July 20, 2011
WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE
Ronaldo nets a hat trick; mixed results for MLS teams in other friendlies

REAL MADRID 3, CD GUADALAJARA 0
SAN DIEGO---After a spectacular goal on Saturday night, Cristiano Ronaldo further dazzled a West Coast crowd on Wednesday night, scoring all three goals in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over CD Guadalajara at Qualcomm Stadium.

The former World Player of the year scored three times in an eight minute span, starting in the 73rd minute of what had been a scoreless game.
Ronaldo took a cross in the box and poked it under Chivas goalkeeper Luis Ernesto Michel for the 1-0 lead. Four minutes later after Pepe was taken down in the box, he converted the penalty kick.

Ronaldo completed the hat trick in the 83rd minute, Mesut Ozil played a square ball from the right side across the top of the penalty area to Ronaldo, who spun a right footed shot into the lower left corner of the net.

Real Madrid picks up their World Football Challenge schedule on Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field against the Philadelphia Union.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

MANCHESTER UNITED 7, SEATTLE SOUNDERS 0
SEATTLE - The largest crowd in Pacific Northwest soccer history was on hand as Wayne Rooney scored a hat trick leading Manchester United to a 7-0 rout of the Seattle Sounders in an international friendly on Wednesday night in front of 67,052 at CenturyLink Field.

A halftime substitute, Rooney's first two goals came in the 52nd and the 69th minutes. He drifted to the back post to finish Nani's cross then scored his second following a feed from Ji-Sung Park. Rooney's third goal came in the 72nd minute as he fired a one-touch shot from inside the box and past second-half Seattle goalkeeper Terry Boss, completing his hat trick.

Manchester United converted its first clear chance of the match as Patrice Evra sent a left-footed cross to a wide-open Michael Owen for a 15th-minute header.

The goals quickly mounted in the second half. Mame Biram Diouf scored in the 49th and Park, in between Rooney's second and third strikes, made it 5-0. Gabriel Obertan rounded out the United barrage in the in the 89th minute.

In his half of play, Keller had three saves and Boss made two stops. For Manchester United, Lindegarrd registered four saves in the first half and Amos notched three of his own.

The game was the second of five in North America for Manchester United, though it was not a part of the World Football Challenge. They play the Chicago Fire on Saturday at Soldier Field


NEWCASTLE UNITED 0, SPORTING KANSAS CITY 0
KANSAS CITY, Kan.---Sporting Kansas City drew 0-0 with Newcastle United FC on Wednesday night in front of 16,131 fans in the first-ever international friendly match at Livestrong Sporting Park. The match was the first for the Barclays Premier League club on their preseason tour of the United States.

PHILADELPHIA UNION 1, EVERTON FC 0
CHESTER, Pa— An 87th minute goal by Youth Academy player Christian Hernandez gave the Philadelphia Union a 1-0 win over Everton FC in front of a PPL Park sellout crowd of 18,582 Wednesday night.
Fulll story from Philly Soccer News

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3, PORTLAND TIMBERS 2
PORTLAND, Ore. – Gabriel Tamas’ goal in second-half stoppage time capped a come-from-behind win for English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion as they defeated the Portland Timbers 3-2 in an international exhibition, before a sold-out crowd of 18,627 at JELD-WEN Field Wednesday night.

Tamas’ game-winner capped a three-goal, second-half rally for the Baggies, who wrapped up their three-game, preseason tour of the western United States with a 2-1-0 mark.

Midfielders James Morrison and Somen Tchoyi scored three minutes apart midway through the second stanza to erase a 2-0 halftime deficit before the Romanian defender sent the guests off victoriously. Youssouf Mulumbu and Ishmael Miller logged assists for West Brom, which continues its preparation for what figures to be a rigorous 2011-12 EPL campaign.

Forward Eddie Johnson and midfielder Peter Lowry scored three minutes apart in the first half to give the Timbers a two-goal advantage at the interval. It was both players’ first goals as Timbers in first-team competition. Midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Sal Zizzo each had an assist for Portland.