Manchester United 1-1 Twente: Red Devils stumble in Europa League opener
Manchester United’s UEFA Europa League campaign began with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Eredivisie side FC Twente at Old Trafford. Despite dominating the first half, Erik ten Hag’s men failed to secure all three points as the visitors mounted a resilient comeback.
United looked strong early on, with Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen testing Twente’s defense. Eriksen eventually broke the deadlock in the 35th minute, firing into the top corner after capitalizing on a loose ball in the box—his third goal in two games.
Twente, however, came out stronger in the second half, applying pressure on United’s backline. A close call came when Sem Steijn’s clever free-kick almost caught Andre Onana off guard, but the United goalkeeper made a crucial save.
As United began to lose their grip, Twente seized their chance. In the 68th minute, Christian Eriksen was dispossessed by Bart van Rooij, leading to Sam Lammers’ equalizer.
In response, Ten Hag made a triple substitution, bringing on Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, and Rasmus Højlund to rejuvenate the attack. Despite late efforts from Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho, United couldn’t regain the lead, and both teams settled for a point.
