Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said a
"stupid" Anthony Martial handball gifted CSKA Moscow a Champions
League point, but accepted such mistakes happen.
Martial scored a fine diving header to grab a 1-1 draw for
United at the Khimki Arena, but the Frenchman was to blame for handing the
Russians the lead.
Martial raised his right arm going into a challenge with
Mario Fernandes in the 15th minute and the ball struck it, leaving the referee
with no option but to point to the penalty spot.
David de Gea saved Roman Eremenko's effort, but Seydou
Doumbia converted the rebound to put CSKA ahead.
Martial redeemed himself with a second-half header but Van
Gaal was disappointed with his star forward for the error that led to the
hosts' goal.
"They had the present of an Anthony Martial
penalty," Van Gaal said. "Martial is a human being, he reacts
and it is a stupid reaction, but sometimes these things happen.
"He said it is the first time it happens to him, if it
always happens with me it's a pity."
Although Van Gaal was unhappy with the French teenager for
effectively handing the hosts the lead, he was pleased to escape from his
trip east with a point.
United froze in the first half on a sub-zero night in
Russia, but improved after the break following the introduction of
Marouane Fellaini and could have snatched all three points in the second
half.
The draw leaves the Red Devils in second place in Group B at
the halfway point of the group stages, with home matches against PSV and
CSKA, as well as a trip to Wolfsburg, to come.
"I was very happy with my team's performance," Van
Gaal said. "I knew in advance that it would be a very difficult game
because CSKA are very well organised and compact.
"The tempo was too slow in my opinion, I said that at
half-time, and improve our tempo and switching the game from side to side.
"We did that better in the second half than the first
half. We created more chances and could have won, but I think it is a
deserved draw.
"I'm happy with a draw, we now have two home
matches and you can say we are very strong at home and I hope we can win
these games so we are nearly qualified or qualified, but we also have a
game away to
Wolfsburg.
Wolfsburg.
"We are on schedule [to qualify] after the PSV
Eindhoven defeat, which was a very strange defeat for us."
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