Lisbon, Aug 07: Manchester United started life without Argentinean playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron with a 3-1 humbling at the hands of Portuguese giants sporting Lisbon to celebrate the opening of the stadium that will feature at next year's Euro 2004 finals. Two goals from Portuguese veteran Joao Pinto - both in the second-half - and a first-half goal by Luis Felipe were enough to see off a lifeless united side that relied on a late own goal by Hugo as a consolation.
Even though Veron had left earlier in the day to seal his 15 million pounds (24 million dollars) move to Chelsea manager Alex Ferguson opted to leave hardman midfielder Roy Keane on the bench along with Dutch Hitman Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
However even with first choices such as Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes in the starting line-up they were made to look distinctly second rate particularly by Ronaldo - the Portuguese version not the Brazilian World Cup winning striker. It was he who set up Felipe for the first in the 25th minute as the 18-year-old's brilliant pass across goal evaded the united defenders for the striker to steal in at the far post and tap it into the net.
United's only worthwhile effort of the first-half was a long range effort from one of their summer signing's Cameroon midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba, but it went wide of the post.
Sporting put it beyond United's grasp 16 minutes into the second-half when Joao Pinto rose above a static Quinton fortune to head past Fabien Barthez. United manager Alex Ferguson then sent on a couple of his young bloods, Mark Lynch and darren fletcher, who earlier in the day he had gone on record to say he had every confidence in them standing up to the plate in the forthcoming premiership season.
However they were unable to make their mark on the game and pinto struck home a majestic third 11 minutes from time, after more good work by Ronaldo, before going off to rapturous applause.
Ferguson threw on Van Nistelrooy as a last desperate measure but was rewarded with just the own goal by Hugo in the 88th minute, though his master striker also went close a minute later but saw his shot repelled by the keeper. Bureau Report