Sampdoria gave Manchester United a fright in tonight’s friendly with a Dennis Praet equaliser, but were beaten 2-1 by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata goals.

The sides faced off in a pre-season friendly in Dublin this evening and it was a surprisingly good performance from the Blucerchiati against the reigning Europa League holders.

David De Gea scrambled back in the opening minutes and had to be at full stretch to claw the ball off the line, as Danny Blind’s over-hit back-pass was rolling into his own net.

Sampdoria gave Manchester United a fright in tonight’s friendly with a Dennis Praet equaliser, but were beaten 2-1 by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata goals.

The sides faced off in a pre-season friendly in Dublin this evening and it was a surprisingly good performance from the Blucerchiati against the reigning Europa League holders.

David De Gea scrambled back in the opening minutes and had to be at full stretch to claw the ball off the line, as Danny Blind’s over-hit back-pass was rolling into his own net.

Samp had started brightly, but were caught on the counter from their own free kick, Matteo Darmian surging down the right and pulling back for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Fabio Quagliarella’s lob sailed over with De Gea out of position, but Christian Puggioni needed saves on Mkhitaryan’s header and a Paul Pogba strike, while Romelu Lukaku curled just wide.

Manchester United risked an own goal again before the break, Viktor Lindelof hoofing it just past his post on a corner.

Ander Herrera had the ball in the back of the net from a Marouane Fellaini knock-down, but was flagged offside.

Moments later, Sampdoria equalised when Smalling intercepted a Karol Linetty assist and only cleared it to the edge of the box for Dennis Praet to drill home.

Marco Giampaolo didn’t make his first substitutions until 65 minutes in. After a tricky Puggioni save on Ander Herrera, Manchester United restored their advantage with Anthony Martial rolling across for Juan Mata unmarked on the penalty spot.

Goalkeeper Andrea Tozzo came off the bench in the final minutes and his first touch was a sensational reaction save on the deflected Ander Herrera strike from distance, then he palmed the Marcus Rashford follow-up over the bar too.

In stoppages, Dawid Kowacki almost got an equaliser for 2-2, but Castro Pereira bravely anticipated him to smother the cross.

Man Utd 2-1 Sampdoria

Mkhitaryan 10 (MU), Praet 63 (S), Mata 81 (MU)

Manchester United: De Gea (Castro Pereira 77); Lindelof (Jones 77), Smalling (Bailly 77), Blind (Martial 59); Valencia, A Pereira (Herrera 46), Matic (Carrick 46), Pogba (Fellaini 46), Darmian (Tuanzebe 77); Mkhitarayan (Mata 46), Lukaku (Rashford 59)

Sampdoria: Puggioni (Tozzo 86); Sala (Bereszynski 75), Silvestre, Pavlovic (Murru 65), Regini, Linetty (Alvarez 65), Torreira (Capezzi 86), Barreto (Djuricic 75); Praet (Verre 75); Quagliarella (Kownacki 86), Caprari (Bonazzoli 75)

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