United Manchester's peculiar open-air bus tour through Kuala Lumpur streets is mercilessly ridiculed by rival supporters - following 'humiliating' loss against a showcase team during tour in Malaysia.
Manchester United suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat against the ASEAN All-Stars in the opening match of their post-season tour in Malaysia, marking a disheartening end to the club's 2024-25 campaign. The Maybank Challenge Cup triumph for the Southeast Asian exhibition side came courtesy of a late goal from Myanmar's Maung Maung Lwin at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
United fielded a mix of first-team regulars and academy prospects, with Bruno Fernandes, Amad, Harry Maguire, Andre Onana, and Alejandro Garnacho all featuring. Despite this, the Red Devils struggled to create consistent chances and were outplayed by their Southeast Asian counterparts.
The defeat comes just three days after the team finished a disappointing 15th in the Premier League – their worst result since relegation in 1974 and only the second time in 35 years they have missed out on European competition. The poor showing has led to increased scrutiny of manager Ruben Amorim, who reportedly criticized Garnacho in front of his teammates earlier in the week, advising him to pray for a new club.
Prior to the match, United's players were already the subject of ridicule on social media, following the release of a video showing four first-team stars on an open-top bus in Kuala Lumpur. The clip, captioned "EPL parade in Malaysia" in reference to United's 15th place finish, attracted hundreds of comments mocking the club.
In the aftermath of the defeat, angry United supporters unleashed their frustration, with one user on social media describing the team as "parading like the circus has come to town."
Despite the loss, United wasted no time jetting off on their post-season tour, flying to Malaysia hours after their 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday. The club is reportedly being paid around £8 million for the trip, which will also see them play in Hong Kong.
The team's post-season tour will continue with a clash against the Hong Kong national team in the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium. However, that match will conflict with the date for the local cup final at the Mong Kok Stadium, potentially causing complications for the organizers.
The tour is presented by Snapdragon, United's kit sponsor, and is being organized by ProEvents. United are obliged to release their players for international duty on May 31, with the Nations League and World Cup qualifiers set to be played in early June.
In related news, Marcus Rashford's agent is reportedly holding talks with Barcelona over a potential summer move. United will be looking to regroup and improve ahead of the new season, with the memory of this disappointing defeat likely to serve as a reminder of the need for a strong summer transfer window.
- The sports news about Manchester United's post-season tour in Malaysia was not positive, as they lost the opening match against the ASEAN All-Stars in the 2024-25 campaign's final game.
- The defeat in the Premier League may have occurred three days prior, but the team's troubles extended to football outside Europe, as they struggled against teams from European-leagues and the Premier League.
- During the sports-analysis of the match, many critics pointed out that the team's poor performance, including their lack of consistency in chances and outplaying by lesser-known teams, could signal a need for significant changes and investment during the summer transfer window, as they prepare for the new season.
