Rasmus Hojlund delivered a match-winning performance, scoring twice as Manchester United came from behind to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League at Old Trafford, marking Ruben Amorim’s first triumph as United manager.
The Danish striker nearly started the evening with a hat-trick opportunity when he dispossessed Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikan inside the first minute, only to be pulled down. Alejandro Garnacho capitalized on the chaos to fire in the opener, giving Amorim another perfect start. However, as in their recent match against Ipswich, United’s intensity dropped, and the visitors punished their defensive frailties. Hakon Evjen and Filip Zinckernagel struck twice in four minutes, exposing gaps in United’s back three and turning the game on its head.
Amorim breathed a sigh of relief when Hojlund leveled the score with a precise right-footed volley into the bottom corner just before the break. Despite the equalizer, the manager was visibly displeased with the team’s first-half showing and made a tactical adjustment at halftime, swapping Tyrell Malacia for Diogo Dalot. Malacia, making his first United appearance in 550 days, had struggled defensively, particularly on Bodo/Glimt’s second goal.
Amorim’s changes brought immediate improvement. United maintained a back three in possession, with Dalot pushing into a more central attacking role akin to a No. 10, but shifted to a back four defensively to plug the gaps exploited by the Norwegian champions. The renewed structure gave United a boost, and just five minutes into the second half, Hojlund struck again. Mason Mount’s clever flick freed Manuel Ugarte, who delivered a perfect pass for Hojlund to calmly slot home, marking his first goals since October.
United’s victory lifted them to 12th in the Europa League standings with two wins from five matches, keeping them two points shy of the automatic qualification spots. Meanwhile, Bodo/Glimt dropped to 17th, two points behind United, as their hopes of progression took a hit.
