Source: Daily_Mail
Seattle Sounders 0 Manchester United 7: Wayne Rooney scores hat-trick
First four goals at Foxboro and now seven in Seattle. Much more of this and Sir Alex Ferguson might be forced to re-assess his view that the challenge offered up by Major League Soccer teams makes touring America a worthwhile exercise for Manchester United. [LNB]This was, after all, a Sounders side in full flow at the midway point of the MLS season and unbeaten in nearly two months. But they were dismantled by a rampant United who treated a full house at CenturyLink Field to a ruthless display of finishing, with second-half substitute Wayne Rooney helping himself to a hat-trick inside 21 minutes. [LNB] Rout: Rooney celebrates one of his three goals with Gabriel Obertan (left) and Park Ji-Sung[LNB]Anders Lindegaard might have made a fine double save in the first half and substitute Ben Amos an excellent flying stop in the second but, just like the 4-1 win over New England a week ago, this was only a remotely serious contest for 45 minutes. [LNB]As much as Ferguson will have been delighted with the performance and sharpness of the 19 players he used here, it was difficult to gauge United against such average opposition. [LNB]Michael Owen opened the scoring for the second game in a row, underlining again why Ferguson decided to offer him a new one-year deal this summer, and Rooney reminded us that he can punish any team when given the time and space in the penalty box he had here. [LNB]Mame Biram Diouf, Ji-Sung Park and Gabriel Obertan scored the others, and there were impressive contributions from Nani and Ashley Young, playing his second game since a?16million move from Aston Villa. [LNB] Old acquaintances: Sir Alex Ferguson speaks to former Leicester and Spurs keeper Kasey Keller after the game[LNB]United's other new signings David De Gea and Phil Jones were left on the bench, with Ferguson fulfilling his promise to hold back the five young latecomers to United's tour party for Saturday's game in Chicago. [LNB]He will hope for a sterner test there - a temperature above 100 degrees will pose a challenge in itself - after the Sounders failed to do justice to their fervent support and a typically over-the-top build-up to the event. [LNB]After the coin toss on top of Seattle's landmark Space Needle 24 hours earlier came more ceremony before the teams could get underway which included Sounders majority owner and Hollywood movie mogul Joe Roth presenting Bryan Robson with the 'golden scarf' and a typically rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. [LNB]United,for their part, did not pass up the opportunity to wear the new blue away kit they launched here last week, even though they could easily have worn traditional red with their opponents turning out in a garish luminous green number. [LNB] American invasion: Young Manchester United fans gather outside the stadium before the match[LNB]Seattle made a bright start befitting their appearance and striker Fredy Montero twice went close to chipping Lindegaard in the early stages. [LNB]But United were in front after quarter of an hour when Patrice Evra and Young combined well down the left flank. Evra played the ball into his new teammate on the overlap and Young's cross evaded two defenders and goalkeeper Kasey Keller on its way through to Owen who had the simple task of heading in from closerange. [LNB]Owen could have completed a hat-trick before he made way for Diouf at half-time, first seeing a header from Nani's corner cleared off the line by OsvaldoAlonso before failing to beat Keller with time and space to pick his spot after Giggs's sublime reverse pass had put him free on goal. [LNB]As it was, a fine double save by Lindegaard from Montero and James Riley was needed to keep the English champions ahead at the interval. [LNB] Master and the apprentice: Federico Macheda (left) congratulates Michael Owen after the opener[LNB]Ferguson made four changes at half-time and another four by the 65th-minute mark. The reshuffle had a similar effect as in New England last week when United scored four timesat the start of the second half. [LNB]Diouf'sgoal owed much to a lack of judgement by substitute keeper Terry Boss who raced out to try and intercept Nani's throughball. The Senegal striker touched the ball away from him and then reacted quickest to squeeze it in between the keeper and his near post from a tight angle. [LNB]Naniwas involved in the third goal as well, slipping it to Rooney who took one touch before lifting a shot into the roof of the net from 10 yards, and that was followed by three more in as many minutes midway through the half. [LNB]Park squaredthe ball for Rooney to beat Boss with a low left-foot shot from inside the box, Rooney returned the favour for Park to fire in from close-range, and then Obertan fought his way past three defenders beforecrossing for Rooney to complete his hat-trick with a first-time finish.[LNB] Seventh heaven: Michael Carrick (right) congratulates Rooney after his second goal[LNB]MATCH FACTSSEATTLE: Keller, Riley, Parke, Ianni, Gonzalez, Rosales, Alonso, Friberg, Fernandez, Levesque, Montero. [LNB]Subs: Boss, Ford, Carrasco, Estrada, Evans, Fucito, Graham, Hurtado, Jaqua, Montano, Neagle, Noonan,Scott, Seamon, Tetteh, White, Ngassa. [LNB]MAN UNITED: Lindegaard (Amos 46); Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic (Evans 56), Evra (Fabio 56); Nani (Obertan 56), Anderson, Giggs (Park 46), Young (Carrick 65); Owen (Diouf46), Macheda (Rooney 46). [LNB]Subs: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Welbeck, Cleverley. [LNB]Scorers: Owen 15, Diouf 49, Rooney 51, 69, 72, Park 70, Obertan 89 [LNB]Referee: Baldomero Toledo [LNB]Attendance: 67,052[LNB]It was left to Obertan to complete the rout, racing clear in the 89th minute to plant a shot emphatically beyond Boss. [LNB]Ferguson has praised Wayne Rooney's work ethic after the game.[LNB]'It is nice he scored,' said Ferguson.[LNB]'We are pleased for all the goalscorers but three goals is a nice start for him.[LNB]'He has worked hard. He has done really well in training.'[LNB]Michael Owen, Mame Biram Diouf, Park Ji-sung and Gabriel Obertan also found the net and Ferguson wants to see a similar spread of firepower across the season as a whole.[LNB]'Last year we depended on three players for our goals, so that was good tonight,' he said.[LNB]However, as Ferguson acknowledged, it was a 'strange' contest given United's two goalkeepers, Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos, were both called on to make a series of excellent stops, proving they are not going to let David de Gea cement the job of Edwin van der Sar's replacement without some significant competition.[LNB]'Obviously we have signed David de Gea as the main choice I would imagine,' said Ferguson.[LNB] Impressive showing: Anders Lindegaard pulled off a string of saves[LNB]'But Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos have probably said to themselves they have an opportunity with Van der Sar retiring.[LNB]'It is an open door for me.[LNB]'De Gea will play on Saturday against Chicago but they will all get their fair share of games and the decision on who starts the season will depend on how De Gea settles.'[LNB] CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO OUR FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL GAMEMacheda vows to make his mark at United after two-year struggle since dramatic debutWe'll be the team to catch! 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