Højlund’s Brace Helps Manchester United Overcome Viktoria Plzen in Europa League

Manchester United came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Viktoria Plzen in a hard-fought Europa League encounter on Thursday night. The dramatic second-half turnaround, sparked by a brace from Rasmus Højlund, saw the Red Devils extend their perfect start under new manager Ruben Amorim in European competition.

The match, held at the Doosan Arena, started slowly with few chances in a lackluster first half. However, a mistake from United goalkeeper André Onana would prove costly. His poor pass to defender Matthijs de Ligt was intercepted, and Plzen's Tomas Vydra pounced to give the home side a surprise lead in the 53rd minute.

Amorim quickly responded, making key substitutions to shift the momentum. The changes paid off in the 68th minute when Amad Diallo’s brilliant dribbling down the right wing set up Højlund for a simple rebound goal after Plzen goalkeeper Ales Hruska had parried his initial shot.

Højlund wasn’t done there. The Danish forward was at the center of the match’s defining moment when he scored the winner in the 80th minute. A quickly taken free-kick from Bruno Fernandes caught Plzen’s defense off guard, and Højlund’s clinical strike sealed the three points for United.

Despite the early setback, Manchester United dominated the game in terms of expected goals (xG), finishing with a total of 2.73, compared to Plzen’s 0.77. Amorim’s side now sit in fifth place in the group, while Viktoria Plzen drop to 15th, with their 12-match home unbeaten run in European competition coming to an end. United’s win marked the first time since November 2022 that Plzen were beaten on home soil in a European match, with Barcelona the last team to achieve that feat.

The result is a significant one for Ruben Amorim, who becomes just the third Manchester United manager to win his first two European matches in charge, following in the footsteps of legends Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. Amorim’s tactical changes and reliance on his key players, particularly Højlund, continue to pay dividends as United look to build momentum in the Europa League.

Rasmus Højlund’s impact on the competition has been undeniable, with the Danish forward now involved in 50% of United’s goals in the Europa League this season (6 out of 12). Højlund has either scored or assisted in each of United’s last five Europa League goals, further establishing himself as a key figure for the club in European competition.

With this win, Manchester United now shift their focus to the upcoming Manchester derby this weekend, while Plzen will look to bounce back against SK Dynamo in their next league fixture.