increasing the squad's fitness levels.
This second half has already fallen into a similar pattern as the first with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity.
Kagawa is linking up with Van Persie quite well at the moment. He always seems to look for his striker as his first pass, and the Dutchman is usually available. In fairness to the Osaka defence, however, they have done what plenty of Premier League defences failed to do last season and kept Van Persie quiet so far.
PENALTY TO MANCHESTER UNITED!
SAVED!
GOAL! Cerezo Osaka 1-1 Manchester United (Shinji Kagawa)
Plenty of drama in those last couple of minutes! First things first, Ashley Young races into the box and bundles his way through a couple of challenges before throwing himself to the floor. It looks just like a couple of his dives from the last few seasons, but the referee falls for it and points to the spot. Up steps Kagawa to take the kick, but he hasn't read the script and sees his tame penalty saved by Kim. From the resulting corner the ball eventually finds its way back to Kagawa at the near post, and he takes a touch before squeezing it in from a tight angle through the keeper's legs. The hometown hero has finally got his goal!
MAN UNITED SUB: That was the last action for Kagawa in this match too. He makes way to a standing ovation to be replaced by Wilfried Zaha.
Zaha has already injected some more pace into this match. He feeds the ball to Rafael down the right, and the Brazilian swings a superb ball into the near post. Welbeck sticks a leg out towards it but the keeper is brave enough to come and collect it.
CHANCE! Zaha does everything right until the finish! He twists and turns inside the box, zig-zagging in and out of defenders to create space to shoot from the corner of the six yard box. He looks set to finish off a fine solo run by putting it in the bottom corner, but he drags his effort wide.
GOAL! Cerezo Osaka 2-1 Manchester United (Takumi Minamino)
Oh my word what a goal that is! United find themselves behind once again, but they can only applaud this one. Minamino gets the ball on the edge of the box and immediately turns and smashing a magnificent effort into the top corner. Lindegaard had no chance whatsoever, and that was a goal that any of the United players would have been proud of.
OSAKA SUBS: Cerezo Osaka make their first changes of the day in the aftermath of that stunning strike. On come Takuma Edamura and Masato Kurogi in place of the Brazilian duo Edno and Fabio Simplicio.
SAVE! Maruhashi has almost matched that wondergoal! He slips the ball through the legs of Zaha before trying to curl an effort into the same top corner that Minamino found so brilliantly a couple of minutes ago. His shot takes a deflection off Rafael which makes it harder for Lindegaard, but the keeper pulls off a fine diving save to tip it behind for a corner.
MAN UNITED SUB: It's been a match to forget for Van Persie. He has missed two chances and not been involved much other than that. He is replaced by Adnan Januzaj.
Time for another drinks break, and the players are taking noticeably longer this time around. I'm expecting a flood of subs from both sides sooner rather than later.
It's great to see that Osaka aren't parking the bus in front of goal. They just keep on attacking and I wouldn't be surprised if they grab a third in this match.
As for United, Zaha looks by far the most likely to conjure something up for the visitors. Beyond him, however, I'm struggling to see how United can threaten this defence today.
MAN UNITED SUBS: Here come the inevitable subs, and it is a quadruple change from Moyes. I'm losing track of them to be honest, but Young, Giggs, Buttner and Rafael are all making way. Lingard, Cleverley, Evra and Fabio come on in their places.
OSAKA SUB: Osaka make a change of their own as Kusukami is taken off and Ryuji Bando comes on.
Meanwhile, back to the actual football and time is running out for United. Moyes is looking increasingly exasperated on the bench - this isn't the start he would have imagined when he got the United job.
Anderson is fouled for United and the visitors have a free kick in a promising position here. With Van Persie off the field it looks like they will cross it rather than shoot...
...indeed they do cross it in, but it is far too close to the keeper who collects the ball under no pressure at all.
CLOSE! Lingard is United's top scorer on this tour so far, and he almost added another there. Zaha zips the ball into the youngster's feet and he turns his man very well before firing the ball across goal towards the far post. His effort skims just wide, however, and Osaka escape on this occasion.
OSAKA SUB: Minamino is going to make way for the hosts here. He will cherish that wondergoal for as long as he lives, and that would be some winning goal if United can't find an equaliser.
This is end-to-end stuff now as United desperately search for an equaliser while Cerezo refuse to quit their attacking philosophy. It's great to watch, but Osaka will be kicking themselves if they throw away a famous victory at this stage.
The fourth official signals just one added minute as Welbeck is penalised for a handball.
GOAL! Cerezo Osaka 2-2 Manchester United (Wilfried Zaha)
Oh it is heartbreak for Osaka as United steal a draw with the last kick of the match. A lovely ball through finds Anderson one-on-one with the keeper, but the midfielder is very unselfish and squares it for Zaha, who simply rolls it in to the empty net. Moyes time is up and running, and he will be delighted to have avoided another defeat on this tour.
FULL TIME: Cerezo Osaka 2-2 Manchester United
Manchester United strike late to avoid defeat, then, but you can't help but feel for Cerezo Osaka. They were very impressive today and, like Yokohama F Marinos a couple of days ago, look like a tidy little outfit.
United are certainly not making easy work of their pre-season tour so far, but they will surely reap the rewards of having competitive games when they go into the new season. Playing in such difficult conditions will help their fitness a lot and they should be in great shape when the competitive season kicks off again.
The goals came from Sugimoto, Kagawa, Minamino and Zaha, with the pick of the bunch coming from Minamino. His spectacular strike looked set to be the winner for a long time until Zaha's late goal. The headlines may well still be stolen by Kagawa, however. He had an eventful game on his return to Osaka, missing a gilt-edge chance and a penalty before finally getting his goal. No doubt he will still win the man of the match award though!
Right, that's it from me this afternoon! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for what was an entertaining pre-season game with plenty of goals, drama and chances. United managed to rescue a draw in the final minute through Zaha, but the fans will still be concerned with their pre-season form. I will leave you with Matt Domm's match report, and be sure to check the site for any reaction from the United camp. From me, though, it's goodbye!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
