Manchester United played to a 1-1 draw against manager Erik Ten Hag’s childhood club, FC Twente, at Old Trafford on Wednesday during their first match of the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League campaign.
In an emotional lead-up to the match, much of the discussion focused on Manchester United’s Dutch manager, Erik Ten Hag, and his long-standing ties to FC Twente, where he spent over two decades as both a player and assistant manager.
However, once the game began, it was all business. Twente defended resolutely, denying United any scoring opportunities until just 10 minutes before halftime.
Former Ajax player Christian Eriksen found space inside Twente’s area and fired a low shot into the net, breaking Twente’s resistance and giving United a lead at the break.
In the second half, United appeared to be a different team, allowing Twente to become more competitive.
The Red Devils’ defense was breached for the first time in three matches when San Lammers found the back of the net, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 68th minute.
United struggled to generate clear chances and nearly snatched a win at the end when Harry Maguire’s effort was deflected towards goal but failed to get past Twente goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall.
Next, United will head to Portugal to face Porto, who lost 3-2 to Bodo Glimt in their opening Europa League game.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag’s immediate challenge is to prepare his team for a tough matchup against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, as they aim to return to winning form in the Premier League.
