Hojlund gives Amorim winning Old Trafford bow, Roma hold Spurs

PARIS: Manchester United marked Ruben Amorim´s first game at Old Trafford with a 3-2 Europa League victory over Bodo/Glimt as Rasmus Hojlund netted a double, while Tottenham were held by Roma on Thursday.

United trailed late in the first half against Norwegians Bodo/Glimt, but recovered to post a second straight Europa League win since sacking Erik ten Hag, having started the campaign with three consecutive draws.

“Half of the stadium doesn´t know me, I came from Portugal and I did nothing for this club. Yet the way they make me feel at home is special,” Amorim told TNT Sports. Manchester United scored in the second minute of former Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim´s first match as manager at Ipswich on Sunday and it took under 60 seconds for them to break the deadlock against Bodo/Glimt.

Visiting goalkeeper Nikita Haikin was put under pressure by a poor back-pass and his clearance was blocked by Hojlund, allowing Alejandro Garnacho to tap into an empty net. But United´s defensive frailties were laid bare as Hakon Evjen swept in a 19th-minute equaliser and Philip Zinckernagel put Bodo/Glimt in front four minutes later.

United looked short of ideas until the stroke of half-time when Noussair Mazraoui´s cross found Hojlund, who flicked the ball up with a clever touch and calmly volleyed into the bottom corner.

The hosts reclaimed the lead less than five minutes after the restart, as Manuel Ugarte squared the ball across the face of goal for Hojlund to prod home. United survived a real scare when the referee waved play on after goalkeeper Andre Onana handled outside his area in the second half.

But Amorim´s men held on to give their new boss a satisfactory home debut. In London, Spurs failed to back up their stunning weekend win over Manchester City as Mats Hummels scored in injury time to snatch a 2-2 draw for Roma. Tottenham also made a fast start as Son Heung-min slotted in a penalty in the fifth minute after Pape Matar Sarr was brought down by Hummels.