Manchester United secured a penalty shootout victory against Leeds United in a pre-season friendly held in Dublin. The match, which served as a penultimate friendly for United and a preparation game for Leeds, concluded with a 5-4 win for United in the shootout after the game ended in a draw.
The fixture marked the first club football match ever hosted at Croke Park, drawing a capacity crowd of over 80,000 spectators. The atmosphere was described as historic by the enthusiastic PA announcer, highlighting the significance of the inaugural meeting between the two English clubs at the venue.
Match Action and Goals
Early in the game, Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United opened the scoring. His left-foot shot, following a cross from Diogo Dalot, was initially saved by Leeds’ new recruit, goalkeeper James Trafford. However, Zirkzee later beat Trafford with a first-time effort after receiving the ball from Bryan Mbeumo, giving United the lead.
Leeds United responded to level the score. A moment involving Tyler Fletcher backfired for United, allowing Dan James to dispossess him. James then delivered the ball into the area, where Brenden Aaronson scored past United’s goalkeeper, Senne Lammens. Trafford also made a key save for Leeds when a shot from Mbeumo hit the bar.
Team Line-ups and Substitutions
For Leeds United, manager Daniel Farke named a starting XI that included James Trafford in goal, making his first start for the club. The defence featured Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol (who wore the armband), Tarik Muharemovic, and Jayden Bogle. The midfield comprised Rhys Chadwick, Sean Longstaff, and Ao Tanaka, with Brenden Aaronson and Daniel James playing further forward, and Lukas Nmecha leading the attack.
The bench for Leeds included players such as Alex Cairns, Rory Mahady, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Joël Piroe, Harry Wilson, Anton Stach, Noah Okafor, James Justin, Wilfried Gnonto, Alfie Cresswell, and Callum Mills.
During the match, both teams made extensive substitutions. Manchester United manager Michael Carrick made three changes at half-time, bringing on Toby Collyer, Daniel Armer (an 18-year-old debutant), and Tynan Thompson for Patrick Dorgu, Andrey Santos, and Bryan Mbeumo. Later, Carrick introduced six more players, including captain Bruno Fernandes, new £35m midfielder Youri Tielemans, and Matheus Cunha.
Daniel Farke made even more changes for Leeds, with only Bornauw remaining on the field from the starting lineup for a period. These changes included the introduction of players like Harry Wilson and Alfie Cresswell, who tested Lammens.
Penalty Shootout and Pre-season Form
The match ultimately went to a penalty shootout to decide the Boyle Sports Cup. Manchester United emerged victorious with a 5-4 win, with Noussair Mazraoui scoring the decisive kick. Before the shootout, there were moments of disruption as five fans, followed by a sixth, ran onto the pitch for selfies with Fernandes and Tielemans.
Manchester United’s pre-season results now include this victory, a 1–1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, wins against Atlético Madrid (2–1) and Rosenborg (5–0), and a 1–0 loss to Wrexham on 18 July. Leeds United’s pre-season record after this defeat stands at a 2-0 loss against RB Leipzig, a 4-2 win against Liverpool, a 1-0 win against Sunderland, and a 3-2 defeat, also to Wrexham, on 26 July.
Looking ahead, Leeds will conclude their preparations by hosting Augsburg, while Manchester United will travel to Poland. Last term, United finished third in the league, 24 points ahead of Leeds, who were in 14th position. United’s manager Michael Carrick also provided an update on absent players, stating that Marcus Rashford, Licha Martínez, and Kobbie Mainoo were not yet ready, and were being preserved for an upcoming match against Milan in Wroclaw. Mason Mount was also absent as a precaution, Tom Heaton’s problem is being assessed, and Harry Maguire joined training on Wednesday.
Source: theguardian.com
As News-UK's Sports News Writer, Oscar Pennington reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He built a reputation for sharp explainer pieces on regional sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Oscar lives in Nottingham, where he follows the pro golf tour and amateur boxing. “Context is what turns a result into a story.”
