MANCHESTER UNITED YAFUNGWA 1 BILA NA SINGHA ALL STARS CHINI YA MOYES,TAZAMA PICHA

By his own admission this week, David Moyes had been looking forward to this day for a while.

It was, after all, his first game as manager of Manchester United. Sadly, though, it turned out to be rather underwhelming.

Let’s not fool ourselves that the results of pre-season friendlies actually matter. They don’t. Clubs like United travel to places like this primarily to make money, make new commercial friends and get some much-needed fitness in to the legs of their players.

Start of the season friendly: David Moyes gesticulates angrily as his United side look sluggish

Nevertheless, that a United team – even one missing nine first team players – should lose here today will not sit well with Moyes as he begins his reign as manager. This, after all, was a game against a group of players from Thai football. It was, in essence, a little like losing to Swindon Town.

Moyes – usually such a prowler of the touchline during his decade at Everton – remained in his seat in the dugout throughout the game. Given the sticky, cloying conditions, he may well have been simply stuck to it.

Out on the field, meanwhile, his team managed to exert some late pressure but never really looked like scoring.

Firing in: Tom Cleverley runs away from Mario Djurovski and takes a shot

England striker: Danny Welbeck tussles with Singha All Star's Kim Yoo-Jin

There were some bright spots. Moyes will have been pleased to see Ryan Giggs looking and playing like a man ten years his junior. It is hard at times to remember that the Welshman will be 40 in November.

There was also a bright starting appearance from young Belgian Adnan Januzaj. The 18-year-old played for an hour and was United’s stand out player for most of that time.

Late on there was a pleasing cameo from young winger Wilfred Zaha, too. The new arrival from Crystal Palace may have turned up for his first United away trip in casual clothes rather than the required club suit last Wednesday but he made the right impression on his manager here, cutting inside with ten minutes left to curl a lovely, powerful shot against the far post from the edge of the penalty area.

Back in a red shirt: Left-back Fabio Da Silva runs away with the ball

Good workout: Ben Amos punches a cross away with Rio Ferdinand in front of him

Moments earlier, Danny Welbeck – the only striker left with the party after Wayne Rooney’s trip home – had fluffed an easier chance and, to be honest, that was about as good as it got for a United team that clearly struggled in the heat and also suffered from having less than two weeks training behind them.

The winning goal arrived shortly after half-time and was scored low to United goalkeeper Ben Amos’s left by the All-Stars’ No 14 Teeratep Wonothai. The Bangkok Glass player had earlier missed two identical first half chances after twice running clear of United’s offside trap.

The first time he dithered so long that Jonny Evans was able to track back and tackle while on the second occasion Amos pulled off an impressive reaction save, diving smartly to his right to turn the ball round the post.

When his third chance arrived after a smart interchange down the left, though, Wonothai kept his nerve rather better and celebrated his goal with all the enthusiasm of a man who clearly realised it would be remembered for rather a long time.

Starting XI: David Moyes first team to play under his stewardship