Rooney sinks Red Diamonds by Simon Fudge - created on 30 Jul 2005 Manchester United ended their pre-season tour of Asia with a convincing 2-0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds. A second half brace from Wayne Rooney gave United victory in Saitama, Japan on Saturday, as The Red Devils bounced back from Thursday's defeat to Kashima Antlers. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson left striker Ruud van Nistelrooy out of the match, while centre back Rio Ferdinand was on the substitutes' bench. Giuseppe Rossi came in for the big Dutch striker, while Gerard Pique replaced Ferdinand in United's backline. Dawning their new blue away kit in front of a sold-out crowd at the Saitama Stadium, United applied most of the early pressure on their hosts. Kieran Richardson looked dangerous coming forward from his left back position, but Urawa's backline looked solid and well organised. Darren Fletcher had a goal disallowed after Louis Saha was ruled offside in United's build-up, while Wayne Rooney made claims for a penalty after being obstructed following a run into Urawa's box. United's best chance of the half came after Gary Neville's dangerous from the right forced Urawa goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki to punch away, as Darren Fletcher looked set to connect with a goal-bound header. Following a scrappy period of play, Urawa striker Yuichiro Nagai took a fine through on the edge of the box before forcing United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar into a save at the near post from his angled right foot shot. Nagai then squandered another opportunity with a mis-hit volley that went into the arms of van der Sar from close range, while Tadaaki Hirakawa sailed a shot high over United's bar from distance. The half ended with Rooney trying his luck with a speculative right foot strike that drifted wide of goal. The second half started with Ferguson introducing Cristiano Ronaldo and Dong Fangzhuo for Saha and Rossi, as United soon made their pressure tell with an opening goal. Scholes took a pass from Richardson before slipping a through ball to Rooney in Urawa's box. The England man got a fortunate bounce of the ball to elude both Hideki Uchidate and Satoshi Horinouchi before powerfully finishing right footed past Urawa's substitute goalkeeper Norihiro Yamagishi for 1-0. The former Everton starlet then showed the immense talent he possesses when he eluded three Urawa defenders on the edge of the home side's box before striking a sublime chip over Yamagishi for his second goal of the match minutes later. The Japanese J-League club offered little in reply after half time, with Brazilian midfielder Robson Ponte going close with a free kick that went just wide of goal. In the end, United finished their Far East tour on a high note and Rooney underlined his tremendous ability with his brace. -- █ ███ ███ █ █ ███ ███ █ █ █ ███ ███ ▇ █▂▂ █▂▂ █ █ █▂▂ █▂█ █ █ █ █▂▂ █▂▂ █▂█ █▂▂ ▂▂█ ███ ▂▂█ █ ▌ ███ █▂▂ █▂▂ ▂▂█ ～ M i h a j l o v i c ～ --

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