Last goal about to preserve United's lead (6)
I believe the answer is:
endure
'last' is the definition.
(synonyms)
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
(Other definitions for endure that I've seen before include "Last or suffer patiently" , "Put up with, say hardship" , "Suffer, tolerate" , "Last (anag.)" , "survive" .)