Manchester United beat Fiorentina on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Snapdragon Cup at Old Trafford that saw Benjamin Sesko introduced to the crowd as their new striker.
2025 Club Friendlies
6-5
Penalty Shootout
Match Events
0' Penalty Goal! Man Utd 5-4 Fiorentina (Altay Bayındır)
0' The match is about to start!
4' Dzeko's cross finds Moise Kean, but the header is over the crossbar
8' GOAL! Simon Sohm sweeps home on the volley from a corner! Man Utd 0-1 Fiorentina
22' Maguire's header drops inches wide of De Gea's post
25' Robin Gosens' own goal levels the score for Red Devils! Man Utd 1-1 Fiorentina
30' Mbeumo delivers a cross which finds Yoro, but the defender's header is saved
42' Mount cuts across his volleyed attempt which travels inches wide of the far post
53' Bruno's curling effort from 25 yards goes over the crossbar
59' Cunha takes aim but his low shot flashes inches wide of De Gea's right-hand post
64' Great chance for Moise Kean but it is ruled offside
81' Bruno's cutback finds Cunha, whose effort is blocked behind for a corner
89' Kean breaks in behind the United defence but his shot goes wide
Match Report
Sesko's move from RB Leipzig for a fee rising to £73.7m was confirmed on the morning of the match and he was presented to supporters on the pitch alongside fellow new arrivals Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who both started for Ruben Amorim's side.
With the £50m revamp of their Carrington training ground also unveiled this week, there is a growing sense of renewal at United, although it did not take long for Fiorentina to pierce that when Simon Sohm seized upon sloppy defending to put the visitors ahead.
United levelled it up midway through the first half when Bruno Fernandes whipped in a cross that Robin Gosens appeared to divert over the line amid a melee of bodies. David de Gea, honoured beforehand by his old club, was among those complaining of a foul.
Sohm almost scored again after the break, striking the United crossbar. Fernandes, Harry Maguire and, in particular, Cunha searched for a winner for the home side in a second half that saw young defender Ayden Heaven depart the field due to an injury.
De Gea received a standing ovation when substituted late on, which prevented him taking part in the penalty shoot-out that United won when Altay Bayindir saved Fabiano Parisi's kick, allowing Kobbie Mainoo to secure the victory for the Red Devils.
But United lacked the fluidity that had marked their impressive win over Bournemouth earlier in pre-season and this suggests it may take time for things to gel. Their Premier League campaign kicks off back at Old Trafford against Arsenal next weekend, live on Sky Sports.
Analysis: Midfielder still needed
Sky Sports' Zinny Boswell:
"Manchester United's need for a new striker was clear with Mason Mount playing as the frontman and Rasmus Hojlund left on the bench. Their threat mainly came from set-pieces and the goal likely would have been ruled out if VAR were in use.
"Ruben Amorim will be comforted by the presence of Sesko to address that issue in the weeks to come, but the midfield will be a cause for concern for the United head coach.
"Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes were not able to dominate this game for Manchester United and the play has been disjointed at times.
"That will surely be an area of the team Amorim hopes to address in the final three weeks or so of this window. There is an interest in Carlos Baleba, who seems ideally suited to the system.
"However, it seems unlikely at this stage given Brighton would ask for a huge fee and haven't got a replacement in. The current options aren't ideal for Amorim."
Line-ups
Man Utd XI: Casemiro, Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Mount, Altay Bayındır, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo Traore, Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Ayden Heaven
Subs: Heaton, Luke Shaw, De Ligt, Dalot, Ugarte, Højlund, Collyer, Mainoo, Tyler Fredricson, Dermot Mee, Chido Obi, Diego León
Fiorentina XI: Dzeko, De Gea, Albert Gudmundsson, Gosens, Marin Pongracic, Dodô, Kean, L. Ranieri, Fagioli, Simon Sohm, Pietro Comuzzo
Subs: Luca Lezzerini, Mari, Mandragora, A.Sabiri, Lucas Beltrán, Fabiano Parisi, Jacopo Fazzini, Mattia Viti, Alessandro Bianco, Cher Ndour, Amir Richardson, Tommaso Martinelli, Pietro Leonardelli, Niccolò Trapani, Eddy Kouadio, Niccolò Fortini, Eman Kospo, Riccardo Braschi