Manchester United crowns US Tour 2014 with ICC final victory

It may have been a pre-season tournament, but plenty of pride was on the line as Manchester United took on fellow Premier League side Liverpool on Monday in the final of the International Champions Cup (ICC) in Miami.

In the end, the bragging rights went to the Reds, who trailed by a goal early on but came back for a convincing 3-1 win. The match marked the end of Manchester United’s Tour 2014 through the US, which turned out to be a very successful start for Louis van Gaal as the team’s head coach.

"It's nice for the fans in the USA and also at home that we beat Liverpool," van Gaal said after the match.

Juan Mata: Van Gaal instills belief

However, van Gaal was quick to shift the focus forward, saying that the most important game is the first of the Premier League season on August 16 at Old Trafford against Swansea.

“That’s the one we have to win,” van Gaal said.

Just 14 minutes into the match in front of 51,000 fans at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium, Liverpool were awarded a penalty as Phil Jones was whistled for tripping Raheem Sterling in the box. Steven Gerrard took the kick and put Liverpool ahead 1-0.

Highlights from ManU’s ICC win over Liverpool

It wasn’t until the second half that Manchester United were able to turn the tide of the game, but when the change in momentum came it was swift and effective.

Wayne Rooney slotted home a left-footed volley thanks to a cross from Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez in the 55th minute, and two minutes later, the Reds took the lead thanks to a goal from Juan Mata. Jesse Lingard added the final goal for the Reds in the 88th minute for a final score of 3-1.

Goal-scorer Rooney, who ended the US tour with five goals total and wore the captain's armband in the final, was named the player of the tournament.

"He's always a winner" (Louis van Gaal on Wayne Rooney)

Beating Premier League rivals Liverpool provided a positive end to the Tour 2014 - which saw the Reds break a US attendance record for a soccer match - but the real take-away lies in the fact that the team is starting to come together under their new coach van Gaal.

“It was a good tour for us, a good two or three weeks trying to get ready physically and mentally while trying to adapt to the new system,” said Mata.

The Barclays Premier League season-opener between Manchester United and Swansea is less than two weeks away! DHL InMotion will keep you posted on Louis van Gaal’s Reds throughout the season. Check us out via @DHL_ManUtd on Twitter, too!