WITH WANTAWAY STRIKER Wayne Rooney back in his Cheshire home, this morning’s pre-season game in Australia was a chance to glimpse the future for United fans. They hoped.
Danny Welbeck and Jesse Lingard scored doubles as the Premier League hit form on their Asian pre-season tour with a 5-1 win over Australia’s A-League All Stars in Sydney on Saturday. It’s David Moyes’ first win as Man Utd boss.
Moyes’ reign at Manchester United began with an embarrassing upset when the Premier League champions slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Thailand’s Singha All Star XI in Bangkok last Saturday, but there was no repeat in Sydney.
United shrugged off speculation over Rooney’s playing future at Old Trafford in a commanding display, with Dutch ace Robin van Persie adding the icing with United’s fifth goal minutes from full-time after coming on as a second-half substitute.
The tourists dominated possession, with Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley controlling the midfield and pinning the All Stars in their half for much of the game before 83,127 fans at Sydney’s Olympic stadium.
United had a couple of early chances before they went ahead in the 11th minute when Welbeck played in Lingard, who finished clinically past the exposed Covic.
Such was the pressure on the home defence that United soon doubled their lead when Lingard combined with veteran Ryan Giggs, who deftly set up Welbeck to finish sweetly for a 2-0 lead in the 34th minute.
All Stars defender Michael Beauchamp made a last-ditch tackle to deny Zaha and nearing half-time Welbeck got in behind the defence, but Covic blocked his shot with his feet.
Michael Keane, who came on for Rio Ferdinand at half-time, gave Albanian striker Besart Berisha enough room to fire past the diving Anders Lindegaard for the All Stars’ only goal in the 52nd minute.
But United’s response was swift three minutes later when Giggs played in the impressive Lingard, who scored his second goal of the night with a thumping drive into the top right corner for 3-1.
Van Persie was greeted with a huge roar when he came into the match just after the hour for Giggs. He did not disappoint the capacity crowd when he scored in the 87th minute after having his initial shot blocked.
Van Persie only joined the team’s pre-season tour this week in Sydney after missing last weekend’s loss in Bangkok. United had an injury scare when skipper Patrice Evra went down in pain after lunging for a high ball with Josh Risdon and needed treatment to his left knee before continuing.
Welbeck, a constant attacking threat, raced through and had his shot cleared off the line before he scored his second goal and United’s fourth with a 70th-minute header off a corner. Manchester United continue their pre-season tour against Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan on Tuesday.
Wayne who? Lingard stars as United seal first win under Moyes in Sydney
WITH WANTAWAY STRIKER Wayne Rooney back in his Cheshire home, this morning’s pre-season game in Australia was a chance to glimpse the future for United fans. They hoped.
Danny Welbeck and Jesse Lingard scored doubles as the Premier League hit form on their Asian pre-season tour with a 5-1 win over Australia’s A-League All Stars in Sydney on Saturday. It’s David Moyes’ first win as Man Utd boss.
Moyes’ reign at Manchester United began with an embarrassing upset when the Premier League champions slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Thailand’s Singha All Star XI in Bangkok last Saturday, but there was no repeat in Sydney.
United shrugged off speculation over Rooney’s playing future at Old Trafford in a commanding display, with Dutch ace Robin van Persie adding the icing with United’s fifth goal minutes from full-time after coming on as a second-half substitute.
The tourists dominated possession, with Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley controlling the midfield and pinning the All Stars in their half for much of the game before 83,127 fans at Sydney’s Olympic stadium.
United had a couple of early chances before they went ahead in the 11th minute when Welbeck played in Lingard, who finished clinically past the exposed Covic.
Such was the pressure on the home defence that United soon doubled their lead when Lingard combined with veteran Ryan Giggs, who deftly set up Welbeck to finish sweetly for a 2-0 lead in the 34th minute.
YouTube: HDGoals5
All Stars defender Michael Beauchamp made a last-ditch tackle to deny Zaha and nearing half-time Welbeck got in behind the defence, but Covic blocked his shot with his feet.
Michael Keane, who came on for Rio Ferdinand at half-time, gave Albanian striker Besart Berisha enough room to fire past the diving Anders Lindegaard for the All Stars’ only goal in the 52nd minute.
But United’s response was swift three minutes later when Giggs played in the impressive Lingard, who scored his second goal of the night with a thumping drive into the top right corner for 3-1.
YouTube: FutbolOnlayn
Van Persie was greeted with a huge roar when he came into the match just after the hour for Giggs. He did not disappoint the capacity crowd when he scored in the 87th minute after having his initial shot blocked.
YouTube: OzicOfficial
Van Persie only joined the team’s pre-season tour this week in Sydney after missing last weekend’s loss in Bangkok. United had an injury scare when skipper Patrice Evra went down in pain after lunging for a high ball with Josh Risdon and needed treatment to his left knee before continuing.
YouTube: AllGoalsVideo·
Welbeck, a constant attacking threat, raced through and had his shot cleared off the line before he scored his second goal and United’s fourth with a 70th-minute header off a corner. Manchester United continue their pre-season tour against Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan on Tuesday.
- additional reporting AFP
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