Manchester United made history on Wednesday evening by competing in the UWCL for the first time, beating Norwegian side Vålerenga 1-0.
The Women’s Super League (WSL) side were in strong form, coming off a draw against domestic champions Chelsea and remaining unbeaten since their loss to Brann Kvinner in early September.
Despite their limited experience in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL), United bolstered their squad during the summer with the signings of Fridolina Rolfö from FC Barcelona and Julia Zigiotti Olme from Bayern Munich — both clubs with far more experience at the continental level. Combined with two-time winner Melvine Malard and double finalist Dominique Janssen, even if United lack experience as a club, there is experience there to utilise.
Vålerenga are more well-versed in the competition; they competed in the group stage last season, being drawn in the most difficult group. They were solidly beaten by Arsenal over two legs (7-2 on aggregate), but improved enough to see out a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich. With the introduction of the league phase, the Norwegian team will now play a greater range of opponents and will be hoping to show that they have improved over the last year.
They begin the league phase in top form, having not lost a match since August, when they were defeated by the same team that most recently beat Manchester United: Brann Kvinner.
The Lineups
MUN: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Janssen, Le Tissier, Sandberg; Toone, Miyazawa, Zigiotti Olme; Park; Terland, Malard
VAL: Enblom; Horte, Kovacs, Eiriksdottir; Tennebo, Vickius, Inauen, Heiðarsdóttir; Hegg, Saevik, Tvedten
The Action
United looked comfortable in possession early on, controlling the tempo as they settled into their first Champions League league stage match. However, their initial dominance began to fade as Vålerenga grew into the game and started to enjoy more time on the ball. Both sides needed to be patient in different ways; United with their build-up play, and Vålerenga whilst defending.
On the odd occasion where the home side lacked composure on the ball, Vålerenga were ready to pounce and counter – a tactic that worked once or twice for their best chances. They produced some fluid attacking moves, particularly through Karina Saevik, but United’s defence reacted quickly to shut down the danger.
The best chance of the early stages came from the hosts as Hinata Miyazawa unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box, forcing a good save from Tove Enblom in the Vålerenga goal. The deadlock was finally broken when United were awarded a penalty after a soft handball decision in the box. Maya Le Tissier stepped up and delivered a powerful finish, marking United’s first ever goal in the competition.
Towards the end of the half, Vålerenga enjoyed their longest spell of possession, winning a free kick in their own half after a foul by Ella Toone. They looked to build from deep, but United quickly recovered the ball.
United dominated the second half without creating much of note. Elisabeth Terland had several chances go just wide or head over the bar, and the game ebbed away with much of the action played in midfield. The tie opened up towards the latter stages as Vålerenga committed more players up front, however the hosts’ defence was rarely troubled.
United struggle to break down a low block
It is well known that a low block can be difficult for teams to break down, especially if they want to play exciting football. Facing a team who set up with eleven players behind the ball most of the time can be frustrating, leading players to make poor decisions out of desperation to create an effort on goal.
With many players staying deep in their own half, the space in front of goal is compressed, meaning football must be played in tight areas. This is the approach England used to beat Spain at Wembley in January, and a similar approach was used by Arsenal in the UWCL final against Barcelona.
Against a United forward line on good form, it was a natural tack for Vålerenga to take. It takes a special type of player to get through – United’s Jess Park is a specialist – and making headway requires having the patience to build up slowly without making a rash foray forward. When United did try to advance with more pace, they were forced into either a rushed effort or losing possession.
As the second half progressed, the hosts seemed increasingly content to rest on their solid defensive record and maintain the 1-0. This is a risky approach to take, and if Vålerenga were more clinical, United’s lead could have diminished.
United’s acquisition of experience pays off
Asked about United’s squad depth heading into a busy part of the football calendar, head coach Marc Skinner alluded to the evolution of the club’s transfer philosophy. According to Skinner, in its early years, the club looked for young and exciting players who would develop over time – examples include captain Maya Le Tissier from Brighton, Anna Sandberg from BK Häcken, and Simi Awujo from FC Premier Women in the United States.
In the last few transfer windows, this approach has shifted towards acquiring players with more European experience: Dominique Janssen is a double finalist, Melvine Malard a two-time winner, and more recently, Fridolina Rolfö from FC Barcelona and Julia Zigiotti Olme from Bayern Munich.
Against Vålerenga, the blend of excitement of a first UWCL experience with that expertise was needed: as United struggled to beat the low block, it was Zigiotti who took control of the midfield. In the forward line, Malard was a nuisance for the visitors, and Janssen worked solidly with Le Tissier in defence.
Towards the end of the game, United’s game management showed improvements compared to previous years: as Vålerenga threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the United back line, the team stayed composed and resolute. Where a late goal may have come in previous years, this United team had the experience to see the game out.
