FC Seoul 2 Utd 3
United made it three victories out of three in the toughest test of the Asia tour so far, beating FC Seoul 3-2 with goals from Wayne Rooney, Federico Macheda and Dimitar Berbatov, while Ji-sung Park was warmly-received on his homecoming.
The 64,000 capacity Korean crowd had been baying for an appearance from Park, their hero, since his first appearance in the warm-up, but they would have to wait as the midfielder was named on a ten-man bench.
Another United player looking to make his mark was Federico Macheda, handed his second consecutive start on this Asia Tour, which suggests he may feature heavily this season. Indeed, pre-match, Sir Alex described him as a “hero in the making”. Macheda was the creator of United’s first real opening. Charging down the left channel, he cut inside and squared his pass to Ryan Giggs, but the Welshman miscalculated his volley and swung an air shot with his right boot.
At the other end Tomasz Kuszczak needed to be alert to deal with a few early attempts on goal from the home side, efforts which he dealt with admirably.
Any time the stadium’s big screens showed Park sat studiously on the bench, the Seoul crowd leapt up in rapturous applause as if they’d just witnessed a goal. And that’s exactly what they saw after 24 minutes, but it didn’t go the way even the most optimistic locals would have predicted.
A beautifully flighted pass over the top caught United’s defence cold, and the dangerous Dejan Damjanovic stole in and poked the ball past Kuszczak to give FC Seoul the lead.
It didn’t take long for United to restore parity, however, and there was little surprise over who scored it. Rooney had shown some nice touches in any foray forward and he was perfectly placed to head home John O’Shea’s curling cross.
Wes Brown, who is thankfully enjoying an uninterrupted pre-season after last term’s injury woes, was on hand to stop Seoul forward Damjanovic scoring a second. Shortly before half-time the Montenegro international had just Brown to beat to put Seoul in front, but the United defender produced a brilliant block to clear the danger.
But Damjanovic had the final say of a competitive first half when he again picked the lock on United’s defence and dinked his finish over the onrushing Kuszczak. With United 2-1 down at the halfway stage, this was certainly proving to be the Reds’ toughest test of the tour so far.
Two changes at the break so Edwin van der Sar replaced Kuszczak and Darron Gibson come on for Darren Fletcher. And there was more purpose about United’s play, highlighted by a United equaliser shortly before the hour mark. Rooney’s lofted pass found the run of Macheda and the teenage Italian striker let his natural instincts take over. He rounded the keeper before his elevated finish beat the last defender.
It was Macheda’s last action of the match - he was replaced by Michael Owen on 61 minutes, as part of four substitutions which saw Rooney, Giggs and Anderson all exit to be replaced by Dimitar Berbatov, Paul Scholes and Nani.
Sir Alex’s substitutions were clearly making the difference. Gibson, on at half
time, did really well on the right flank to cross for new arrival Berbatov to nod in at the near post.
United took greater control and, combined with Seoul’s earlier enthusiasm ebbing away somewhat, the Reds were firmly in the driving seat by this point. And by far the largest cheer – or more a deafening celebration – was saved for the 74th minute when Ji-sung Park replaced Carrick. The fans inside the World Cup Stadium were delirious but, after all, two years ago when United were in Korea Park missed out due to injury.
Scholes hit the bar late on after a nice interchange with Park, who was being willed to score on home turf, but there were no further goals in what was an entertaining match and a good work-out.
United: Kuszczak (Van der Sar 46); O'Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra (Fabio 74); Fletcher (Gibson 46), Anderson (Nani 61), Carrick (Park 74), Giggs (Scholes 61); Rooney (Berbatov 61), Macheda (Owen 61).
Subs not used: Evans, Tosic.
