InsaneJournal

United were reduced to ten men in the 49th minute. Nemanja Vidic was whistled for a foul and then followed it up with an elbow to the head of Liga's Claudio Bieler. He was swiftly and correctly shown the red card by our match referee, Ravshan Irmatov.

United were the side seeming the most likely to score throughout much of the match. Although things could have been much different had Liga capitalized on a presumptive early chance. In minute four, a hastily-taken Liga free kick from United's right wing midfield rolled through for Jairo Campos open on the left wing. The offside flag stayed down. But he pushed his shot two yards wide of the right post.

All the other opportunities in the first half were United's.
A tenth minute shot by W. Rooney, headed for the upper left corner from 16 yards out on the right wing, was saved by J. Cevallos.
Two minutes later, an enterprising moment was thwarted when a cross from the left wing to a seemingly-open Carlos Tevez was blocked by a Liga defender.
In the 15th minute, some keen dribbling by W. Rooney led to his taking a shot from 20 yards in the center. But his low shot was saved out by J. Cevallos for a corner kick.
In minute 19, a ball played for C. Tevez saw him taking a header from the edge of the goalkeeper's box which was superbly saved by J. Cevallos at the right post.

W. Rooney almost scored (again) in the 22nd minute. A ball looped into space behind the Liga defense saw him collect, and move toward the box. A brave challenge by J. Cevallos elicited a chip from W. Rooney, which was one yard too high for the crossbar.
United had three more solid chances to open the scoring in the first half, but each of these shots were kept out by J. Cevallos. Then, in first half stoppage time, a long crossing ball got through to United's Ji Sung Park. He was not expecting it. He could not contort his body to attempt a shot on goal from the left side of the box. At the half, United had outshot Liga by 4-11, but had nothing to show for it.

Liga coach Edgardo Bauza, who announced his resignation immediately after the match, elected to not make any changes at halftime, suspecting Liga's best chance might come in a post-game penalty kick shootout; for which he would want to bring in some “specialists”. But this reactionary plan was altered when United's N. Vidic was sent off. Playing 11-on-10 gave Liga confidence that they could make offensive salvos into the United half.
Still, in the 55th minute, they were nearly opened up by W. Rooney. His shot from 22 yards on the left wing, headed for the upper right union, was saved.
Liga's first shot on goal came in the 65th minute when a 25-yard thunderbolt from Alejandro Manso was palmed away by United GK Edwin Van Der Sar.
In minute 71, Liga nearly shocked with the opening goal when midfielder William Araujo's shot from the edge of the box was saved by E. Van Der Sar at close range.

Then came W. Rooney's goal in the 73rd minute.
Liga continued their incursions into the United half. Their next chance was in minute 83 when a through ball behind the last United defender saw E. Van Der Sar having to sprawl to smother it at the top edge of the box.
Liga's last chance was in the 89th minute. A. Manso's shot from 27 yards out, headed for the upper left corner, was saved out by E. Van Der Sar. (Nothing resulted from the ensuing corner kick.)

The Final Standings:

1. Manchester United [UEFA]
2. Liga de Quito [CONMEBOL]
3. Gamba Osaka [AFC]
4. Pachuca [CONCACAF]
5. Adelaide United [AFC]
6. Al Ahly [CAF]
7. Waitakere United [OFC]

For 2009 & 2010, FIFA is moving this tournament to The United Arab Emirates. It shall return to Japan in 2011 (& 2012). I suspect that this is an attempt to increase the attendances of leagues in the middle east portion of Asia, and to reduce the distance that the European & South American sides have to travel.
Nonetheless, considering my perception that there is less nightlife and, more significantly, a nationwide pattern of interfering with access to the Internet and the World-Wide Web, should prevent me from putting in to cover this tournament in 2009.
I thank F. I. F. A. for enabling me to cover this tournament since it opened up what had been the Toyota Cup to include the champions from the other five confederations in 2005.