HARRISON, N.J. — All that stands in the way of a perfect U.S. tour for Manchester United is the team that has stood in its way for years — FC Barcelona.
Manchester United kept its tour record perfect Wednesday night as Wayne Rooney set up two goals, and Ji-Sung Park scored a highlight-reel special in a 4-0 victory over the MLS All Stars.
“We’re happy the way things are going,” Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick said. “The season still seems a long way away. But there is not too many games left now. But we’ll be prepared for the start of the season.”
Sir Alex Ferguson’s team has outscored opponents 18-2 in the four games against MLS competition, but the real test in this preseason tour will be Saturday in Washington when it faces FC Barcelona in a rematch of the Champions League final, won by the Spanish team 3-1.
“I don’t think we are looking for revenge because you can never take that win when they beat us off them,” Rooney said. “The most important thing is to try to get fitter. We know it’s a big game for the two teams, and I am sure it is a game everyone will enjoy watching.”
The sellout crowd 26,760 enjoyed the show that Manchester United put on Wednesday after being treated to a pregame spectacular that included two parachutists, fireworks and a helicopter flyover.
The real show though was Rooney and the Reds, and it lasted 90 minutes.
“I liked the result,” said Ferguson, whose team will head back to England after Saturday’s game for the Community Shield game and the start of another season the following week.
The Reds didn’t have a lot of chances against the MLS, but when they did they were lethal, especially with Rooney setting up the goals.
Soccer fans have seen Rooney scoring again and again in replays of his bicycle kick in a game last season. This time, he was perfect with his passing.
“He’s a good passer of the ball,” Ferguson said.
The ability was never more evident than in the 20th minute when Rooney worked a give-and-go with Dimitar Berbatov and then fed Anderson for the game’s opening goal.
Early in the second half, Rooney helped break the game with a looping pass that sprung Berbatov.
“They are so quick to the ball, and it’s one or two touches and they are going and they are not letting up,” MLS defender Tim Ream said. “With Rooney, that just shows how much of a well-rounded player he is.”
Danny Welbeck also scored for the reigning English Premier League champions.
The final score might have been a little misleading because David Beckham and his MLS buddies had a couple of good shots at goal, but make no mistake — Manchester United was far superior.
The MLS looked good for about 18 minutes with Beckham, who starred for the Reds in his prime, having a great chance in the seventh minute, only to see his 25-yard drive slide wide of the goal.
Rooney, though, gave the Manchester United faithful something to cheer about in the 20th minute on a great tic-tac-toe play.
Rooney made a pass to Berbatov at the top of the box, took a return pass and then found Anderson breaking into the area alone for a wide-open shot that easily beat goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon.
Beckham had a chance to tie the game two minutes later, but United keeper Anders Lindegaard parried his 20-yard blast over the crossbar.
Park broke the game open in the 45th minute with a highlight-reel play. The South Korean took a pass from Patrice Evra at the top of the box, made defender Sean Franklin look silly by getting around him and then launched a left-footed shot into the top right corner of the net.
“To be honest, I was more disappointed with the second goal because I got a piece of that,” Mondragon said. “But it was a great goal.”
Rooney helped stretch the lead to 3-0 in the 52nd minute, looping a pass over the defense to Berbatov. The Bulgarian chipped the ball over rushing backup goalkeeper Tally Hall only to see it hit off the crossbar. Berbatov chested down the rebound and ripped a shot into the net.
“He should have scored before (the rebound),” Rooney quipped.
Welbeck closed out the scoring in the 68th minute on a shot from the top of the box that deflected off defender Geoff Cameron past Hall.
While there was no more scoring, the crowd got a final thrill.
Beckham bended a free kick around the wall in the 89th minute that just missed getting inside the goal post.
“In the first 20 minutes we had two or three really good chances,” Beckham said. “If we could have scored, it might have been a different night. When Manchester United scored, they know how to put the game away. Once they get the first goal and then another, it’s tough playing against one of the best teams in the world.”
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