Manchester United beat Leeds United on penalties in the first club football match ever played at Croke Park, Dublin.Croke Park is the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the governing body for Irish national sports Gaelic football and hurling. Up until 2005, the GAA did not allow rugby union or football to be played on its grounds across Ireland, with the first games at Croke Park coming in 2007. This game was the first club football match to be played at the venue.Man United took the lead with an excellent counterattacking move with Bryan Mbeumo eventually finding Joshua Zirkzee to slot in from just inside the box.James Trafford, signed from Manchester City, played the first half for Leeds and made some good saves, the best turning an Mbeumo shot round the post before his new team equalised when Dan James robbed Tyler Fletcher of the ball and played in Brenden Aaronson.The end of the match was marked by a series of young pitch invaders. After one pair made their way onto the playing field from a corner behind Leeds United’s goal, and little to no impetus was shown by stewards to catch them, others quickly followed suit. Several ended up running onto the field of play, seeking selfies with players — mostly from the designated Manchester United end, behind Leeds’ second half goal.As the situation rapidly became farcical, the referee opted to blow the whistle and not play any stoppage time.The match was finally settled by a penalty shootout with Harry Wilson being denied by Dermot Mee and Bruno Fernandes rolling wide before Noussair Mazraoui scored the decisive kick to win 5-4 after James Justin hit the bar.Here The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell and Beren Cross break down the key talking points.What next for Zirkzee?Man United played some fluid, fast-paced football against Leeds, leaving fans online to purr about ‘Carrick ball’. For the most part passes were crisp and touches were efficient.Central to that was Joshua Zirkzee who, positioned in the No 10 role, often sought involvement to knit moves together. He also got on the end of things.Both cases were true in an attack early in the game when Ayden Heaven found Harry Amass, who went to Andrey Santos, who punched a pass into Zirkzee. The Dutchman gave it to Tyler Fletcher and then turned to run into the box as Fletcher sprayed a pass to Diogo Dalot on the wing. Zirkzee met Dalot’s sharp cross first-time, drawing a good save down low from James Trafford.Zirkzee would not be denied minutes later. Bryan Mbeumo did superbly to beat Jaka Bijol with a shimmy to send the ball through the Leeds player’s legs down the line, then time his pass to also nutmeg Tarik Muharemovic. The ball rolled into the box perfectly for Zirkzee to sweep home with his left foot.Zirkzee also teed up Mbeumo with a neat pass into the area. Mbeumo tried to play in Patrick Dorgu but instead got the ball back off Bijol and hit his shot hard, only to be thwarted by Trafford.Mbeumo breaks clear (Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)Zirkzee’s status as a Man United player has been uncertain all summer, with Juventus in talks over signing him, potentially on loan with an obligation, although the matter is not advanced. This was the ideal shop window for Zirkzee to demonstrate he is worth a punt for interested clubs, although whether any meet the price Man United would want is not clear. In the case he stays, then United, on this showing, do have a player capable of quality.