David Moyes opened his first win as manager of Manchester United with a 5-1 humbling of Fostel A-League All-Stars in Sydney on Saturday.
Parading the likes of Shinji Ono and former Blackburn Rovers Australia international, Bret Emerton- both midfielders who played alongside Robin van Persie at Dutch side Feyenord- the All-Stars team made sure they tested United’s pace in an intensive fast-paced 90 minutes.
Jesse Lingard and Danny Welbeck were both on target for the Premier League champions while second-half substitute Van Persie added the fifth goal in the closing minutes.
Young and talented striker Welbeck shone in front of the full-capacity 83,127 fans that gathered at the ANZ Stadium, and was instrumental to the arrival of the first goal stepping over a pass to release Lingard who clinically netted home the opener.
A neat exchange of passes between Welbeck, Lingard and Ryan Giggs allowed Welbeck slot home the second past Covic in goal.
At the start of the second-half, the home side found the net through Bestart Berisha, sneaking a low shot through substitute Michael Keane’s leg and inside Lindergard’s right-hand post to leave scores at 2-1.
Lingard restored United’s two-goal lead few minutes later with a cracking finish, Welbeck increased the lead to three, before Van Persie completed scoring, driving in a low right-footed effort.
Speaking after the game, Moyes, who had earlier challenged Welbeck to earn his first team shirt, was full of praise for the young England international.
He said: “I told him that if he continued to work as hard as he has done, he’d get the rewards.”
Up next for United as the champions continue there preparation for the 2013/14 season will be Japan, where they play Yokohama F.Marinos at the Nissan Stadium, on July 23.
