Manchester United opened their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Rosenborg that would have been far more emphatic if not for the brilliance of Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek.
Erik ten Hag selected an experienced starting XI that contained the likes of Casemiro, Marcus Rashford, Jonny Evans, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mason Mount with the quintet playing the first 45 minutes in Trondheim.
A youthful team emerged for the second period and came under some intense pressure before eventually folding in injury-time as Noah Holm netted for Rosenborg.
Our first line-up of pre-season 👊
Head to #MUTV for live build-up and match coverage from 16:00 BST 📲#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2024
The hosts are midway through their season and their superior fitness was evident from the outset as Ola Saeter had a goal disallowed for a close offside call 11 minutes in.
Casemiro escaped serious injury after Tomas Nemcik caught the Brazil midfielder around the knee before United had another scare when Marius Broholm struck a post with a curling effort.
Vitek, who impressed on loan at Accrington Stanley last season, justified his place with a brilliant double save after 34 minutes, first denying Broholm and then keeping out an effort that deflected off his own defender Will Fish.
United continued to live dangerously and Rosenborg came close again three minutes before the break with the impressive Broholm hitting the bar and Sverre Nypan and Saeter failing to score in the ensuing melee.
Vitek saved well from Broholm as the first half came to a close with United fortunate not to be trailing by at least two goals.
Only Vitek survived the half-time shake-up as Ten Hag introduced an entirely new outfield XI.
Our second half XI 🔄#MUFC https://t.co/eIa0gBAtRI pic.twitter.com/Gx9MMXy105
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2024
It did little to change the flow of the game, though, as Rosenborg continued to dominate despite making changes of their own.
Vitek saved well from substitute Tobias Borkeeiet – tipping the ball on to the bar – before Rosenborg hit the woodwork for a fourth time as Emil Frederiksen smashed an effort on to the post from a narrow angle.
United finally created a chance of note after 70 minutes, Rosenborg goalkeeper Rasmus Sandberg saving well from Ethan Ennis but it was brief respite for the visitors as Vitek was called upon again with four minutes to go to keep out a Magnus Holte shot.
It seemed as thought United were going to survive only for Holm to react first to a loose ball in the United box and fire home with the last kick of the game.
Full-time in Trondheim.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2024
