Manchester United kicked off Tour 2017, presented by Aon, in impressive fashion thanks to another thrashing of LA Galaxy.
Three years ago United had strolled to a 7-0 victory at the Rose Bowl and the players wasted no time in picking up where they left off with a goal after just two minutes through Marcus Rashford’s fine finish following a Jesse Lingard interception.
Juan Mata saw a fine clipped shot well saved before the Spaniard, on 20 minutes, set Rashford up for another excellent goal. Six minutes later it was 3-0 when the lively Lingard turned in the box and found Marouane Fellaini who thrashed the ball home.
Lingard himself went close with an effort soon after, as did Mata, while Chris Smalling had a goal ruled out just before the break for offside. Rashford had the perfect opportunity to complete his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time after being put clean through by a sublime Michael Carrick pass but Galaxy goalkeeper Jon Kempin thwarted his attempt.
The second half began with a completely new United line-up as Mourinho stuck to his promise of giving as many players as possible 45 minutes. Two of the second-period arrivals were new signings Victor Lindelof and Romelu Lukaku, and the latter wasted no time in seeing an early effort on goal saved.
Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were both denied by goalkeeper Jon Kempin, but he could do little to stop Mkhitaryan when the Armenian intercepted the ball before being set up by Martial to slot home. The Frenchman then finished with aplomb after being found in the box by a Tim Fosu-Mensah centre.
The Galaxy pulled a couple of goals back in the final 11 minutes through Giovani dos Santos and Dave Romney, but it was too little too late for the hosts as United ran out deserved winners.
