Manchester United’s nightmare campaign went from bad to worse on Wednesday as they fell 1-0 to a spirited Southeast Asian XI in a sweltering friendly match at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Malaysia.
The loss, witnessed by a packed crowd of 72,550, added another painful chapter to Ruben Amorim’s dismal debut season in charge, with the Red Devils having recently finished 15th in the Premier League – their worst standing since 1974.
The match, played in punishing 32°C (90°F) heat, saw United field a strong starting lineup featuring Harry Maguire, Rasmus Højlund, Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, and goalkeeper Andre Onana. Despite the presence of regular starters, United struggled to cope with the pace and energy of their Southeast Asian opponents.
Filipino defender Amani Aguinaldo nearly opened the scoring with a fierce effort in the 16th minute, while Onana had to make a sharp save midway through the half to prevent further damage. Mainoo offered United’s first real threat with a long-range drive that was parried away, and later came close again but saw his shot cleared off the line.
After a sluggish second-half restart, Bruno Fernandes’ entrance brought a brief spark with a volley that drew cheers from the crowd. But the hosts would steal the spotlight in the 71st minute, when Myanmar’s Maung Maung Lwin latched onto a counter-attack and rifled a shot past Tom Heaton into the top corner.
The All-Stars nearly doubled their lead shortly after, but Heaton denied them with a crucial stop to spare United deeper humiliation.
The Red Devils now turn their attention to their next fixture in Hong Kong, where they hope to restore some pride.
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