Andrey Santos had an impressive debut for Manchester United as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Wrexham in a pre-season friendly held in Helsinki.
Sam Smith netted the only goal with a straightforward finish just six minutes before the break, shortly after he had hit his own crossbar when attempting to clear a corner.
United were missing several players due to their participation in this summer’s World Cup, including new recruit Youri Tielemans and Benjamin Sesko. Nevertheless, Michael Carrick fielded a strong lineup in front of 20,000 fans in the Finnish capital.
Santos, who became United’s first signing of the summer when he transferred from Chelsea for an initial fee of £48 million ($64 million) earlier this week, positioned himself at the base of midfield alongside Mason Mount.
Prior to the match, Michael Carrick commended the 22-year-old’s demeanor, stating, “He’s integrated very well, he’s a wonderful character. He has adapted swiftly and is thrilled to be here, which is evident.”
Santos made an immediate impact by clearing the ball away just moments after Tom Heaton failed to secure it under pressure from Smith.
Although Santos was bested by Lewis O’Brien early in the game, it amounted to no goal for Wrexham due to an offside flag.
He showcased his skills with a sliding block against O’Brien shortly after and quickly found his rhythm, displaying a good passing range and winning multiple battles throughout a lively performance.
However, Wrexham, who had just recently played their first pre-season friendly against Wisla Krakow, appeared more energetic. They created a threat when Bailey Cadamarteri intercepted a pass from Ayden Heaven near the penalty area, but Heaven managed to recover.
United’s first attempt came from a shot by Joshua Zirkzee in the 24th minute, which curled wide of the target. They almost took the lead when Smith attempted to clear a corner, inadvertently hitting the ball onto his own crossbar in the 36th minute.
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Shortly after, Smith found the net for Wrexham, capitalizing on what seemed like an effortless situation as he was allowed a simple tap-in after O’Brien’s cross slipped through Harry Maguire’s legs.
At halftime, 21 of the 22 players were substituted, with only Wrexham’s Aaron James remaining on the field. Carrick sent out a squad entirely composed of academy players, now facing a solid test against a Wrexham lineup bolstered by the likes of Conor Coady and Kieffer Moore.
Although United controlled possession, they struggled to create meaningful opportunities as the intensity of the match waned. Instead, Wrexham posed a threat with a low shot from Davis Keillor-Dunn, which was saved by Radek Vitek.
In the 78th minute, when Ethan Wheatley directed a header from Harry Amass’ cross toward the goal, it marked Wrexham’s first shot on target. However, Dan Ward managed to save the effort and later preserved a low drive from Shea Lacey.
In the single minute of stoppage time, Dan Gore fell to the ground, but his hopeful penalty appeal was dismissed by the referee.