Mazraoui Hits Decisive Penalty as Man United Edge Leeds 5-4 in Shootout

Manchester United secured a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Leeds United after a 1-1 draw in front of 82,300 fans at Croke Park.

Manchester United defeated Leeds United 5-4 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw during their penultimate preseason friendly on Wednesday. Noussair Mazraoui converted the winning spot kick at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, before a sellout crowd of 82,300 spectators. Joshua Zirkzee opened the scoring for Michael Carrick’s side in the 16th minute, but United States international Brenden Aaronson equalized for Leeds before the 30-minute mark.

During the shootout, Bruno Fernandes rolled his attempt wide, yet United recovered after goalkeeper Dermot Mee saved a strike from Harry Wilson. James Justin also missed for Leeds, hitting the crossbar, which allowed Mazraoui to seal the result. The match featured the debut of 18-year-old winger Tynan Thompson, a summer signing from Tottenham, who appeared as a second-half substitute. Youri Tielemans also featured, making his second appearance for the club.

Zirkzee and Aaronson Trade First-Half Goals

Joshua Zirkzee, currently linked with interest from Juventus, gave Manchester United the lead after 16 minutes with a first-time finish. The goal was created by Bryan Mbeumo, who bypassed a defender on the halfway line before providing the assist. Leeds United responded before the half-hour mark when Dan James flicked the ball into the penalty area. Brenden Aaronson collected the pass and fired a shot past goalkeeper Senne Lammens to level the score.

In the second half, Dermot Mee replaced Lammens in goal and produced a significant save to prevent James Justin from scoring. Manchester United nearly regained the lead late in regulation when Bruno Fernandes saw a long-range effort from outside the box skim off the crossbar.

Squad Updates and Tactical Rotations

Michael Carrick managed a full complement of players at the team's training camp in County Kildare, as the final group of World Cup participants joined the squad this week. However, several key figures watched the match from the sidelines. Marcus Rashford, who recently returned to the club following 18-month loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona, was a spectator alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina’s World Cup finalist Lisandro Martínez.

Fitness management dictated other absences, as Mason Mount was omitted from the matchday squad as a precautionary measure. Harry Maguire also sat out the fixture while coaching staff monitored his workload during the preseason schedule.

Debut and New Arrivals in Action

The fixture provided a first look at Tynan Thompson in a United shirt following his transfer from Tottenham earlier this summer. Leeds United also integrated new personnel, including Harry Wilson, a summer arrival from Fulham, who saw his penalty saved during the decisive shootout. The match served as a critical fitness test for both squads as they conclude their summer preparations, with United utilizing two different goalkeepers and multiple substitutions to manage player minutes ahead of the new campaign.