Manchester United ended its summer tour of the United States on Sunday evening the same way it began it -- with an emphatic victory over a top-class European opponent.
This time it was Spain's Barcelona that was toppled. Coach Frank Rijkaard's team lost, 3-1, in front of 68,396 fans in the first sporting event to be held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Barcelona actually had the lead for a while, on a 10th-minute goal by Patrick Kluivert off a cross from the right by Ronaldinho, who last month spurned Manchester's overtures in favor of the Spanish club.
Ronaldinho was booed by United fans every time he touched the ball.
The English champion soon regained the upper hand, however, with Diego Forlan scoring in the 25th and 37th minutes and Ruud Van Nistelrooy scoring his fourth goal of the ChampionsWorld Series in the 85th minute.
During victories over Celtic of Scotland, Club America of Mexico, Juventus of Italy and Barcelona, Manchester United was watched live by 271,488 fans.
American goalkeeper Tim Howard again was solid in his second match for Coach Alex Ferguson's team, signaling that he will strongly challenge 1998 World Cup winner Fabian Barthez to be the starter.
Ferguson had said before the match that he regretted not having been able to sign Ronaldinho, believing the Brazilian would have helped immensely in European Champions League play.
"I felt that if we had got Ronaldinho, we would have had a big chance in Europe," Ferguson told an English tabloid, the News of the World.
"Without him, we can't really do anything different from what we tried last year. He would have given us more options."
United might have even fewer options by the end of this week.
The club is considering a reported $24-million offer from Chelsea for Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron.
"It [the offer] has not been accepted, it's under review," said Peter Kenyon, Manchester United's chief executive.
Juventus Wins Cup
Italian champion Juventus, humbled, 4-1, by Manchester United in ChampionsWorld Series play last week, rebounded Sunday to edge European champion AC Milan, 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie, in the Italian Super Cup.
The game, played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., attracted a crowd of 54,128, which watched the teams battle to a scoreless tie in regulation. AC Milan then took the lead in extra time when midfielder Andrea Pirlo scored on a penalty kick after a foul by Alessio Tacchinardi on Massimo Ambrosini.
