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Paul McNamara

The only sense of urgency Manchester United showed in Kuala Lumpur last night was on the white-knuckle ride from their W Hotel accommodation to Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
It is indicative of the clout United still carry, nonetheless, that they brought the Malaysian capital to a halt, necessitating a police escort to avoid being late for their own party.
How it fell flat for the English visitors, who suffered a 1-0 defeat by Asean All-Stars, after Maung Maung Lwin, a winger from Myanmar, flashed a 71st-minute drive past substitute keeper Tom Heaton to heap further misery on embattled United.
Very few of a crowd officially counted at 72,550 were here to watch the home team, whose starting 11 was represented by six of the region’s 10 nations.
In the opening half, a din greeted the All-Stars’ every incursion into their opponents’ penalty area, regardless, but it was hard to tell if that was out of local loyalty, or because of the adoration that United keeper Andre Onana clearly commands in these parts.

Not long after Onana raised the roof with a fairly routine first-half save down to his left from Sandro Reyes, the Filipino midfielder, Ruben Amorim reached for his substitutes’ bench.
A-listers Casemiro, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot, along with 19-year-old midfielder Jack Moorhouse, were all afforded generous applause for their half-hour shifts.
As Onana trudged off last for half-time, he said his farewells to some United back-room staff. The Cameroonian, along with Maguire and Dalot, was nowhere to be seen after the restart, with the trio heading to India to entertain one of the club’s sponsors.
They would not, therefore, have seen a completely changed United team emerge from the dressing room.
Among those brought on were Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho. Paul Kam, the chairman of organisers ProEvents, would not have been blamed had he watched the second 45 minutes through his fingers, for fear of injury to either of the big-ticket pair before United’s game against a Hong Kong select XI on Friday.
Both survived unscathed, after being cheered every time they touched the ball, although Garnacho was left furiously rubbing his thigh having inadvertently got in the way of a blast from 17-year-old striker Chido Obi. It has not been the Argentine’s week.

A Mexican wave that began after 65 minutes spoke to supporters who were evidently just happy to be here. If they did not quite create the jamboree United head coach Amorim expected, the atmosphere they generated set the bar high for Hongkongers.
There had been another nod to United’s relatively reduced on-field standing in an ear-splitting lead-up to kick-off, orchestrated by one of those overwrought stadium announcers so beloved of modern event organisers.
Only the most flint-hearted of souls would not have giggled when he began his “United playlist” with Campeones. The songs that followed paid tribute to players of a bygone era: Ryan Giggs, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
When United were in this rickety, if charming, old-fashioned stadium 16 years ago, 84,000 seats were filled to watch a side who were preparing to target a fourth straight Premier League title.
While they were bruised from losing the previous season’s Champions League final, this lot were red-faced following last week’s desperate Europa League final defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.
They were embarrassed again here, but the sensation will not last long. This was a transactional deal, after all: Manchester United, stars and all, turned up as promised. In return, a legion of fans got to see in the flesh how far their team have fallen. Some of them booed at the end. Next stop, Hong Kong.


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Manchester United embarrassed by Asean All-Stars, as fans see how far idols have fallen

Asean All-Stars’ Sandro Reyes (left) fights for the ball with Manchester United’s Casemiro (centre)  and Patrick Dorgu during a friendly in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP

Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund (right) runs at the Asean All-Stars’ defence. Photo: AP

Fans cheer before the friendly Manchester United and Asean All-Stars at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

Big 3 to miss Hong Kong game, but Man United ‘not trying to cheat fans’, promoter says

Harry Maguire takes issue with Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Danso during last week’s Europa League final. Photo: Reuters

Diogo Dalot challenges John McGinn of Aston Villa during United’s Premier League victory on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Why are Manchester United playing in Hong Kong? Ex-stars debate ‘mad’ tour

United players look on as coach Ruben Amorim addresses the fans after Sunday’s season closer at Old Trafford. Photo: Reuters

Raphael Varane at this month’s Soccer Sevens. Photo: HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens

Jens Lehmann (far right) in action in 2006 during his Arsenal days. Photo: AFP

Amorim seeks new dawn for Manchester United in Hong Kong, Malaysia

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim said he was excited about the tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong. Photo: AFP

Harry Maguire is set to skip United’s game in Hong Kong after playing in Malaysia. Photo: Reuters

 Amad Diallo (second left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Aston Villa. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Football

Second-half goal from Maung Maung Lwin inflicts more misery on embattled English giants, more than 70,000 watch hosts’ shock victory


Second-half goal from Maung Maung Lwin inflicts more misery on embattled English giants, more than 70,000 watch hosts’ shock victory.


English Premier League

Manchester United embarrassed by Asean All-Stars, as fans see how far idols have fallen

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Second-half goal from Maung Maung Lwin inflicts more misery on embattled English giants, more than 70,000 watch hosts’ shock victory

Second-half goal from Maung Maung Lwin inflicts more misery on embattled English giants, more than 70,000 watch hosts’ shock victory