Manchester United beat Leeds on penalties in Dublin friendly at Croke Park
Manchester United and Leeds United drew 1-1 in a pre-season friendly at Croke Park in Dublin on 12 August 2026, with United prevailing 5-4 in a penalty shootout.
The match was the first meeting between two English clubs at the stadium and served as a penultimate friendly for both sides. Michael Carrick said before kick-off: “Marcus [Rashford], Licha [Martínez] and Kobbie [Mainoo] aren’t quite ready yet,” adding they were being preserved “for this weekend [against Milan in Wroclaw].” The PA announcer billed the fixture as “Tonight is going to be historical.” Mason Mount was absent as a precaution, Tom Heaton had an issue being assessed and Harry Maguire had rejoined training.
Early exchanges produced notable moments: Joshua Zirkzee fired a left-foot shot from a Diogo Dalot cross that James Trafford saved low, and later Bryan Mbeumo ran down the left and laid the ball on to Zirkzee, who converted a first-time effort past Trafford to open the scoring. The report said Leeds’ right-side defenders, Jayden Bogle and Sebastiaan Bornauw, were exposed by the attacking move.
Leeds mounted a response that involved two Ao Tanaka throw-ins into the area and a turnover by Tyler Fletcher, after which Dan James robbed the midfielder and flipped the ball into the box where Brenden Aaronson stroked the equaliser past Senne Lammens. A subsequent Mbeumo shot beat Trafford but struck the bar, keeping the scores level.
Carrick made three half-time substitutions, removing Patrick Dorgu, Andrey Santos and Mbeumo for Toby Collyer, Daniel Armer — an 18-year-old making his debut — and Tynan Thompson; Daniel Farke used ten changes with Bornauw the only player to remain. Carrick later introduced Bruno Fernandes, Youri Tielemans — described as his new £35m midfielder — and Matheus Cunha, who led a 4-2-3-1. Play settled into a lull before Lammens denied a James Justin effort, a Fernandes strike was ruled offside and Fernandes then struck the bar.
The Boyle Sports Cup was decided by penalties, United winning 5-4 after Noussair Mazraoui converted the decisive kick. The match included a security breach when five fans ran onto the pitch for selfies with Fernandes and Tielemans, with a sixth fan entering moments later.
United’s pre-season results now list this penalty victory alongside a 1–1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, a 2–1 win over Atlético Madrid, a 5–0 win against Rosenborg and a 1–0 loss to Wrexham on 18 July. Leeds’ preparations include victories 2-0 over RB Leipzig, 4-2 against Liverpool and 1-0 over Sunderland, plus a 3-2 defeat to Wrexham on 26 July; Leeds finish their preparation by hosting Augsburg while United travel to Poland.
Last season the sides finished separated by 24 points, the report noting United ended third and Leeds 14th, and the piece recorded that United’s main summer additions so far had been Tielemans and Santos.