Manchester United 1 America 0: Schneiderlin scores as Van Gaal´s men win

Morgan Schneiderlin scored in his first five competitive minutes for Manchester United, in their 1-0 International Champions Cup win over America in Seattle on Friday.

Louis van Gaal’s men had it largely all their way in their pre-season opener, with new signings Schneiderlin, Matteo Darmian, Memphis Depay and Bastian Schweinsteiger all getting a half of action respectively.

Schneiderlin rose highest at the back post from Juan Mata’s cross in the fifth minute, the former Southampton man looping a header over the drawn Hugo Gonzalez and landing it in the side netting.

The Premier League powerhouses benefitted from pressing high up the park, and America’s forwards were struggling to deal with the tactic – caught offside on no less than six occasions in the first half alone.

United should have added to their lead multiple times throughout, but were lucky not to lose it in the 72nd minute when Alejandro Diaz was denied by the left post from close range.

It mattered little, though, as United escaped with a clean-sheet win.

Mata had a chance to make it 2-0 himself in the 14th minute, but his shot was straight at Gonzalez.

Daley Blind was fortunate not to concede a penalty for his seemingly late challenge on Miguel Samudio, and retribution came about as captain Rubens Sambueza brought down Memphis seconds later and earned a yellow card for his troubles.

Wayne Rooney had his first meaningful sight on goal six minutes from the interval, but powered a left-foot effort wide of the target.

United continued to be wasteful in the second period after Van Gaal completely changed his XI, with Andreas Pereira, Adnan Januzaj and Ander Herrera all missing the target when they should have tested Gonzalez.

And those missed chances nearly came back to hurt United, when Diaz struck the post after getting on the end of a cross in from the left – with Anders Lindegaard beaten.