Kitchee 2 Manchester United 5: United Ends Asia Tour with Victory in Hong Kong.

Welbeck Celebrates Scoring United's Third.
Welbeck Celebrates Scoring United’s Third.

Manchester United defeated Kitchee 5-2, in front of 40,000 sellout crowd in the Hong Kong Stadium on Monday.

Manager David Moyes named a mixture of youth and experience in his starting lineup.

With Jonny Evans out, due to ‘feeling in (his) ankle,’ Michael Keane partnered Chris Smallings in central defense while Fabio da Silva and Patrice Evra featured outside right and left respectively.

Tom Cleverley and Carrick played in the midfield with Wilfried Zaha and Ashley Young operating from the wings.

Goals from Danny Welbeck, Smallings, Fabio, Adnan Januzaj and Jesse Lingard earned United the victory as their Hong Kong hosts pulled two goals back through forward Lahm Ka Wai and Alex Alkande.

Welbeck superbly steered in from inside the home team’s penalty area after Ashley Young cracked an initial effort against then post from a neat Michael Carrick pass.

Two quick goals from the defensive pair of Smalling (22”), who buried a towering header from Cleverley’s cross and Fabio (26”), a sublime finish past goalkeeper Wang, placed United firmly in control.

Second-half substitute Adnan Januzaj immediately made an impact in the scoreline increasing the tally to four, this time with his first ever senior goal. Alex Buttner scampered down the left and then chipped up the ball to Januzaj who clinically headed home past Wang.

With 22 minutes left the host pulled two goals back, first a sublime strike by Lam and a superb run culminated with a finish by Alkande.

Lingard completed scoring with 10 minutes left to full-time with a superb curling effort from the edge of the area.

The victory marks the end of the first phase of United’s pre-season tour as they sign off from Asia back to Europe.