Forward Rasmus Hojlund emerged as the hero for Manchester United, scoring twice to overturn a deficit and secure a 2-1 victory against Viktoria Plzen in the 2024-25 Europa League on Thursday. The result marked United’s third consecutive win in the competition and extended their unbeaten run to six matches.
Substituted into the game in the 56th minute, Hojlund wasted no time making his impact. The Danish striker equalized just six minutes later, converting a rebound after a blocked shot by Amad Diallo. Hojlund then sealed the win in the 88th minute with a composed finish off a low free kick from captain Bruno Fernandes.
United’s win propelled them to fifth in the standings with 12 points, keeping their hopes alive for automatic qualification to the last 16. The victory also provided a much-needed boost for manager Ruben Amorim following two consecutive Premier League losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Six-time Czech champions Viktoria Plzen came into the match with an impressive home record, having conceded just one goal in their last 12 European fixtures. The hosts started brightly, applying pressure on United’s defense and maintaining a compact setup that stifled the visitors’ attacking efforts in the first half.
The game remained goalless at the break, but Plzen capitalized on a defensive error shortly after the restart. United goalkeeper Andre Onana’s poor pass was intercepted by Pavel Sulc, who squared the ball to forward Matej Vydra for a clinical finish into the center of the net.
Plzen’s lead was short-lived as Hojlund came off the bench to turn the tide. In the 62nd minute, Diallo’s shot from a tight angle was parried, and Hojlund pounced on the rebound, tapping the ball into an empty net.
The decisive moment came in the 88th minute when Bruno Fernandes delivered a well-placed low free kick into the box. Hojlund controlled the pass and calmly slotted it past the Plzen goalkeeper, handing United the win and inflicting Plzen’s first defeat of the competition.
Manchester United will face Manchester City in a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday. They return to Europa League action on January 23, hosting Rangers before concluding the league phase with a trip to Steaua Bucharest.
Result:
Viktoria Plzen 1 (Matej Vydra 48’) lost to Manchester United 2 (Rasmus Hojlund 62’, 88’).
