Man U Outclasses MLS All-Stars 5-2 As More Than 70,000 Watch In Reliant

Rising star Federico Macheda’s two goals and the impressive debut of Javier “Chicharito” Hernández keyed a blowout win by Manchester United F.C., which defeated the incongruent MLS All-Stars 5-2.

Manchester United also had goals from Darron Gibson and Tom Cleverley, while the two MLS strikes were perpetrated by Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching and Toronto F.C. forward (and former Dynamo star) Dwayne De Rosario.

The Red Devils were off to a dynamic debut with Macheda bringing home a ferocious shot on goal not even a half minute into the contest to give Manchester United a lead they’d never surrender. Less than 10 minutes later, he’d add his second on an impressive elevated header. The MLS All-Stars finally began to find continuity and their stride, and despite several close chances, they found themselves still trailing 2-0 at the half.

Ching gave the MLS side a pulse after heading home a goal of his own early in the 63rd minute, but Manchester United responded in kind. Six minutes later, Irish national Darron Gibson scored to put the game mostly out of reach.

Mexican national side star and wunderkind Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez would receive the loudest ovation of the night, coming on shortly thereafter and instantaneously showcasing why Manchester United spent the millions of pounds they did to bring him aboard. After Tom Cleverly added the side’s fourth, Chicharito (Spanish for ‘Little Pea’) struck a questionably on-side but undeniably beautiful touch to put the MLS All-Stars into North Korea deficit territory.

De Rosardio, a member of the Dynamo’s two-time MLS Cup champion sides,  would go onto add a consolation goal in the 89th for those fans still sticking around.

Toronto FC star and former Dynamo leader Dwayne De Rosario finished a pretty strike to make Houston (or loosely Houston affiliated) MLS All-Stars two for two, though the deficit remains out of reach at 5-2.

Can Brad Davis make the duo a trio?

In his Manchester United debut, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, the youngest multi-goal scorer at the 2010 World Cup in some 80 years, scored his first for the Red Devils in extending the lead to 5-1.

The MLS All-Stars may not even be playing for pride at this point, but none the less, welcome to the show, ‘Little Pea’:

Hardly removed from scoring their third goal, twenty year old midfielder Tom Cleverley blasted home the club’s fourth goal of the evening, giving them an all but insurmountable 4-1 lead.

The MLS All-Star side again looked hapless defensively as a focused, perhaps angry Manchester United side (in lieu of their previous substandard showing vs. Kansas City Wizards) took advantage in perhaps putting this one out of reach.

Just as soon as Brian Ching had managed to breathe some life into the MLS All-Star side, Irish footballer Darron Gibson struck a gorgeous free kick into a unstoppable corner of the upper left side to give Manchester United a 3-1 lead.

It may be too little too late for the MLS All-Stars at this point, but a second is all but mandatory in the next fifteen minutes if this side will have any hope of taking the contest to PKs.

Hometown hero Brian Ching upstaged the much anticipated Manchester United debut of Mexican international Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez shedding his markers and heading home a gorgeous free kick to give the MLS All-Stars a pulse, now down just 2-1.

Man U seemingly had four or five different defenders who could’ve made a play on Ching, but instead the Dynamo forward showed true star form in putting one into the upper left corner. If the MLS All-Stars can continue playing disciplined defense and not get caught napping, they may be able to counter and set the stage for a potential equalizer.

After opening the game dictating both a pace and tempo entirely of their own design, Manchester United watched as the MLS All-Stars (who were very much personifying the idea of a pre-fabricated all-star group lacking the requisite training time continuity) finally started to gel. The All-Star side's seemingly rebirth created both for an enjoyable viewing experience as well as managed to keep the game not entirely out of reach with the deficit still 2-0. Ángel, Schelotto, Morales, and Pappa all created chances for the All-Stars, though Man U in their own right could have blown the whole thing open if not for a few near misses.

Expect high turnover in the second half as this friendly contains no restrictions on substitutions. Man U’s second side’s second side (SPOILER ALERT: the group United started weren’t exactly entirely their A-listers) could face a challenge with the likes of US internationals Landon Donovan and Edison Buddle waiting in the wings for the All-Stars.

The future Italian national striker Federico Macheda went up and headed a cross in to give Manchester United what may prove to be an unsurmountable 2-0 lead for the MLS All-Stars. Not even 13 minutes in, the English side is having their way on the pitch doing literally whatever they want with the ball as the MLS side’s all but stood by in awe.

MLS will need to take advantage of every opportunity they have if they wish to keep this one from snowballing out of hand.

Italian phenom (and surprise starter over veteran Dimitar Berbatov) Federico Macheda intercepted an ill advised early pass and housed an easy right sided blast to give Manchester United the early 1-0 lead just 28 seconds into the match.

MLS skipper (late of the US Men’s National Team and current LA Galaxy head man) Bruce Arena did, however, show he hasn’t lost the shock-and-awe facial expression we last saw against the Ghana national team in 2006.

And now the starting 11 for arguably the world’s most popular club:
GK: Van der Sar

LB: Fabio

CB: J. Evans

CB: Brown

RB: Rafael

LM: Giggs

CM: O’Shea

CM: Fletcher

RM: Nani

F: Obertan

F: Macheda

First, the starting line-up for the MLS All-Stars:
GK: Ricketts

LB: Pearce

CB: Marshall

CB: Glave

RB: Alston

LM: Pappa

CAM: Schelotto

CDM: Joseph

CAM: Morales

RM: Le Toux

F: Ángel