Marcus Rashford and James Garner scored second-half goals as Manchester United beat Perth Glory 2-0 in their opening pre-season friendly match on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Devils struggled to break down the A-League side in the opening hour of the match, with Jesse Lingard coming closest to doing so with his 25-yard shot that was tipped over.
Rashford opened the scoring with an instinctive finish on the hour mark, however, and late substitute Garner added a second five minutes from time with his first touch of the ball.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the pre-season friendly meeting between Manchester United and Perth Glory at the Optus Stadium.
United finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League last time out and far more is expected of them in 2019-2020.
The Red Devils' first summer outing comes against the side that finished top of the A-League ladder at the end of the regular campaign, only to lose to Sydney FC in the Grand Final.
MANCHESTER UNITED TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Romero; Dalot, Tuanzebe, Jones, Young; Matic, A.Pereira; Chong, Lingard, James; Martial
SUBS: De Gea, J.Pereira, Rojo, Shaw, Smalling, Wan-Bissaka, Garner, A Gomes, Mata, McTominay, Pogba, Greenwood, Rashford
PERTH GLORY TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Reddy; Franjic, Lowry, Mrcela, Tratt; Kilkenny, Juande; Chianese, Brimmer, Harold; Fornaroli
SUBS: Velaphi, Brooks, K.Popovic, Wilson, D'Agostino, G.Popovic, Rawlins, Bodnar
Solskjaer has handed a debut to James, but Wan-Bissaka will have to wait a bit longer for his first appearance in a United shirt - the £50m signing is among the subs. United will field two different XIs today, though there is no place in the squad for Lukaku, Lindelof, Grant and Bailly because of injury.
KICKOFF: A little later than planned, Perth Glory get this friendly up and running in Australia. The hosts have named a couple of 15-year-olds on their bench. Their campaign does not begin until October, so they are a little behind United in terms of their preparations.
James is starting out on the left. He chases down a ball but cannot find a teammate with his blocked cross. The youngster has another go but, while this latest delivery was a lot better, it is cut out in the box.
SAVE! Pereira has a go from 25 yards. The shot is pretty tame, though, and Reddy has a simple save to make down the middle. We saw Pereira score a stunning goal from similar range against Southampton last season.
Young plays a a free kick down the line to James, catching out the Perth Glory defence. James does not get any power behind his drilled cross and the ball is blocked behind for a corner. Pereira slips as he plays in the set piece and it is cleared.
United are pressing high up the pitch and it is paying off. Pretty much the whole opening eight minutes have been spent in the Perth half of the field. Matic's pass for Chong rolls out of play for a goal kick.
SHOT! Young plays the ball over the top down the left for James, who is being given the ball at every opportunity. The ball is worked to the opposite flank and, after cutting inside on his left, Dalot sends a shot sailing over the crossbar.
United are in complete control of the match. It would be more of a surprise if the opposite were true, of course, as Perth are fielding a second-string side and they have played just one match since their season finished in mid-May.
Perth keeper Reddy, who at the age of 37 is very experienced, shows good awareness to get down at his near post and collect the ball. For all of United's dominance, they have only had one shot on target in the opening 15 minutes at the Optus Stadium.
Perth have finally managed to get hold of the ball. United's players were pressing high for the opening 15 minutes and that is perhaps already starting to show. Remember, Solskjaer will make 11 changes at the interval for this opening pre-season friendly.
The match has gone very flat over the last five minutes, with United unable to maintain their energy levels - understandably so. Perth boss Popovic will be happy to have kept the opposition out with nearly a quarter of the match played.
CLOSE! Young takes on the free kick from 25 yards and sends it curling past the wall but into the side-netting. Not the worst attempt! That is near enough as close as United have come to making a breakthrough in Perth.
Glory are determined to pass the ball out from the back but that is not the wisest of ploys as United are constantly turning over possession high up the pitch. The camera has just cut to Lukaku in the stands - he misses out today because of a little niggle.
The hosts are definitely more involved in the match now compared to the opening 15 minutes, and that is largely down to United stepping off the gas. Pereira and Matic are picking up the ball inside their own half and carrying it forward, but shooting opportunities are few and far between.
United are far too pedestrian when in possession. This may be their first pre-season outing but the players know they only have 45 minutes to impress. James has had the odd promising moment and Dalot has looked quite good, but not enough are stepping up at the moment.
