Manchester United held 2-2 by J-League champions

Manchester United held 2-2 by J-League champions

pitch. After Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick failed to find the target with early efforts, Ronaldo brought the 58,716 fans to their feet in the 24th minute with a cracking, 20-metre shot that Urawa keeper Ryota Tsuzuki did well to palm away.

A minute later, United found themselves 1-0 down when Uchidate fired off a speculative shot from 25 metres that wrong-footed Edwin van der Saar in the United goal.

In the dying minutes of the first half, Rooney burst into life, first setting up a free header for Paul Scholes, then running 50 metres through the Reds defence, before firing off a low shot that was also saved by Tsuzuki.

United drew level in the second minute of the second half when Michael Carrick set up Fletcher for a low drive from 10 metres. After a Rooney cracker that just cleared the bar, United took the lead in the 52nd minute.

Giggs released Ronaldo on the left and the Portuguese player cut in and finished off the move with a crisp, low drive from 20 metres. The home side kept attacking and were rewarded for some enterprising play with an equaliser in the 78th minute.

Brazilian Robson Ponte linked up with Makoto Hasebe on the edge of the box to set up former Feyenoord midfielder Ono, who dummied to his left and then slid the ball past Van der Saar to make the score 2