Manchester United edged past Viktoria Plzen with a narrow 2-1 win on Thursday night in what turned out to be a challenging UEFA Europa League fixture.
The Red Devils delivered a lackluster performance, showing little intensity in attack, but a brace from substitute Rasmus Hojlund salvaged the night and prevented a major upset.
The game began with United struggling to find their rhythm, allowing Plzen to dictate the tempo early on. Joshua Zirkzee made an electrifying run, weaving past four defenders before his through ball was deflected for a corner.
Amad Diallo’s subsequent corner fell short, but Zirkzee’s energetic display offered a glimmer of promise in an otherwise tepid opening spell.
Manchester United’s disjointed start was epitomized by Bruno Fernandes, whose reckless tackle gifted the hosts a dangerous free kick. Diogo Dalot managed to clear the threat after goalkeeper Andre Onana misjudged his jump, colliding with Casemiro in the process. Thankfully, the Brazilian midfielder shook off the injury and resumed play.
Plzen, exuding confidence, kept up the pressure as United failed to control the midfield. Even on the rare occasions when United countered, their decision-making faltered.
After 20 minutes, Amad carried the ball forward but bypassed an open Fernandes in the center to feed Marcus Rashford on the left. Rashford’s wayward shot squandered the chance, a poor decision that frustrated fans and teammates alike.
Amad continued to probe but couldn’t convert his efforts. A blocked shot in the final third soon ended up safely in the hands of the Plzen keeper.
Meanwhile, the hosts almost capitalized on United’s defensive lapses when Cadu’s cross found Matěj Vydra in the box, only for a clumsy first touch to let him down.
United’s brightest moment in the first half came when Casemiro intercepted a pass in their defensive third, setting up Fernandes for a thunderous long-range strike.
The Plzen goalkeeper, however, denied him with an impressive diving save. Rashford’s frustrations culminated in a yellow card for a clumsy foul on Lukáš Červ as the first half ended with United looking uninspired.
Manager Ruben Amorim had his work cut out at halftime, as his side’s performance lacked urgency and purpose.
Three minutes into the second half, United’s woes deepened. Onana’s risky short pass in his own third was intercepted, allowing Vydra to punish United with a clinical finish.
It was a deserved lead for Plzen, as United’s subpar showing left little room for sympathy.
Rashford, at risk of a second booking, was substituted for Hojlund shortly after. The Dane immediately injected energy into United’s attack, coming close to scoring after intercepting a pass and beating a defender, only for the keeper to make the save.
Amorim made further changes, bringing on Mason Mount and Antony to revitalize his side.
Antony made an instant impact, threading a pass to Amad, whose deflected shot fell kindly to Hojlund.
The young striker calmly tapped in to restore parity. United, however, continued to flirt with danger, as Vyora came close to putting Plzen back in front with a volley that grazed the near post.
Mason Mount, introduced to inject creativity, came agonizingly close to scoring after combining with Amad, but the Plzen goalkeeper again proved difficult to beat.
As the clock ticked down, Amorim introduced Manuel Ugarte and Alejandro Garnacho in a bid to freshen up the side.
With time running out, Hojlund turned provider, threading a sublime through ball to Mount, whose shot was parried by the keeper. Moments later, United earned a free-kick, and Fernandes delivered a pinpoint pass to Hojlund.
The striker’s exquisite first touch set him up perfectly to fire into the far corner, handing United the lead in the 86th minute.
Despite six minutes of added time and a missed opportunity to extend the lead during a late counterattack, United clung on for the win.
It wasn’t a convincing display, but the three points brought them closer to securing automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
While questions remain about United’s lack of dominance against a weaker opponent, Hojlund’s heroics offered a silver lining in an otherwise unconvincing performance.