SHOT! This is good play from Martial. The Frenchman, hardly involved up until this point, creates a bit of space for himself in the box and attempts to catch out Reddy at his near post, but the shot clips the side-netting on its way through.
Chianese has plenty of space to charge into down the right as Perth hit United on the counter. Jones gets back to win the ball back for his side, though, and a rare opening for the hosts goes begging.
SAVE! United again turn over possession high up the pitch and Lingard has the chance to shoot from 25 yards. The ball ends inches over the bar, and it must have been a fingertip save from Reddy as a corner has been awarded.
Perth cannot get out of their own half of the field. United have had a couple of attempts on target but Solskjaer probably would have wanted a bit more attacking edge from his side, even if this is their first pre-season outing. Half time is 10 minutes away.
SAVE! James and Chong appear to have swapped flanks. James, making his non-competitive debut for United today, was heavily involved in the opening 15 minutes but has faded since then. United are struggling to break down Perth's wall as a Matic drive is easily stopped.
PENALTY APPEAL! United's second-half XI have been sent to warm up. Chong goes on a good run and is only stopped by a challenge from Kilkenny in the box. The youngster wants a penalty but the referee does not point to the spot.
There are five minutes of the first half to play and the referee is unlikely to add on any additional time. Solskjaer will no doubt be pleased that 11 of his players have got 45 minutes under their belts with no injury issues, but it has been a pretty poor showing thus far.
Perth will not be making as many changes as United at the break so their players are likely to tire as the second half goes on. The best aspect of the Red Devils' game so far has been their ability to turn over possession when chasing down the ball - they need to continue doing that.
It is all very congested out there at the moment. United appear to have accepted that they will not find a way through before half time. Solskjaer's second-half XI will hope to fare better.
CLOSE! Martial's curled shot from the edge of the box takes a massive deflection and drops inches wide of the post. Reddy was rooted to his spot an was happy to see that drop the wrong side of the net.
HALF TIME: MAN UNITED 0-0 PERTH GLORY
The referee brings the first half to a close at the Optus Stadium with the sides level at 0-0. Man United have had the better of the opening 45 minutes and came close a few times, but they were unable to find a way through.
Daniel James was handed his non-competitive debut and he was heavily involved in the opening 15 minutes, without managing to make a telling impact with his deliveries from the left.
United regularly turned over possession high up the field in the first half, but they struggled to create many shooting opportunities.
When they did manage to work some space, Liam Reddy was equal to every effort on target as he produced saves to keep out Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira.
Ashley Young and Anthony Martial, who struggled to get involved in the match when stationed high up the field, both picked out the side-netting with their attempts as the visitors were restricted to long-range shots.
BENCH WATCH!
MAN UNITED SUBS: De Gea, J.Pereira, Rojo, Shaw, Smalling, Wan-Bissaka, Garner, A Gomes, Mata, McTominay, Pogba, Greenwood, Rashford
PERTH GLORY SUBS: Velaphi, Brooks, K.Popovic, Wilson, D'Agostino, G.Popovic, Rawlins, Bodnar
KICKOFF: Man United get us back up and running at the Optus Stadium. As confirmed by Solskjaer before the match, the visitors have made 11 changes to their starting lineup.
United's second-half XI: J.Pereira; Wan-Bissaka, Smalling, Rojo, Shaw; McTominay, Pogba; Gomes, Mata, Greenwood; Rashford
Fresh on the back of signing a new contract, Mata is playing just off Rashford. This is also a first chance for United supporters to see £50m signing Wan-Bissaka at right-back. The Red Devils have started the second half with a high tempo, as they did in the first half.
SHOT! Pogba's shot from 25 yards is dragged wide of the target. The Frenchman had Wan-Bissaka to his right so that was the wrong option - easy to say in hindsight, of course!
SHOT! This second half has a very familiar feel to it. Like in the opening 45 minutes, United are completely bossing possession but they are not doing a great deal with the ball in and around the opposition box. Greenwood shoots into the side-netting.
This will go down as a disappointing result for the Red Devils if it stays this way. It is their first match of pre-season but this is a second-string Perth side, with a couple of 15-year-olds on their bench, and they should be getting the job done. Greenwood fires high and wide from his second attempt of the half.
It was Rojo with that wayward shot from 30 yards a minute or so ago, not Greenwood. Apologies, Mason!
