07/08 Pre-Season Friendly: Urawa Red Diamonds 2 - 2 United
Goals: Darren Fletcher; Cristiano Ronaldo
Guardian: There is a danger that Sir Alex Ferguson may be over-egging the pudding at Manchester United by adding the explosive scoring talents of Carlos Tevez to the already devastating combination of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Although only Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher scored in United’s 2-2 draw against the J-League champions Urawa Red Diamonds yesterday, Rooney did everything but join the Portuguese winger in opening his account for the season as he returned from his two-month break with a performance of pace, power and determination in Saitama.
Ronaldo and Rooney are clearly gearing up for a big season at Old Trafford, so there is a distinct possibility that Tevez, having almost singlehandedly saved West Ham from relegation, could disrupt the blossoming of the Ronaldo-Rooney partnership. United’s attacking prowess is unquestioned but the worry for Ferguson could ultimately stem from increasing concerns over Edwin van der Sar’s ability to hold on to his place in goal.
At 36 the Dutchman is into the final year of his Old Trafford contract and he has already confessed that the new season may be his last, both for club and for country, so the former Ajax and Juventus goalkeeper will be hoping that his first-half error which gifted Hideki Uchidate the opener for Urawa is the last in a recent line of mistakes.
Uchidate appeared to pose little threat as he struck goalwards from 20 yards midway through the first half but, without the aid of a deflection, the ball went one way and Van der Sar the other as it flew into the net.
Van der Sar was at fault for goals in defeats against Roma and Portsmouth towards the end of last season and his erratic recent performances could open the door to the first team for the Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
Fortunately for Van der Sar, Fletcher’s equaliser and Ronaldo’s goal following a cut inside from the left early in the second half more than cancelled out Uchidate’s strike before Shinji Ono scored a late equaliser for the home team.
Having stepped off a plane from Manchester to Tokyo only 24 hours earlier, United were clearly still suffering from the effects of the flight and Ferguson admitted the outcome of the game was more than satisfactory.
He said: “It was an entertaining match but in the second half we tired a little which was understandable. Urawa played better in the second half, so they came back into it because of a combination of the two. “We are satisfied with the work-out. We played a few players and gave them a taste again of the game, so we’re happy with it. We have no injuries to report either, so it’s been a good work-out.
“You are always hoping for an early impression of the progress of the players and the team. From what I saw there has been no regression in the side and there is good progress there. The enthusiasm and desire are still there.”
Two of United’s summer signings, Owen Hargreaves and Nani, were denied their club debuts against Urawa because of injury and the pair are also expected to be absent when Ferguson’s players return to action against FC Seoul in the South Korean capital on Friday.
Ferguson said: “Owen has a bit of tendinitis in his knee. It’s a typical pre-season injury and it isn’t too big a problem but he will hopefully play in the third game of the tour in Macau. Nani is still suffering from the ankle injury that he picked up playing for Portugal in the European Under-21 Championships but he will play in the third game.”
United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand (Evans), Vidic (Simpson), Evra (Silvestre), Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick (O’Shea), Ronaldo, Giggs (Smith), Rooney
Post Script
Sir Alex: “We always hope for early indicators about the progress of the players and team.
“I told them before the start of last season we were setting off on a journey that could take them a long way. We have had further evidence there is no regression.
“You always look to see whether the enthusiasm is still there, whether the desire is still there and whether the players are still enjoying their football. I think we saw that they are.
“Owen has a touch of tendinitis, which happens with a lot of players at the start of the season. Maybe he will be okay for the third game of the tour. Nani will be back then. He picked up an ankle injury during the European Under-21 Championships. It is not long term but there is no need to rush him back.
“We arrived after a 14-hour journey and some of the players went to a school for the blind, while others went on a hospital visit to see some young kids.
“Football has changed a lot since I was a boy. Nowadays, people watch games on TV and tours like this give them the opportunity to see some of their favourite players in the flesh. That is exciting for them.
“We have also brought our soccer schools to this part of the world in order to try and help educate young players. It is part of Manchester United’s history and tradition to give out information and knowledge and also add our name to particular causes.
“It is unfortunate the Asia Cup is on when we have the opportunity to come here. Every second year there is a World Cup or a European Championship, when we cannot give a tour the same kind of attention we are doing at the moment.”
