MLS ALL-STARS – 2
MANCHESTER UNITED – 5
Attendance: 70,728
Javier Hernandez marked his Manchester United debut with a stunning goal as Sir Alex Ferguson’s team cruised to a 5-2 victory against the MLS All-Stars in Houston.
Hernandez, a £7m signing from Mexican outfit Chivas de Guadalajara, lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Nick Rimando from 20 yards to complete United’s emphatic win.
The Mexico striker, nicknamed Chicharito, looked set to be upstaged by 18-year-old Federico Macheda after the Italian scored twice inside the opening 12 minutes to give United a commanding lead.
But Hernandez rewarded the sizeable Mexican turn-out inside the Reliant Stadium by scoring his first goal in a United shirt six minutes from full-time.
With Hernandez only meeting his new team-mates for the first time on Monday, Ferguson opted to start the game with his new signing on the bench.
If it was meant as a challenge to Macheda, then it certainly had the desired effect in the first-half, with the Italian teenager scoring twice in the early stages.
Macheda, who does not celebrate his 19th birthday until next month, endured a frustrating campaign last term, making just ten appearances due to a series of injuries.
Ferguson had claimed 12 months ago that last season could be a breakthrough year for the young forward, but a year on, Macheda must now prove he can fight off the challenge of Hernandez to rival Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen for first-team football.
He made the perfect start in the Reliant, however, by giving United the lead inside 22 seconds.
A sloppy back-pass by All-Stars full-back Kevin Alston was intercepted by Macheda and the striker calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to give United the lead.
United, beaten by Kansas City Wizards on Sunday, were clearly determined to bounce back with a victory and their impressive start was rewarded when Macheda scored again on 12 minutes.
The All-Stars, a select XI assembled from a vote of fans of the 16 MLS franchises, only had a matter of days to prepare for the game and it showed as their lack of defensive understanding led to Macheda jumping unmarked to head Nani’s corner past Ricketts from six yards.
Bruce Arena’s All-Stars fought back and former Aston Villa forward Juan Pablo Angel had a 20-yard free-kick tipped over by Edwin van der Sar before sending a near post shot inches over the crossbar.
Van der Sar then saved well from Marco Pappa at the near post before Macheda spurned a golden chance to make it 3-0 on 37 minutes.
Released by Ryan Giggs, Macheda could only guide his angled shot wide of the past. Moments later, Darren Fletcher rattled crossbar following a one-two with substitute Tom Cleverley, a replacement for the injured Gabriel Obertan.
The All-Stars stepped up a gear in the second-half, though, and substitute Brian Ching halved the deficit with a header from David Ferreira’s 64th minute corner.
United responded well, however, and Darron Gibson scored a 20-yard free-kick following a foul on Hernandez to restore the English team’s two-goal advantage.
Three minutes later, Cleverley made it 4-1 with a close range strike after being teed up by Darren Fletcher.
The goal that most of the stadium had come to see arrived on 84 minute, though, when Hernandez ran onto Paul Scholes’s long-pass before guiding the ball over the helpless Rimando.
MLS ALL-STARS (4-5-1): Ricketts (Rimando h-t); Olave (Gonzalez h-t), Alston (De Rosario 74), Marshall (Conde 63), Pearce (Donovan 74); Le Toux (Convey h-t), Morales (Moreno 63), Joseph (Davis 74), Barros-Schelotto (Ferreira h-t), Pappa (Larentowicz h-t); Angel (Ching h-t). Subs: Buddle. Goal: Ching (64), De Rosario (90).
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3): Van der Sar; Rafael, Brown, J. Evans, Fabio (Scholes 72); O’Shea, Fletcher, Giggs (Gibson 52); Nani (Hernandez 62), Macheda (Welbeck 62), Obertan (Cleverley 23). Subs: Kuszczak (g), Amos (g), Scholes, Berbatov, De Laet, Diouf, C. Evans, Smalling. Goals: Macheda (1, 12), Gibson (70), Cleverley (73), Hernandez (84). Booked: J. Evans, Scholes
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez (USA)
MANCHESTER UNITED – 5
Attendance: 70,728
Javier Hernandez marked his Manchester United debut with a stunning goal as Sir Alex Ferguson’s team cruised to a 5-2 victory against the MLS All-Stars in Houston.