Mata is starting to find his stride. He shows brilliant vision to play in Gomes on the overlap, but the youngster runs out of room and the best he can manage from the byline is winning a corner for his side.
We are approaching the hour mark at the Optus Stadium and United's second-half XI have actually offered less than the first-half XI. Perth Glory are still awaiting their first shot of any note, but they will see a goalless draw as a fine result.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 1-0 PERTH GLORY (MARCUS RASHFORD)
United have not offered a great deal in this second half, but Rashford has given them the lead with an instinctive finish. Perth have regularly given the ball away today and it again proves their downfall here. The ball is cut out on the edge of the box and, once it was flicked into his path by Pogba, Rashford fired it past Reddy into the far side of the net with a smart finish.
SAVE! That goal has given United a little more confidence. Gomes has a go from range and Reddy is equal to it. The Red Devils will now be looking to add a second and third goal to their tally before full time.
That was a very good finish from Rashford - his first real sight of goal since coming on as a half-time sub. Greenwood tries to set Rashford free with a ball over the top, but the ball bobbled as he was about to play the pass.
CHANCE! Greenwood shows a lack of composure when one-on-one with Reddy. Pogba and Mata linked up and the latter slipped the ball through for the youngster, who could not get the ball out of his feet from eight yards - it was dragged wide.
The last 10 minutes have been a lot better from United's perspective. Solskjaer appears to be instructing Greenwood and Wan-Bissaka to get higher up the pitch. The visitors have not had to do any defending in the opening 70 minutes.
United look good value for a second goal now as Perth struggle to hold them off. A corner is won and Rojo leaps highest to get on the end of it, but his header is off target. James Garner and David de Gea are United's only unused subs.
Glory are just about surviving at the moment. United are finding more and more gaps to break into and they should go on to score a second before full time. Another corner is won, which comes to little.
Popovic still has six subs available to make should he wish, including his two teenage sons. With 15 minutes to go in Perth the home side are concentrating more on keeping out the opposition, rather than snatching an equaliser.
PERTH GLORY SUB! Gabriel Popovic, the 15-year-old son of boss Tony, is brought on for the final 13 minutes. The tempo of the match has dropped over the last few minutes, which is often the case in pre-season friendlies.
Solskjaer will ultimately be happy with what he has seen today. Pre-season is all about fitness, of course, and 22 of his players have managed to get 45 minutes under their belts. Next up for the Red Devils is a clash against old foes Leeds United here on Wednesday.
CHANCE! Smalling should be doing better. After outjumping his opponent to get to the cross, he guides his header wide of the target from a good position. It looks as though Pogba may be about to make way, with Garner being readied to come on.
Glory are starting to show a bit more bravery by getting the ball forward. They have nothing to lose now and all it takes is one chance and they could claim a 1-1 draw against a European heavyweight. At the moment, though, that does not look likely to happen.
MAN UNITED SUB! It is Shaw who makes way for Garner, and not Pogba. The full-back made his way to the tunnel so he appears to have picked up a knock in this first pre-season outing. Start the campaign as you mean to go on, and all that...
GOAL! MAN UNITED 2-0 PERTH GLORY (JAMES GARNER)
Just like with the first goal, Glory's inability to pass the ball out from the back costs them. Garner profits as he drills the loose ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards out. That was his first touch of the ball. Talk about making an impact!
OFF THE POST! Greenwood has looked desperate to find a way through. The youngster strikes the post with his well-struck shot and Gomes fails to find a way through from the rebound. The Red Devils clearly aren't happy with just the two goals.
Two minutes of stoppage time have been added on at the Optus Stadium. That should be enough time for Greenwood to have another attempt! Glory are going to try to bring on another of their 15-year-old players before full time.
FULL TIME: MAN UNITED 2-0 PERTH GLORY
Second-half goals from Rashford and Garner give Man United a 2-0 win over Perth Glory in their opening pre-season friendly.
The Red Devils struggled to break down the A-League side in the opening hour of the match, with Lingard coming closest to doing so with his 25-yard shot that was tipped over.
Rashford opened the scoring with an instinctive finish on the hour mark, however, and late substitute Garner added a second five minutes from time with his first touch of the ball.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Optus Stadium.
An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and be sure to stick around as our updates from Chelsea's second pre-season friendly are now up and running right here.
Thanks for joining us this afternoon!
