ProEvents
 
2010-08-26
Chelsea confirms pre-season camp in Malaysia
2010-08-24
Chelsea appoints ProEvents for Pre-season Tour 2011
2010-08-04
Fernando Torres leading the Liverpool front line for the 2010/11 season
2010-08-02
Football Association Malaysia office-bearers for term 2010-2014
2010-07-27
ChelseaFC Academy Coaches Visit Chelsea Soccer School Hong Kong
2010-07-26
Malaysia vs Korea - Syafiq strike sinks S. Koreans
2010-07-15
Malaysia and South Korea Olympic Teams play in KL
2010-07-12
ProEvents congratulates Fernando Torres and Spain's World Cup victory
2010-07-12
Soccer Fever doubles viewership for Astro
2010-07-08
Messi, Lampard at your door?
2010-07-05
Astro "b¡Pyond" Campaign featuring Lionel Messi & Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres
2010-06-14
ProEvents congratulates Mr Sandro Rosell on being elected the president of FC Barcelona
2010-06-07
Maxis "Committed to the game" Campaign Featuring Lionel Messi & Frank Lampard
2010-05-16
ProEvents congratulates Chelsea for achieving the Double
2010-05-12
Catch the World Cup action on 12 Astro channels
2010-05-10
ProEvents congratulates Chelsea for winning the Premier League title
2010-05-03
Maxis Football Icons 2010
2010-02-23
ProEvents gives talks to Shue Yan University
2009-12-17
Malaysia win SEA Games Football Gold Medal
2009-12-14
BBC Sports Personality of the Year - Ryan Giggs
2009-12-08
ChelseaFC Soccer School launches in Hong Kong
2009-11-25
ProEvents Speaks at International Football Arena
2009-07-31
223,000 Die-hard Fans Watched MU Asia Tour
2009-07-26
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - Greentown FC vs Manchester United
2009-07-24
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - FC Seoul vs Manchester United
2009-07-23
Park Sets to play in Korea
2009-07-20
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - Malaysia XI vs Manchester United (2nd Match)
2009-07-19
Ticketing Information: Monday, July 20 - Malaysia XI vs Manchester United
2009-07-19
Park to Join Reds in Seoul
2009-07-18
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - Malaysia XI vs Manchester United
2009-07-18
Manchester United to Play a Second Match in Malaysia
2009-07-17
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 Kicks Off
2009-07-17
Reds to Revise Tour Plan
2009-07-16
The Manchester United Team List
2009-07-13
All set for Red Devils
2009-07-06
Tour Guide: Hangzhou
2009-07-02
Tour Guide: Seoul
2009-07-02
Jakarta game sold out
2009-06-23
Fred The Red's Making Headlines in Malaysia
2009-06-19
MU Tickets selling like hot cakes - only RM58 left
2009-06-18
Tour Guide: Jakarta
2009-06-13
Rio's Triple Joy
2009-06-12
MU Training Passes up for Grab via Media Partners
2009-06-11
Tour Guide : Kuala Lumpur
2009-06-04
Fred The Red handed out free training passes to lucky fans
2009-06-01
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - Media Accreditation Forms
2009-06-01
Adored in Asia - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
2009-05-30
ProEvents congratulates Chelsea for winning the FA Cup
2009-05-23
Overwhelming Response for Red Hot Manchester United Asia Tour Tickets in Malaysia
2009-05-21
Ticket information of Manchester United Asia Tour 2009
2009-05-19
Pre-sales location of Man U Asia Tour 2009 ticket at selects Nike & Al-Ikhsan in Malaysia
2009-05-18
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - Hangzhou, China
Public Sales Locations
2009-05-16
Manchester United - Champions of EPL 08/09
2009-05-15
KUMHO TIRES' CUP - Manchester United Korea Tour 2009
2009-05-13
Get Your Tickets To Watch The Red Devils
2009-05-07
ProEvents congratulates both Manchester United and Barcelona for reaching the Final of the UEFA Champions League
2009-05-01
Manchester United In Jakarta, Indonesia
2009-04-29
FC Seoul to face the World Champions Manchester United on July 24
2009-04-29
Ryan Giggs voted "Player of the Year"
2009-04-28
Malaysia Welcomes the Return of the Red Devils
2009-04-27
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 ¡V Hangzhou, China
2009-04-16
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - China - Urgent Statement of Clarification
2009-03-02
Manchester United - Champion of Carling Cup
2009-01-14
World Champions Set for Four-City Asia Tour
Archive

 
Manchester United Asia Tour 2009 - FC Seoul vs Manchester United

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 their hero since he first emerged for the warm-up, but they would have to wait for a fifteen-minute cameo late on 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 the 17-year-old may feature prominently this season. Indeed, pre-match, Sir Alex described him as a "hero in the making". And 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, although 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 forays 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 Damjanovic scoring a second. Shortly before half-time the Montenegro international had just Brown and Kuszczak to beat to put Seoul in front, but the Reds defender produced a brilliant block to clear the danger.

However, Damjanovic had the final say in a competitive first half, again unlocking United's defence to dink his finish over the onrushing Kuszczak. With United 2-1 down at the halfway stage, this was certainly proving to be the Reds' sternest challenge in Asia this summer.

There were two changes at the break, with Edwin van der Sar replacing Kuszczak and Darron Gibson coming on for Darren Fletcher. There was more purpose about United's play, highlighted by an equaliser shortly before the hour mark. Rooney's lofted pass found the run of Macheda and the Italian teenager let his natural instincts take over. He rounded the keeper before his elevated finish beat the last defender.

It was Macheda's last touch - 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 to give the Reds a 3-2 lead.

United had taken greater control and, combined with Seoul's earlier enthusiasm ebbing away, were firmly in the driving seat. But the largest cheer of the night or, more accurately, a deafening celebration was saved for the 74th minute when Park replaced Michael 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 by 64,000 fans to score on home turf, but there were no further goals in what was still an entertaining match and a good work-out.

Team Line-ups

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.

FC Seoul: Kim H J (Park D S 46 (Kang 88)); Kim C G (Jung 46 (Moon 70)), Park Y H (Ki 70), Lee J M (Ahn 46), Adilson; Kim J K, Kim S Y (Ou 43 (Sim 88)), Koh (Kim C W 58), Kim H Y (Lee S H 70); Damjanovic (Jung 58), Lee S Y (Go 46)

[This article is also available at Manchester United Official Website.]