FINALLY, once and for all, Manchester United can wave goodbye to their nightmare 2024/25 campaign after the conclusion of their post-season tour in Asia.
The Red Devils, playing in their second friendly of the tour against the Hong Kong national team, ended their season with a hopeful whimper as they laboured to a 3-1 win in Asia.
Chido Obi‘s second-half brace and Ayden Heaven’s late header spared their blushes after they fell 1-0 behind before the break, with Ruben Amorim given food for thought on the potential use of the club’s next generation going into next season.
A team full of stars expected to leave this summer were paired with a group of youngsters fresh out of the academy to start the clash.
The old guard included the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Jonny Evans, Tom Heaton, as well as flop squad Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho.
Casemiro thought he given Amorim’s side the lead after five minutes as he scored a header from a pinpoint Fernandes cross, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Man Utd looked calm enough in possession after that, with Jayden Kamason producing a bright move down the right flank and Shea Lacey going close after a Garnacho cut-back.
But as has been the case on numerous occasions this season, Amorim’s side were made to pay for their lack of cutting edge and were undone by a goalkeeper howler.
Hong Kong star Juninho was played in behind the defence and was forced wide by Godwill Kukonki.
However, the subsequent shot somehow managed to go into the back of the net as the shot went under Heaton and into the net.
That was Hong Kong’s one and only shot of the entire half, but for United it was more of the same afterwards.
Dominating the ball, effectively camped in the opposition half and yet unable to find a way past goalkeeper Ka Wing Tse.
After conceding the rain started hammering down on the Hong Kong Stadium, quite the thematic weather event for the clash considering the “never rains it pours” season the Red Devils have had.
A drinks break in the 27th minute saw Amorim make his first changes, with Tyler Fletcher and Sekou Kone replacing Lacey and Casemiro.
Close to half-time Fernandes tried to treat fans to what could be one last but of skill by attempting a cheeky rabona shot, but saw the shot saved.
The captain caught the rebound and tried to lay it off to Hojlund who was slightly out of position before the clearance fell to another United star crashing in to shoot, only for that shot to be cleared off the line.
Fredricson was able to get a free header at goal from a pinpoint Fernandes corner, but the contact was not clean and went straight at the goalkeeper.
The final chance of the half saw a Fernandes shot blocked after a good press combo between him, Kone and Garnacho.
Man Utd’s own TV channel had had enough as well as the match footage froze at the end of injury time before Amorim completely changed the XI for the second half.
Those changes immediately proved fruitful as Obi netted with his weak foot after Manuel Ugarte poked the ball to him on the edge of the area, with the teenager taking two touches to the left and lashing the ball into the net just four minutes following his introduction.
The wide combination of Kobbie Mainoo and Amad Diallo on the right and Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu on the left proved to be a dangerous pairing with both sides causing plenty of issues for the hosts.
Obi almost added a second a few minutes later when he was found by Mount in the area, but the ball went just wide of the mark.
Hong Kong then caught United sleeping on the break and almost made it two goals from as many shots, but where Heaton was found wanting in the first half, Altay Bayindir managed to save the ball following some heroic last-ditch defending by the fresh-faced United defence – whose oldest member was 18-year-old Heaven.
In the closing stages, Obi added his second with a perfectly placed glancing header from a Mount cross.
The game lost its tempo after that but there was time for a third United goal as Heaven directed a header into the goal deep in injury time.
The positive from this game is that there is clearly some talent in the academy which could be useful next season to fill the gaps in the squad.
But most importantly, everyone involved can now get away and reset on the summer break.
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