Striker Rasmus Hojlund scored twice to help Manchester United secure a 2-1 win at six-time Czech champions Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.

Substitute Hojlund needed just six minutes on the pitch to cancel out an early second-half opener from Pilsen striker Matej Vydra before scoring another goal just before the end to seal the victory and give United their third successive win in the competition .

United, unbeaten after six games, provisionally moved up to fifth in the table with 12 points and remain hopeful of an automatic qualification place for the round of 16.

After two Premier League defeats against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, United survived an initial period of pressure from the hosts, who had conceded just one goal in their last 12 European home games.

In Ruben Amorim’s first European away game as United coach, Pilsen kept their defense compact against the determined visitors and the game remained goalless at half-time.

Vydra gave the hosts the lead shortly after the restart, firing into the center of the net after Pavel Sulc intercepted a poor pass from United goalkeeper André Onana and played the ball back to his teammate.

However, their joy was short-lived as Danish striker Hojlund, who came on as a substitute for Marcus Rashford in the 56th minute, equalized just after the hour mark, scoring the equalizer with a shot from close range.

Amad Diallo picked up a pass from Antony on the right and struck from a tight angle, an attempt that was saved before Hojlund sent the rebound into the empty net.

Neither team wanted to settle for a draw and Hojlund scored the second goal in the 88th minute, scoring from a lovely low free kick from captain Bruno Fernandes, handing Pilsen their first defeat in the competition.

United, who visit Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, next host Rangers on January 23 before their final game of the league stage at Steaua Bucharest a week later.

Athletic Bilbao won 2-0 at Fenerbahce on Wednesday thanks to a first-half brace from midfielder Iñaki Williams after Jose Mourinho’s side were down with 10 men in the 69th minute following a second yellow card for defender Mert Müldür.

After five wins in a row and the 1-1 draw at AS Roma at the start, they went into the game leading the league with 16 points.

Roma beat Sporting Braga of Portugal 3-0 on Thursday, with Lorenzo Pellegrini giving the hosts the lead after 10 minutes before defender Saud Abdulhamid doubled the lead just after half-time and Mario Hermoso secured the win in stoppage time.

Swedish club Malmö, sitting at the bottom of the table, held Galatasaray, who started the day in fourth place, to a last-minute 2-2 home draw when Sergio Peña scored in stoppage time after Elias Jelert and Yunus Akgün had scored for the team. Visitors watched Erik Botheim’s opening goal.

Greece’s PAOK beat Ferencvaros 5-0 at home, while Romania’s Steaua Bucharest remained goalless in Hoffenheim.