Report: Glentoran 0 United 3
Nani was the star of the show in Northern Ireland as United beat
Glentoran 3-0 at The Oval on Wednesday night, dazzling with his
skill, impressing with his tireless work-rate and scoring the best
goal on the night.
The 20-year-old completed the full 90 minutes and looks ready for
the start of the new season. He scored Uniteds third, adding to
goals from Fraizer Campbell and Patrice Evra.
With Sir Alex Ferguson absent as he moves house (it seems strange
even writing that), Carlos Queiroz took charge of the team in
Belfast, where United were afforded a warm welcome, with more red
shirts than green among the 14,000-strong crowd, and the offer of
the home dressing room at The Oval.
All eyes were on Uniteds young signings Nani and Anderson as the
match kicked off, but it was two other youthful starlets that
engineered an early breakthrough.
Livewire winger Lee Martin had already proved a persistent nuisance
down the left flank in the first four minutes. He showed
determination to win back possession in the penalty area, skill and
pace to beat his marker and awareness to pick out young striker
Campbell, whose acrobatic volley from close range gave Glentoran
goalkeeper Michael Dougherty no chance.
Uniteds slick movement brought a second goal after thirteen
minutes, this time from a speedy counterattack. Nani, Anderson and
Campbell all played their part in a swift move that finished up
with Evra cracking a low shot into the bottom right corner.
Nanis pace was ever threatening and, once he had settled, Anderson
too showed some neat touches in his role as a deep-lying striker.
He went close with a low shot on the 16-minute mark, then teed-up a
Campbell volley with a clever one-two on the edge of the
area.
In recent years, United fans have become accustomed to a Portuguese
No.7 running at defenders, cutting inside and rifling a shot past
the keeper. But, Cristiano Ronaldo had remained in Manchester for
treatment on a minor ankle
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