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The National Times - Hojlund brace as Man Utd beat Plzen in Europa League

Hojlund brace as Man Utd beat Plzen in Europa League

SPORTS 12.12.2024
Hojlund brace as Man Utd beat Plzen in Europa League
Hojlund brace as Man Utd beat Plzen in Europa League / Photo: © AFP

Second-half substitute Rasmus Hojlund scored twice as Manchester United fought back to earn a 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.

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The hosts took the lead shortly after half-time, but Hojlund levelled on 62 minutes, six minutes after replacing Marcus Rashford, when the Danish striker tapped in Amad Diallo's deflected shot.

Two minutes from time, he beat Plzen goalkeeper Martin Jedlicka again with a clinical finish after United captain Bruno Fernandes had found him unmarked inside the box with a free-kick.

Matej Vydra, a former Watford, West Brom, Reading, Derby and Burnley forward, opened the scoring for the hosts with a close-range finish three minutes after half-time.

Pavel Sulc found Vydra facing an empty net after he had intercepted United goalkeeper Andre Onana's pass inside the box.

The goal was a wake-up call for United manager Ruben Amorim, who made three replacements in its wake, including Hojlund.

The former Sporting Lisbon boss replaced the sacked Eric ten Hag in November, but the chilly evening in Plzen showed United still have some way to go.

Both teams came into the match with nine points from five Europa League games.

Fernandes had the first shot on target already 31 minutes into the game, but Jedlicka parried his low right-footed effort from the edge of the box.

Onana watched Cheick Souare's shot curl just past the top corner of his goal two minutes before the break.

United substitutes Mason Mount and Alejandro Garnacho were denied by Jedlicka, with Mount failing to beat the 'keeper twice from close range.

But Hojlund turned the match on its head to put United in a strong position for direct qualification to the last 16.

A.Robinson--TNT

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