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  • Seattle Sounders 0-7 Manchester United: Rooney great hat-trick

    Wayne Rooney came off the bench to score a hat-trick as Manchester United put in a merciless second half display to thrash MLS side Seattle Sounders 7-0 in the latest match of their pre-season tour of North America.

    Rooney was introduced at half-time and he wasted no time in making his mark on the game, adding to Michael Owen's first half opener with three strikes in 21 minutes to put his side six up.

    Mame Biram Diouf and Park Ji-sung were also on target in the second half and when Gabriel Obertan added a seventh, United took their goal tally to 11 in two games, having beaten New England Revolution 4-1 in their opening preparatory game for the new season.
    Obertan who coolly past Boss as United take a 7-0 lead.



    United boss Alex Ferguson sent out a strong side at a raucous CenturyLink Field, with a full-strength back four lining up behind a midfield consisting of Ashley Young, Nani, Anderson and Ryan Giggs. Federico Macheda partnered Owen up front.

    Yet it was the hosts who started the brighter, displaying all the confidence their recent nine-game unbeaten run in the MLS had instilled in them.

    Playing some neat football and led by Colombian Fredy Montero, the Sounders registered six shots early on as they looked to test Anders Lindegaard in the United goal.

    Yet it was the Champions League finalists who proved far more ruthless when they got down to the other end, Owen displaying his eye for a good position as he headed into an empty net from Patrice Evra's excellent delivery from the left wing.

    Young then tested goalkeeper Kasey Keller with a stinging shot as United looked to press home their advantage before Owen could have made it two on 28 minutes with another header that was repelled by the former Leicester and Tottenham man.

    Macheda then saw a header go wide but the best chance to add to United's tally fell Owen's way just before the break. Yet in stark contrast to his clinical finish earlier, the former England international fluffed his lines when played in one-on-one with Keller by a glorious Giggs pass. The American keeper stood tall and repelled his effort.

    At the other end, for all the attempts on his goal, Lindegaard was only really tested by an Alvaro Fernandez poke early on and by the dangerous Montero, who he foiled in the 36th minute.

    At 1-0 down, the Sounders were entitled to feel mightily pleased with their performance as they went at the break but a second half capitulation put a large blot on their copybook as United, led by Rooney, ran riot.

    Diouf struck the first blow after half-time, the Senegal international rounding Keller's replacement Terry Boss as he took down Nani's clipped ball forward before checking back at the by-line and firing home from a tight angle.

    Two minutes later, Rooney pounced with his first, hammering into the roof of the net after the ball had evaded Diouf in the penalty box.

    At that point Seattle still had enough fight in them to push forward in search of a goal, and twice they came close, Michael Fucito bringing an excellent stop out of sub Ben Amos before Pat Noonan struck the bar.

    But Rooney put the game beyond them with his second and United's fourth on 69 minutes, the England striker ghosting into the box unmarked to receive Park's pass and fire home.

    Park contributed to the goal tally as Rooney stepped over Obertan's cross from the right before the striker completed his hat-trick with a half-volley past Boss from another Obertan delivery.

    The French winger finally turned from architect to goalscorer with two minutes http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifremaining, sealing United's rout of the American side after taking advantage of a defensive slip that allowed him through on goal.

    It could even have been worse for the MLS side had Boss not kept out Diouf and Jonny Evans not headed over the bar; as for United, their preparations for the new season could not be going any better.

    Mike Hytner / Eurosport
    Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com


    Team Line-up:

    Seattle Sounders: Keller, Riley, Parke, Ianni, Gonzalez, Rosales, Alonso, Fernandez, Friberg, Levesque, Montero

    Manchester United: Lindegaard, Rafael, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Young, Anderson, Nani, Giggs, Macheda, Owen, Rooney, Obertan, Evans ,Fabio, Carrick.

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