Manchester United beat Leeds United 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Croke Park, with Joshua Zirkzee on target for Michael Carrick’s side in their penultimate pre-season friendly.
Zirkzee handed United the lead after 16 minutes following excellent work from Bryan Mbeumo, but Brenden Aaronson responded for Leeds before the half-hour mark.
Neither side could find a winner after the break, sending the friendly to a penalty shootout in Dublin.
Man Utd beat Leeds on penalties after 1-1 draw
United made an encouraging start and Zirkzee was involved from the opening stages, forcing James Trafford into an early save before eventually finding the breakthrough.
Mbeumo created the goal after another lively piece of attacking play, supplying Zirkzee before the Dutchman finished beyond Trafford.
The goal continued Zirkzee’s push for a prominent role under Carrick as competition for places increases ahead of the Premier League season.
Leeds responded in the 29th minute when former United winger Daniel James supplied Aaronson, who beat Senne Lammens to make it 1-1.
Lammens made three saves during the game, while United enjoyed 59 per cent possession and completed 528 passes. Carrick also used the friendly to hand further minutes to several members of his squad, with Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Luke Shaw, Youri Tielemans and Jack Fletcher among those introduced after the break.
ReadManUtd highlighted Tyler Fletcher, Marcus Rashford and Noussair Mazraoui as players with something to prove before the game, with Fletcher handed a starting role alongside summer signing Andrey Santos.
The 1-1 scoreline remained unchanged at full-time before United edged the resulting shootout 5-4 on penalties.
Carrick’s side now have one final opportunity to sharpen up before the competitive campaign begins, with AC Milan next on Saturday.
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