Source: Daily_Mail
Chicago 1 Manchester United 3: Wayne Rooney leads comeback
It was hardly a performance to match the skyscrapers that towered over one of the most famous stadiums in the United States, but in the end it was job done as Manchester United maintained their 100 per cent record in three matches on their pre-season tour. [LNB]Second-half goals from Wayne Rooney, Rafael and Nani eased the anxiety created by Fire's 13th-minute lead through Cory Gibbs. [LNB]And ?20million keeper David de Gea provided a further comforting bonus for Sir Alex Ferguson with a confident 90-minute display. United began with what was basically a team of players on the fringe. [LNB] [LNB] Roo beauty: Rooney draws United level in the second half after lobbing the ball over Conway [LNB] [LNB] Whether they were better off playing in temperatures hovering about the 90 degree mark on the pitch than roasting under a plastic canopy on the bench was debatable. [LNB]And Chicago Fire certainly made it hot for the Old Trafford hopefuls. Danny Welbeck, benefiting from his season on loan at Sunderland, looked the most likely candidate for promotion, displaying superb control and awareness to set up Dimitar Berbatov in the fifth minute, only for the Bulgarian to shoot weakly at keeper Sean Johnson. [LNB]But the fact that many of the 61,308 record crowd at the magnificent Soldier Field Stadium wore United shirtsdid not stop them going wild with delight in the 13th minute when Chicago Fire opened the scoring. [LNB] [LNB]All smiles: Rooney hugs Nani after the United winger scores with eight minutes remaining [LNB] [LNB] Jamaican-born Gibbs embarrassed Phil Jones by outjuming the newly signed defender to reach Marco Pappa's free-kick and bury a powerful header past the other debutant, De Gea, who was left standing. [LNB]But, in fairness, De Gea rose to the occasion a minute before the break when he went full length to push a low shot from Patrick Nyarko around for a corner. [LNB]In between, United rarely looked likeputting out Fire's advantage - their best chance falling to Gabriel Obertan who blasted over the top after Welbeck's slick through-ball had left him with a golden opportunity. [LNB] [LNB]Bad start: New signing De Gea concedes within 13 minutes of his Man United debut [LNB] Sir Alex Ferguson decided on drastic action by bringing on senior reinforcements in the shape of Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Anderson, Ji- Sung Park and Jonny Evans for Fabio, Tom Cleverly, Berbatov, Michael Carrick and Mame Biram Diouf, and not much later Frederico Macheda, Rio Ferdinand and Nani for Welbeck, Patrice Evra and Obertan. [LNB]And though Chris Smalling had a goal chalked off for offside within two minutes, it was still the lowly placed MLS side who should have scored when Baggio Husidic missed an open goal after Nyarko set him up.[LNB] It needed a save of the highest quality from De Gea to deny Orr Barouch in the 64th minute, the keeper touching a shot on to a post - the value of which was underlined two minutes later when Rooney put United level.[LNB] Making his debut: United defender Jones in the thick of the action on Saturday [LNB] It was Ferdinand's eye for a terrific long ball that set up the opportunity, the central defender floating one over Josip Mikulic's head for Rooney to lob the advancing Jon Conway. [LNB]Fire coach Frank Klopas afforded his squad the doubtful pleasure of an outing against the English champions. [LNB]Perhaps they will tell their grandchildren how lucky Nani was to score a third goal eight minutes from the end. [LNB]A poor pass turned out to be a fortuitous break for the Portuguese winger when the ball came back off adefender, leaving him with the simple task of chipping it over Conway.[LNB] CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL GAMESir Alex Ferguson: They're all out to get us, but we don't carePatrick Collins: Wayne Rooney as a role model? Don't put your shirt on itAll the latest Manchester United news, features and opinion [LNB] [LNB]
