Match report: United 3 Bodo/Glimt 2

Manchester United claimed a 3-2 victory against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, providing a warm welcome for Ruben Amorim in his first game at Old Trafford as Reds head coach.

The new United boss spoke of needing fresh legs before the game – understandable given his energetic brand of football – and as such made six changes to the XI that faced Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Tyrell Malacia, whose last outing for the senior side came 18 months ago, before an intense injury battle, joined Antony, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Manuel Ugarte and Rasmus Hojlund in getting their first starts in front of the new boss.

Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring inside a minute, thanks to some diligent pressure from Hojlund, but that may have lulled United into false security. There were no doubts we had a game on our hands when Bodo/Glimt hit back with two goals in quick succession before the half-hour mark.

Hojlund, instrumental in the first, ensured United went in level with a well-controlled volley, before putting the Reds back ahead on the other side of half-time – it was another European night to remember for the Dane, helping to deliver Amorim’s first win of his United career in the process.

FIRST HALF — RASMUS RESCUE

Amorim’s squad refresh for the game paid dividends almost instantly, with the second blink-and-you’ll-miss-it goal in as many games, following a similarly rapid start against Ipswich Town.

The ball was played back to Nikita Haikin as the Norwegian side felt their way into the occasion at the Theatre of Dreams, but Hojlund wasn’t about to stand there and watch. Charging down the gloveman, the Dane caught him unawares and left the goal wide open for Garnacho to storm in and strike inside a minute.

Haikin was perhaps fortunate that Garnacho was there to finish the chance, as his dragging back of Hojlund would surely have provoked further inspection from the officials otherwise.

United were camped in the opposition’s half from that moment. Both Mount and Bruno Fernandes got shots off at goal — the latter even attempting a scorpion kick at one point which sailed over the bar — but midway through the half, the Reds faced a backlash from Bodo/Glimt.

Against the run of play, the team in yellow seized the ball in midfield and exchanged some quick passes to build up towards United’s box. Sondre Brunstad Fet ran of out pitch to run into, spinning to set the stage for Hakon Evjen to curl a 20-yard effort beyond the grasp of Andre Onana.

United faces showed frustration, conceding after establishing such control in the game, but the visitors’ tails were up.

Four minutes later, Patrick Berg played a sweeping through ball from deep in midfield, setting Malacia and Philip Zinckernagel off on a foot race which the Dane won, slotting the resulting finish through the legs of Onana.

From total control, United were behind in a flash and looked to be entering the interval in search of a spark, which Hojlund duly delivered in timely fashion.

United had been asking questions and Bodo had responded each time, but they had no answer when the Denmark international plucked Noussair Mazraoui’s cross out of the air with his left foot, before expertly volleying home the leveller with his right.

Parity restored, just in the nick of time.

SECOND HALF — HEROIC HOJLUND

United came out from the break with a similar energy to the start of the first, and were almost rewarded with a goal once again when Mount picked up the ball in a crowded box and clattered a curling shot off the crossbar.

The Old Trafford crowd wouldn’t have to wait long, however.

Just before 50 minutes had been played, Mazraoui threaded a ball through the heart of the Glimt defence and it was smartly helped on its way with a deft flick from Mount, to play Manuel Ugarte in wide right. The Uruguayan is more commonly associated with breaking up attacks, but he was the creator in this instance, zipping the ball across for Hojlund to seal his brace from the centre; it was his 20th goal for the club, and his eighth in just 11 European outings.

Luke Shaw was once again introduced as a substitute, but there was to be no gentle settling-in period for the England international. The visitors were not for going down without a fight, but their search for an equaliser was opening up space for the likes of Amad and Garnacho to burst into and make convincing attempts at a fourth.

A mix-up at the back with 15 minutes to go required heroics from Onana, who dealt with a loose pass at the second time of asking, some distance away from his own net.

Such was the pace of the game throughout, that amended error slipped straight into a chance at the other end for Amorim’s men. The ball ultimately ended up with Garnacho in the penalty area, and he had enough time to stop the ball dead, before placing his effort marginally too high to trouble the goalkeeper.

Onana was called upon once again in stoppage time, producing a strong punch to deny a promising-looking free-kick from just outside the box — the Cameroonian proved vital in the closing stages of the game.

It would prove to be the final big chance. Bodo/Glimt gave a very good account of themselves, but United did enough on the night to hand Amorim the first win of his tenure, under the lights of an electric Old Trafford.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt (Casemiro 66), Martinez (Shaw 60), Antony (Amad 59), Ugarte, Fernandes (c), Malacia (Dalot 45), Mount (Rashford 59), Garnacho, Hojlund.

Subs not used: Bayindir, Heaton, Eriksen, Mainoo, Zirkzee.

Goals: Garnacho 1, Hojlund 45, 50.

Booked: Onana, Casemiro.

Bodo/Glimt: Haikin; Wembangomo (Sjovold 62), Gundersen, Bjortufy, Bjorkan; Evjen (Auklend 83), Berg (c), Brunstad Fet (Saltnes 71); Zinckernagel (Maata 72), Helmersen (Hogh 62), Hauge.

Subs not used: Lund, Nielsen, Espejord, Moe, Sorli, Sorensen, Mikkelsen.

Goals: Evjen 19, Zinckernagel 23.

Booked: Helmersen.

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