United, Madrid set Record, as 109k Spectators See The Red Devils Humiliate European Champions in America

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, Sports News Saturday, August 2nd, 2014

Manchester United set up Liverpool clash in Champions Cup Final after humiliating Real Madrid 3-1 in front of a record 109, 318 fans to see a soccer game in the United States.

Goals from Young, Wayne and Hernandez mean Manchester United and Liverpool – English football’s bitterest rivals – will meet in Miami on Monday in the final of the International Champions Cup.

Not even a late cameo from United old boy Cristiano Ronaldo, in front of the crowd at the Michigan Stadium, could prevent the Old Trafford giants from beating Real Madrid to set up a Florida showdown with their fiercest enemies.

Manchester City’s hopes of meeting neighbours United in a Stateside derby were dashed with their penalty shoot-out defeat to Olympiakos earlier in the day, meaning Liverpool were guaranteed a place in the final before kicking off their Saturday night match against AC Milan.

United extended their unbeaten run on their US tour to four games and will be looking for a winning send-off against Brendan Rodgers’ side in Miami as the perfect tonic for the new campaign.

United took the lead in the 21st minute with a wonderful flowing move involving Darren Fletcher, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, and a clinical finish from Ashley Young.

Fletcher, who has emerged as a key man for United in central midfield in the enforced absence of the injured Michael Carrick, drove forward from a deep position to find Rooney.

Rooney returned the favour and Fletcher found Welbeck, who picked out Young at the far post, the United winger burying a low shot beyond Iker Casillas.

It was Young’s third goal of the tour after his double in United’s opening 7-0 win over LA Galaxy.

Van Gaal’s men relinquished their lead seven minutes later.

Young defender Michael Keane, in for the injured Chris Smalling, was caught out by the pace and guile of Gareth Bale and succeeded in bringing down the £85million Welsh star.

Bale stepped up to dispatch the resulting spot-kick and get Real back on level terms, but United restored their lead 10 minutes later, with Young involved once again.

Young has looked impressive in pre-season, having admitted he needed to reinvent himself as a wing-back under Van Gaal, and picked out Rooney with a curling cross from the left.

The ball managed to elude the head of Rooney, but the delivery had enough pace and spin on it to deceive Casillas and go beyond his reach, nestling in the far corner.

Sub Javier Hernandez sealed the win with an angled header nine minutes from time to set up the mouthwatering clash with their fiercest rivals in Miami.