Sunday 16 July 2017

Pre-season Tour: LA Galaxy 2-5 United

United kicked off their 2017 Stateside Tour in impressive fashion after another comprehensive win over LA Galaxy.

The Reds had brushed aside the same opponents with a 7-0 scoreline in the last meeting in 2014 ago and picked up where they left off in this year's opener.

Marcus Rashford scored twice and further goals from Marouane Fellaini, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial completed the rout in the first of seven matches 'across the pond'. Jose

United fielded two different line-ups - one in each half - at the StubHub Centre in a match that also saw debuts for new signings Victor Lindelof and £75m man Romelu Lukaku.

Jose Mourinho's side went ahead inside two minutes through Rashford, who swept home a clinical finish from close range after good work from Jesse Lingard.

Juan Mata had an effort saved by Galaxy keeper Jon Kempin and the Spaniard was involved again as United moved 2-0 ahead after 20 minutes.

Ander Herrera and new captain Michael Carrick linked up well for the latter to pick out Mata whom in turn found Rashford to apply another excellent finish.

Six minutes later, it was 3-0 when Lingard burst into the box, turned and found Fellaini who smashed the ball home.

Lingard and Mata both went close in quick succession and Chris Smalling then had a goal chalked out for an offside infringement shortly before the break.

As promised, Jose utilised a completely different XI for the second half to give as many players as possible a run-out.

Two of the new arrivals were debutants Lindelof and Lukaku, and the latter almost scored with his first touch three minutes after coming on, but Kempin saved well. 

Martial and Mkhitaryan were also denied by the Galaxy keeper, but Kempin could do little to stop the Armenian for United's fourth goal on 67 minutes.

Mkhitaryan collected the ball in midfield, found Martial and then received the Frenchman's clever reverse pass to slot home.
Martial himself then finished with aplomb having been set up by Tim Fosu - Mensah for the fifth with 18 minutes to play.

The Galaxy pulled two goals back in the closing stages, both through former Spurs and Barcelona man Giovani dos Santos, but that proved little more than a consolation. 

United first half: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Blind; Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini; Mata, Rashford, Lingard.
United second half: J Pereira; Tuanzebe, Lindelof, Bailly, Darmian; Fosu - Mensah (Mitchell 85), Pogba; A Pereira, Mkhitaryan, Martial; Lukaku. 





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