Hernandez, a £7m signing from Mexican outfit Chivas de Guadalajara, lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Nick Rimando from 20 yards to complete United’s emphatic win.
The Mexico striker, nicknamed Chicharito, looked set to be upstaged by 18-year-old Federico Macheda after the Italian scored twice inside the opening 12 minutes to give United a commanding lead.
But Hernandez rewarded the sizeable Mexican turn-out inside the Reliant Stadium by scoring his first goal in a United shirt six minutes from full-time.
With Hernandez only meeting his new team-mates for the first time on Monday, Ferguson opted to start the game with his new signing on the bench.
If it was meant as a challenge to Macheda, then it certainly had the desired effect in the first-half, with the Italian teenager scoring twice in the early stages.
Macheda, who does not celebrate his 19th birthday until next month, endured a frustrating campaign last term, making just ten appearances due to a series of injuries.
Ferguson had claimed 12 months ago that last season could be a breakthrough year for the young forward, but a year on, Macheda must now prove he can fight off the challenge of Hernandez to rival Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen for first-team football.
He made the perfect start in the Reliant, however, by giving United the lead inside 22 seconds.
A sloppy back-pass by All-Stars full-back Kevin Alston was intercepted by Macheda and the striker calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to give United the lead.
United, beaten by Kansas City Wizards on Sunday, were clearly determined to bounce back with a victory and their impressive start was rewarded when Macheda scored again on 12 minutes.
The All-Stars, a select XI assembled from a vote of fans of the 16 MLS franchises, only had a matter of days to prepare for the game and it showed as their lack of defensive understanding led to Macheda jumping unmarked to head Nani’s corner past Ricketts from six yards.
Bruce Arena’s All-Stars fought back and former Aston Villa forward Juan Pablo Angel had a 20-yard free-kick tipped over by Edwin van der Sar before sending a near post shot inches over the crossbar.
Van der Sar then saved well from Marco Pappa at the near post before Macheda spurned a golden chance to make it 3-0 on 37 minutes.
Released by Ryan Giggs, Macheda could only guide his angled shot wide of the past. Moments later, Darren Fletcher rattled crossbar following a one-two with substitute Tom Cleverley, a replacement for the injured Gabriel Obertan.
The All-Stars stepped up a gear in the second-half, though, and substitute Brian Ching halved the deficit with a header from David Ferreira’s 64th minute corner.
United responded well, however, and Darron Gibson scored a 20-yard free-kick following a foul on Hernandez to restore the English team’s two-goal advantage.
Three minutes later, Cleverley made it 4-1 with a close range strike after being teed up by Darren Fletcher.
The goal that most of the stadium had come to see arrived on 84 minute, though, when Hernandez ran onto Paul Scholes’s long-pass before guiding the ball over the helpless Rimando.
MLS ALL-STARS (4-5-1): Ricketts (Rimando h-t); Olave (Gonzalez h-t), Alston (De Rosario 74), Marshall (Conde 63), Pearce (Donovan 74); Le Toux (Convey h-t), Morales (Moreno 63), Joseph (Davis 74), Barros-Schelotto (Ferreira h-t), Pappa (Larentowicz h-t); Angel (Ching h-t). Subs: Buddle. Goal: Ching (64), De Rosario (90).
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3): Van der Sar; Rafael, Brown, J. Evans, Fabio (Scholes 72); O’Shea, Fletcher, Giggs (Gibson 52); Nani (Hernandez 62), Macheda (Welbeck 62), Obertan (Cleverley 23). Subs: Kuszczak (g), Amos (g), Scholes, Berbatov, De Laet, Diouf, C. Evans, Smalling. Goals: Macheda (1, 12), Gibson (70), Cleverley (73), Hernandez (84). Booked: J. Evans, Scholes
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez (USA)
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