United 3 Sevilla 0[12/08/2006 ]

United gave themselves the perfect platform for the Premiership kick-off by beating UEFA Cup holders Sevilla 3-0 at new-look Old Trafford.Goals from Louis Saha, Cristiano Ronaldo and young substitute David Jones ensured the stadium's £43million extension was opened with a win, following a goalless first hour.Sir Alex Ferguson selected arguably his strongest available eleven, given the injuries to Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney, new signing Michael Carrick and captain Gary Neville. New goalkeeper Tomasz Kuczszak was one of six subs used in the second half.United's stand-in skipper Ryan Giggs forced the first corner in the 3rd minute when his curling free-kick from the right was headed to safety by a Sevilla defender. It was a United defender who met Giggs' subsequent corner but Gabriel Heinze, playing his first game at Old Trafford since the Manchester derby in September 2005, headed wide.
Saha and Park combined well moments later on the right flank but the Korean elected to square the ball instead of shooting after tricking his way into the area. His pass failed to find a team-mate but still the move was applauded by the appreciative supporters in the crowd of 40,134, many of them wearing the club's new red shirt.Saha's next marauding run down the right drew a sliding challenge from Dirnei Renato and consequently another corner in the 6th minute. Ryan's inswinger served to cause more confusion and a third corner for
the Reds. This time Ronaldo took it short on the left and when Heinze played the ball forward, Scholes headed it just over the crossbar.
Heinze was back on defensive duty in the 9th minute, blocking a fierce shot from Sevilla's number seven, the 20-year-old winger Jesus Navas.
Jose Luis Marti took Sevilla's first corner in the 10th minute and when this was half-cleared by O'Shea, Daniel Alves - the right-back coveted by Liverpool - fired his shot high into the Stretford End.Alves again demonstrated his appetite for attack in the 19th minute, whipping in a cross from the right for his fellow Brazilian, Luis Fabiano. Fortunately for United, the number ten misdirected his free header.Giggs rolled back the years in the 23rd minute, chasing a long ball forward, cutting in from the left wing and deceiving Alves with a stepover. His low ball across the six-yard box missed Ronaldo but found a stretching Park at the far post, just unable to stab it home.Kanoute and Renato came close to scoring at the other end shortly afterwards. First, the former Spurs and West Ham striker drifted into the area and fired a shot across the face of goal. Then Renato tested van der Sar with a drive from outside the box - the Dutchman, now wearing number one for United, parried and then gathered the ball safely.Fed by Scholes, Saha turned his man well in the 36th minute but the
the Reds. This time Ronaldo took it short on the left and when Heinze played the ball forward, Scholes headed it just over the crossbar.
Heinze was back on defensive duty in the 9th minute, blocking a fierce shot from Sevilla's number seven, the 20-year-old winger Jesus Navas.
Jose Luis Marti took Sevilla's first corner in the 10th minute and when this was half-cleared by O'Shea, Daniel Alves - the right-back coveted by Liverpool - fired his shot high into the Stretford End.Alves again demonstrated his appetite for attack in the 19th minute, whipping in a cross from the right for his fellow Brazilian, Luis Fabiano. Fortunately for United, the number ten misdirected his free header.Giggs rolled back the years in the 23rd minute, chasing a long ball forward, cutting in from the left wing and deceiving Alves with a stepover. His low ball across the six-yard box missed Ronaldo but found a stretching Park at the far post, just unable to stab it home.Kanoute and Renato came close to scoring at the other end shortly afterwards. First, the former Spurs and West Ham striker drifted into the area and fired a shot across the face of goal. Then Renato tested van der Sar with a drive from outside the box - the Dutchman, now wearing number one for United, parried and then gathered the ball safely.Fed by Scholes, Saha turned his man well in the 36th minute but the
It was to be the United full-back's final action of note, for he was substituted in the 56th minute, as was Heinze. On came Patrice Evra and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the latter getting a roar of approval from the home supporters.Play was delayed for five substitutions in the 75th minute - United made three of them, bringing on Liam Miller, Kieran Richardson and David Jones for Saha, Giggs and Scholes.Brown cleared a low cross from Navas soon after the resumption but Chevanton's resulting corner was defended well by Miller.
Wes was again in the thick of the action when he collided with Kuszczak after a crossed free-kick from the right was sliced back into the danger area. The incident ended in smiles between the pair as the ref spotted an infringement.
The ref next found fault with Liam Miller, showing him the fourth yellow card of the match for scything down Chevanton.Miller's fellow sub Evra almost grabbed his first goal for the Reds when he burst into the box, but his rising half-volley cleared the top right-hand corner.Escude's foul on Park was only punished once - with a yellow card - as Ronaldo's direct free-kick could only find the Sevilla wall. However, the Portuguese winger's next attempt with the dead ball did the trick. Fired in low from the left, it sneaked past Palop with a deflection off Alves.
The icing on this final pre-season cake came when Richardson slipped a low pass into the path of Jones, who'd previously seen a ven omous effort deflected wide for a corner. This time, the former United youth team captain despatched a rasping shot beneath the embarrassed Palop. It was a fine goal to end a successful pre-season for Jones and his peers in United's promising young crop.United: van der Sar (Kuszczak, 46), Bardsley (Solskjaer, 56), Brown, Silvestre, Heinze (Evra, 56), Ronaldo, Scholes (Miller, 74), O'Shea, Park, Giggs (D Jones, 74), Saha (Richardson, 74). Sub not used: Rossi.Sevilla: Palop, Navarro (captain), Castedo, Alves, Escude, Adriano, Navas, Marti, Kanoute, Fabiano, Renato. Subs: Hinkel, Cobeno, Chevanton, Maresca, Puerta, Mora, Blanco, Dragutinovic.

Credit: manutd.com