DUBLIN, Ireland — Manchester United won their penultimate preseason friendly on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Wednesday.
Noussair Mazraoui scored the decisive spot kick as Michael Carrick’s team won 5-4 in the shootout in front of a sellout crowd of 82,300 at Croke Park.
Joshua Zirkzee gave United the lead in the first half before it was cancelled out by United States international Brenden Aaronson.
Carrick has been working with a full complement of players at their camp in County Kildare after the last remaining World Cup players joined up this week.
Marcus Rashford, back at the club after 18 months on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona, watched from the sidelines along with England teammate Kobbie Mainoo and Argentina World Cup finalist Lisandro Martínez.
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Mason Mount was left out as a precaution and Harry Maguire missed out with staff managing his minutes during preseason.
Zirkzee has been the subject of interest from Juventus over the summer, but the Dutchman made his case to stay at Old Trafford with the opening goal after 16 minutes.
Bryan Mbeumo, one of United’s best players in their summer games, skipped away from a challenge on the halfway line before setting up Zirkzee to score with a first-time finish.
Aaronson equalised for Leeds before the half-hour mark when he picked up a Dan James flick inside the penalty area to shoot past Senne Lammens.
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Carrick handed a debut to 18-year-old winger Tynan Thompson — signed from Tottenham this summer — in the second half while Youri Tielemans came on for his second United appearance.
In the second-half, United’s substitute keeper Dermot Mee — on for Lammens — made a good save to deny James Justin before Bruno Fernandes skimmed the crossbar from outside the area.
Fernandes rolled his penalty wide in the shootout, but Mazraoui took the chance to win it after Mee saved from Leeds’ summer signing from Fulham, Harry Wilson, and Justin hit the crossbar.
