Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd LIVE: Europa League result and reaction as Hojlund brace ensures win

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The Independent

·12 dicembre 2024

Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd LIVE: Europa League result and reaction as Hojlund brace ensures win

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I almost know my best XI - Amorim

Manchester United weathered another mistake from Andre Onana to complete a comeback victory over Viktoria Plzen to move closer to winning automatic qualification for the Europa League round of 16.

The first half in the Czech Republic has a lacklustre affair as United controlled possession but created little opportunities. In comparison the hosts looked sharp on the counter-attack and weren’t shy to shoot.

Plzen were then gifted the opening goal in the second half as Onana attempted to play out from back. The United goalkeeper gave up the ball and allowed Matej Vydra to tap in from close range.

Ruben Amorim switched things up almost immediately and brought on the substitutions. Mason Mount was a bright spark but Rasmus Hojlund changed the game. He got on the end of passes from Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes to equalise and then win the game late in the day.

Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd LIVE

Viktoria Plzen beaten by Man Utd in the Europa League, live on TNT Sports
88’ GOAL! Hojlund scores a second from a Fernandes free kick (PLZ 1-2 MUN)
78’ SAVE! Jedlicka keeps out Mount’s low effort (PLZ 1-1 MUN)
62’ GOAL! Hojlund comes off the bench and scores (PLZ 1-1 MUN)
48’ GOAL! Vydra taps home after Onana howler (PLZ 1-0 MUN)
42’ CHANCE Souare curls a shot wide of the target (PLZ 0-0 MUN)
30’ SAVE! Jedlicka palms Fernandes’ shot from range clear (PLZ 0-0 MUN)

Pinned

Even in victory Manchester United show how difficult Ruben Amorim’s rebuild will be

A victory snatched from the jaws of defeat should give a new manager hope that there is fight among his charges, that the future is bright.

Not for Ruben Amorim. Rasmus Hojlund stepped off the bench to fire Manchester United to a lofty fifth in the Europa League standings - heady heights indeed - but the performance on a bitterly cold night in Plzen was worrying in the extreme.

Amorim became only the third United manager to win both of his first two matches in major European competition in charge of the club, after Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson, as his side picked up their first away success in Europe since March 2023.

Even in victory Manchester United show how difficult Ruben Amorim’s rebuild will be

Viktoria Plzen 1-2 Manchester United: Rasmus Hojlund’s brace spared United some blushes after a poor performance in the Europa League

Mike Jones12 December 2024 20:10

Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund speaking to TNT Sports:

“It was a bit difficult out there. It was very cold today and the pitch was a bit boggy as well, but we solved it in the second half.

“I think we didn’t play too direct in the first half. We needed to play over them and behind them more because there was space to run into. Especially with the boggy pitch I was talking about, if we won the second balls, you can play from there.

“I have watched Bruno [Fernandes] do that before. I remember the goal with Anthony Martial when he did the chip for him. I just thought I had a good opportunity because I am strong, I could push the defender and spin him and finish.”

Mike Jones12 December 2024 20:12

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes speaking to TNT Sports:

“It was a good performance overall. I think in the final third we could have kept the ball a bit more but the man-marking from them was difficult to get away from. Sometimes you just have to pass and run to try to find the gaps in behind.

“In the first half we did it better than in the second half, when we let the game go a little bit in the way that they wanted, a bit more transitional. Then we dealt with that and in the end we got the win.

“We want to play from the back and everyone knows that then we have to make the right decision on the pitch. Andre [Onana] thought that Matta [De Ligt] could get on the ball but he missed it and they scored a goal.

“It is not about Andre making the mistake, we don’t look at individuals here when something happens on the wrong side. We have huge belief in him. He knows he made a mistake because he is a clever guy, he is going to help us many times and we trust his qualities on the ball.

“Mistakes are part of football. If they don’t happen then goals don’t happen. But we did well to show the resilience to come back and find the victory.”

Mike Jones12 December 2024 20:11