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Man United celebrate Rashford's second goal. PA Archive/PA Images
Pre-season tour

Lukaku makes Man United debut as Rashford nets brace in win over LA Galaxy

Jose Mourinho’s side kicked off their pre-season tour of the United States last night.

ROMELU LUKAKU MADE his debut as Manchester United cruised to a 5-2 friendly win over LA Galaxy on Saturday.

Lukaku, who joined United for a reported £75million from Everton earlier this month, played the second half at StubHub Center in California.

The Belgium international missed a great chance shortly after being introduced, but had an otherwise quiet 45 minutes.

Victor Lindelof also made his debut, but it was already 3-0 when the duo were introduced, with Marcus Rashford having stolen the show in the first half.

Rashford scored a brace and should have had a third to go with Marouane Fellaini’s first-half goal, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial struck after the break to go with a Giovani dos Santos brace for Galaxy.

Jose Mourinho also introduced a back three in what was the Europa League champions’ first pre-season friendly.

United needed just two minutes to take a 1-0 lead.

A high press led to Jesse Lingard winning the ball on the left and his toe poke released Rashford, who had time and space to place a finish into the bottom corner.

After Juan Mata forced Jon Kempin into a scrambling save, Rashford doubled United’s lead.

United dispossessed Galaxy in midfield and Mata slid in the England international, who again made no mistake with a composed finish from inside the area.

Mourinho’s men were dominant to begin the clash and they made it 3-0 in the 26th minute.

Manchester United Galaxy Soccer Anthony Martial in action. Jae C. Hong Jae C. Hong

Lingard got in behind down the left and cut a pass back to the top of the area, where Fellaini swept in a finish.

Eyeing his hat-trick, Rashford fired over the bar from 20 yards in the 35th minute and was later denied in a one-on-one, while Chris Smalling had an effort rightly ruled out for offside.

Mourinho introduced a new 11 for the second half, including Lukaku, fellow signing Lindelof and Paul Pogba.

Lukaku had a great chance to open his account after receiving a pass from Pogba in the 49th minute, but Brian Rowe – who replaced Kempin – made a good save.

United were finding plenty of space and threatening constantly, with Lindelof volleying over from close range after a corner in the 66th minute.

The first goal of the second half finally arrived through Mkhitaryan, who side-footed a strike past Rowe after an Anthony Martial pass.

Martial also got on the scoresheet, while dos Santos netted twice for the hosts, the second deflecting off him after a David Romney header from a corner.

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