MU Gilas LA Galaxy 7-0 pada Laga Pertama bersama van Gaal
Van Gaal Wins First Game as Manchester United Manager
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
Pasadena (B2B) - Manchester United (MU) menggilas LA Galaxy di Stadion Rose Bowl, Pasadena, lewat endangan-tendangan jitu Rooney, Reece James, dan Ashley Young yang masing masing-masing mencetak dua gol. Satu gol disumbangkan Danny Welbeck pada debut tur Manchester United di Amerika.
Walupun pertandingan ini hanya uji coba dalam tur pramusim, MU tampak berbeda ketika di Bangkok yang ditangani oleh David Moyes, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Menariknya, Van Gaal mengubah formasi yang ia suguhkan di Piala Dunia lalu di tim Belanda. Formasi itu yakni 5-3-2. Tiga bek tengah yang dipasang adalah Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, dan Chris Smalling. Mereka dibantu dua bek sayap, yakni Luke Shaw di kiri dan Antonio di sebelah kanan.
Skuad MU tidak menemui banyak kesulitan. Ketika laga baru berjalan 13 menit, Welbeck membuka keran gol MU lewat tendangan keras dari jarak 25 meter.
Rooney menggandakan keunggulan lewat tendangan penalti beberapa saat sebelum babak pertama usai.
Di babak kedua, empat gol tambahan dihasilkan oleh Ashley Young dan Rece James.
Dalam pertandingan itu, Van Gaal mengganti seluruh pemainnya kecuali dua pemain, yakni Ander Herrera dan Darren Fletcher–yang menjadi kapten. Herera yang baru saja dibeli dengan harga 30 juta pound sterling tampil luar biasa sebagai playmaker.
Pasadena - Louis van Gaal launched his reign as Manchester United manager in emphatic style with Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and youngster Reece James all scoring twice in a remarkable 7-0 victory against LA Galaxy in California.
Just 11 days after signing off at the World Cup with Holland, following victory over Brazil in the third/fourth place play-off in Sao Paulo, Van Gaal was back in the dug-out for his first game as United manager in the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
And the Dutchman emerged from the friendly fixture, which saw United win the Chevrolet Cup in front of a crowd of 86,432, with a host of plus points, including the performances of debutants Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw.
The size of United´s winning margin was the ultimate positive, however, with Van Gaal inspiring a demolition of a team crowned MLS champions just two years ago.
Having made clear his dissatisfaction with the demands placed on his squad, both on and off the field, during the tour of the United States, Van Gaal was probably happy to focus solely on football for ninety minutes.
With Rooney starting up-front, summer signings Herrera and Shaw involved from the beginning and Darren Fletcher wearing the captain´s armband, Van Gaal was clearly determined to start well with a strong line-up.
And by lining up with a 3-4-1-2 formation, the Dutchman also suggested a readiness to impose a new system on a United team accustomed to playing four at the back throughout the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
