Man Utd star Rasmus Hojlund spares Andre Onana's blushes in comeback Europa League win
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Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench to score twice as Manchester United secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The £72million striker proved to be United's saviour after Andre Onana's costly error had gifted the Czech side a shock lead early in the second half.
Ruben Amorim's side were forced to battle back from behind on a cold evening in central Europe, with Hojlund's late heroics sparing their blushes.
The Danish forward has now scored five goals since Amorim's arrival as manager, continuing his impressive form as a substitute.
Rasmus Hojlund scored a brace after coming on off the bench
Reuters
The win provides United with a much-needed boost following recent Premier League defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Andre Onana's nightmare evening began with early warning signs as he struggled with set-pieces, twice missing punches and even colliding with teammate Casemiro.
The goalkeeper's most costly error came right after the break when his baffling pass was intercepted by Pavel Dulc, who set up former Watford striker Matej Vydra for a simple tap-in.
It marked Onana's second major mistake in consecutive matches, following his recent poor showing against Nottingham Forest.
"Andre Onana has now undone all the good work he did this season, today and in the Forest game," one fan was quoted as saying on social media.
Hojlund's impact was immediate after replacing Marcus Rashford in the 56th minute, with the Dane proving clinical in front of goal.
The equaliser came through excellent work from Amad Diallo, whose direct running and mazy dribble into the Plzen penalty area created the opportunity.
Andre Onana joined in with the goal celebrations, likely coming over to thank Rasmus Hojlund
Reuters
Though Amad's initial shot was blocked, Hojlund was perfectly positioned to tap home the rebound, bringing United level on the hour mark.
With time running out, Bruno Fernandes demonstrated his creative brilliance with a clever free-kick that found Hojlund in space.
The striker showed remarkable composure to fire home the winning goal in the dying minutes, converting Fernandes' intelligent pass.
The brace highlighted Hojlund's predatory instincts, with both finishes displaying the clinical edge United have often lacked this season.
Andre Onana had made a huge error earlier in the match
Reuters
Despite the victory, United's overall performance was largely underwhelming, with several players struggling to make an impact.
Marcus Rashford was particularly poor, being substituted after 54 minutes following a display where he failed to create a single chance or register a shot.
Amorim's substitutions proved decisive, with both Antony and Mason Mount making positive contributions alongside Hojlund's match-winning cameo.
"Absolutely no disrespect to Rashford or what he's done for the club but with the way Amorim wants to play, with the formation, I don't see where Rashford fits in," one fan commented.
Andre Onana won't want to see that again 🫣
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2024
A gift from the United keeper and Reading old-boy Matej Vydra pounces to put Plzen ahead 😱
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/fHlsdddhgp
The Portuguese manager earned praise for his decisive changes, receiving a 7/10 rating for being "decisive with his substitutions."
United will hope to build on this comeback victory as they head into this weekend's Manchester derby.
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