Rasmus Højlund’s double secured Manchester United a much-needed 2-1 comeback victory in the Europa League at Viktoria Plzen as Ruben Amorim registered his first away win as head coach.
After making a promising start to life as Erik ten Hag’s successor, things were thrown off track as the shock exit of sporting director Dan Ashworth compounded back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
Amorim was staring down the barrel of a damaging third straight loss early in the second half after the former Burnley striker Matej Vydra put Plzen ahead after boyhood United fan Pavel Sulc cut out André Onana’s poor pass.
But Højlund’s introduction off the bench helped spark a turnaround in freezing conditions, with the substitute soon turning home after Amad Diallo’s effort was blocked.
The visitors continued to knock on the door and two minutes from time the Denmark international met a smart Bruno Fernandes free-kick with strength, a decent touch and a thumping finish. United’s first European victory on the road since March 2023 sees them take a giant step towards the knockout stages.
Onana began nervily having had a costly wobble against Forest on Saturday night. United’s goalkeeper accidentally clattered into Casemiro when meeting a free-kick, unconvincingly dealt with a throw-in and saw a pass blocked during a cumbersome all-round start by the visitors.
Marcus Rashford, Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee all wasted dangerous moments, before Fernandes finally forced Viktoria’s goalkeeper into action.
Plzen offered precious little in response, but Cheick Souaré’s curler from the edge of the box brought hope before the break, as did a stoppage-time attempt by Vydra. Allowed to gallop forwards from the halfway line, the United captain hit a 20-yard strike that forced a good low save out of Martin Jedlicka. Just three minutes into the second half. Onana’s hesitation after collecting a pass back from Lisandro Martínez was sniffed out by Sulc, who intelligently cut out a pass intended for Matthijs de Ligt and squared for Vydra to sweep home.
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United’s rickety display continued after that gut punch, but Sulc so nearly undid his good work as Højlund met his loose pass and got away a low drive that Jedlicka saved.
The leveller that arrived in the 62nd minute. A quickly taken free-kick caught Plzen out, with play building, Diallo delightfully cutting past his man to get away a strike that was blocked and fell into the path of Højlund to turn home. Højlund just failed to reach a tantalising cross by Fernandes as they pushed, but Viktoria went close at the other end as Prince Adu crossed for Vydra to slam narrowly wide.
United stepped up as they sought a winner. Viktoria’s goalkeeper spread himself well to deny Mason Mount in the 77th minute, with Jedlicka denying him against after Alejandro Garnacho and Manuel Ugarte came on. A clever set-piece provided an 88th-minute winner. Fernandes drove a low free-kick to Højlund, who held off his man, took a touch and lashed a low left-footed strike past Plzen’s goalkeeper.
