Late Zaha Equaliser Spares United Blushes As Arsenal Maintain 100% Pre-season Record

Wilfried Zaha's injury time equaliser saved Manchester United from a third defeat in four on their pre-season tour of the Far East while another late effort from Arsenal starlet Chuba Akpom ensured that the Gunners maintained their 100% record.

United took on Shinji Kagawa's former employers Cerezo Osaka in their penultimate game of their tour before returning to Manchester, but found themselves behind again after an error from Chris Smalling allowed Kenyu Sugimoto in to calmly slot the ball past a wrong footed Anders Lindegaard to give the hosts the lead.

The star attraction of United's stay in Japan in Kagawa occupied his favoured position behind forwards Danny Welbeck and Robin van Persie, the latter who had recovered from a thigh strain he picked up in United's 3-2 defeat to Yokohama F Marinos on Tuesday.

Soon after the game's opener the Dutchman teed up Kagawa after Welbeck's effort struck the post, but with his adoring public watching on the Japan international sent his effort over the bar with the goal gaping.

Having dubiously picked up the man of the match award in United's last outing despite featuring for just 29 minutes, it would appear as if Kagawa could do little wrong back in his homeland. The 24-year-old had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot when Ashley Young collapsed in the area, but the Osaka goalkeeper impressively got down low to keep Kagawa's effort out.

Hastily redeeming himself, the former Borussia Dortmund man was on cue to expertly control a Ryan Giggs cross before finishing at the near post to level the game, before being replaced by Zaha.

United found themselves behind once again on this tour after a superb shot from Minamino nestled in the top corner of Lindegaard's net, before the former Crystal Palace star got himself on the end of an impressive passing move involving Anderson and Adnan Januzaj to register his first goal as a United player, typically in the dying minutes of the contest.

Arsenal had struck 17 goals in their three previous games on their pre-season tour, but were made to wait until four minutes into the second half for their first against Urawa Red Diamonds, when Lukas Podolski popped up to lash home his second of the tour after being fed by Theo Walcott.

Walcott himself then failed to stretch the Gunners' lead with two tame efforts before the hosts grabbed an eye catching equaliser as Abe struck a thunderous volley past Lukasz Fabianski after the visitors failed to clear a corner.

But Arsene Wenger's side ensured they return to London with four victories out of four as 17-year-old Akpom capitalised when Urawa defender Mitsuru Nagata's header back to goalkeeper Yamagishi fell in his path to roll in Arsenal's winner and his fourth goal of a highly impressive tour.