Leeds United got another useful pre-season test on Wednesday evening, drawing 1-1 with Manchester United at Croke Park in Dublin before losing the penalty shootout 5-4. In front of 82,300 spectators, Brenden Aaronson scored Leeds United’s equaliser in the first half after Joshua Zirkzee had put Manchester United ahead.
The game was level at half time and stayed that way through 90 minutes, even after Daniel Farke made 10 changes in the second half. Leeds had already beaten RB Leipzig earlier in pre-season, and this match offered a different kind of challenge against a higher-profile opponent on a big stage.
How Leeds United scored
The Leeds United score came from Aaronson in the first half, cancelling out Zirkzee’s opener and bringing the match back to 1-1 before the break. From there, both teams held on through the rest of normal time.
For Leeds, the result was a reminder that pre-season is about more than wins and losses. The draw showed they can respond against strong opposition, while the shootout defeat left Manchester United with the official edge on the night. Still, the match gave Daniel Farke another chance to rotate his squad and assess players in a competitive setting.
With the season getting closer, Leeds will take value from the performance as much as the scoreline. The 1-1 result after 90 minutes showed a side that could match Manchester United for spells, even if the penalty shootout went the other way.
