MANCHESTER United new boy Nani Almeida wrapped up the club’s Far East tour with a stunning goal in a 3-0 win against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical in Guangzhou on Friday.
Nani, Wayne Rooney and Lee Martin claimed the goals as United overcame stifling conditions in Guangdong Province to put a winning seal on the side’s hugely successful tour of the region that has also seen stops in Japan, South Korea and Macao, where the side beat Shenzhen Shangqingyin 6-0.
Having won two and drawn one of its three tour games before this clash at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium, United boss Alex Ferguson rested the likes of Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra and Cristiano Ronaldo in favor of untried youngsters.
But England forward Alan Smith was absent from the starting lineup for the fourth game in a row.
With Smith on the bench again, Ferguson chose Rooney and Dong Fangzhuo up front and the pair linked well before Rooney put United ahead from the penalty spot on 18 minutes.
Rooney had already sent a 30-meter effort dipping over keeper Li Shuai’s crossbar on six minutes before crossing for Dong to head narrowly over seven minutes later.
Star man Rooney broke the deadlock five minutes later, though, when he sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot after Chinese referee Wan Daxue had awarded a penalty following Rosario Antonio de Oliveira’s clumsy challenge on Michael Carrick.
Guangzhou found it difficult even to get out of its own half and both Nani and Carrick went close from long range before Rooney struck a close range effort against the post.
Portuguese youngster Nani doubled United’s lead on 42 minutes with a wonder goal after being teed-up by Rooney. From a tight angle on the left, the 17.3 million pounds (US$35.5 million) winger chipped in off the far post.
But the 20-year-old passed up on his trademark somersault celebration after being banned from performing the spectacular party trick by Ferguson.
United extended its lead on 52 minutes when Martin netted a superb long-range effort.
The midfielder cut inside from the left before unleashing a 30-meter effort that left the keeper totally helpless. (SD-Agencies)