Ashley Young and unsung defender Reece James scored two second-half goals apiece as United opened its summer tour with a surprisingly polished win over MLS' overmatched Galaxy in the Guinness International Champions Cup.
Danny Welbeck scored the first goal for Van Gaal, who has had limited work with his new club after leading the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the World Cup earlier this month. United still outclassed the Galaxy in the meeting of David Beckham's two former clubs.
Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera also made their United debuts at the historic Rose Bowl.
Van Gaal's tenure got off to a start reflecting the confidence of United's veteran coach, who intends to return the 20-time English champions to immediate international prominence after David Moyes' poor tenure. United finished seventh in Moyes' only season as Alex Ferguson's replacement after 26 years, failing even to qualify for Europa League play.
Van Gaal is still adjusting to his new job after spending the summer with the Dutch team, but he is already planning to spend more time around Old Trafford next summer. Van Gaal spoke out against lucrative preseason tours this week, saying the lengthy U.S. stay hinders his preparations for the season.
Van Gaal might not like the summer tour, but United got it off to a sparkling start with goals from likely and unlikely sources.
Rooney wasn't United's captain, ceding the job to Darren Fletcher, but the England star easily handled his scoring chances. James wasn't even listed on United's 25-man roster, but the 20-year-old defender provided two outstanding finishes against the Galaxy's ragged defense
H/T Fox News
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