Manchester United's season was not bookended by silverware, after all. After the Snapdragon Cup in pre-season, the Maybank Cup eluded them in the post-season tour.
Neither would ever be housed in the Old Trafford museum or featured as attractions for picture opportunities as part of the stadium tour. Ruben Amorim looked uncomfortable enough to be standing behind the Maybank Cup at Tuesday's pre-match press conference.
Amorim was in an invidious position. He would have dreaded hoisting a trophy barely befitting a Sunday League final yet [United](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-united-fc) were beaten in a country they last visited for Michael Owen’s first appearance in July 2009.
Friendlies can be an effective cure for insomniacs and this had all the hallmarks of unwatchable exhibition matches: A lack of goals, 27 players used by United alone, a light show and a Mexican Wave midway through the second half. Soccer Aid might be more competitive and dynamic.
United first visited Malaysia 30 years ago and United at their very worst since relegation still drew a crowd: 72,550 was the official attendance in the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
True to form, United did not provide the game’s only goal as they went 1-0 down for the umpteenth time in the past 12 months. In the 84th minute, there was the familiar scenario of a United winger crossing into the penalty area only for the striker to be nowhere in sight.
Five minutes later, Alejandro Garnacho abandoned selflessness but his shot was wayward. Bruno Fernandes looked at the heavens and his shoulders slumped. A familiar feeling. United got so desperate that Tom Heaton went up for an added-time corner.
There was a Sergio Aguero in the ASEAN All-Stars line-up, but it wasn’t that one. Instead, Maung Maung Lwin wrote his name into Malaysian football folklore as the matchwinner against United.
6,606 miles is an exceedingly long way to travel for a match you will learn nothing from. United have not pretended that the football is the priority on this commercial trip that will rake in £8million and the only positive was that some of their callow academy members were granted minutes.
Garnacho briefly vanished down the tunnel during the first half, possibly to maximise the air conditioning. He was selected for the start of the second half and was cheered when he headed over to the far side. They were louder when Garnacho got the ball. Time will tell if it was the last time in the red of United.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Garnacho was on his haunches, briefly overwhelmed by the humidity. The players had to peel their shirts off as though they had been stuck on.
Andre Onana had his name aired for the first time in United colours. Harry Maguire was booed by casual spectators in Melbourne, Las Vegas and Dublin but here in Kuala Lumpur was cheered louder than ever whenever he received the ball.
This was the first occasion that Maguire had captained United from the start since he was stripped of the captaincy in July 2023, extra validation for a player who had his contract extended earlier in the year.
Fernandes inevitably generated the loudest chant upon his half-time arrival. Even Fernandes’ _rabona_ \- when a player wraps one leg around the other and pokes the ball forward - that went out for a goal kick drew widespread ‘ooh’s.
The chanting briefly switched to "Bruno stay, Bruno stay". Fernandes could have clarified his future by now and has not done so. United have another press conference in Hong Kong on Thursday evening.
The United fans were not entirely enthusiastic. An errant pass from Toby Collyer elicited jeers, with fans willing United to at least score.
You work up a sweat just by sitting down in this part of the world. Fans were handed out to fans, it was that sweltering. Omar Berrada remained statesman-like, arriving in a club suit when he could have been forgiven for donning casual attire. Jason Wilcox is not in Asia ahead of the defining summer of his administrative career.
When United were last in Asia in Bangkok three years ago, Jurgen Klopp played three different Liverpool outfield XIs against them. By the 20-minute mark at the Bukit Jalil, Shea Lacey, Jaydan Kamason, Dan Armer and Sekou Kone were already limbering up with the fitness coach Paulo Barreira.
The quartet came on ten minutes later during a drinks break. Jack Moorhouse's maiden first-team exposure lasted 30 minutes. Casemiro, whose 19-month exile from the Brazil national squad ended with Carlos Ancelotti's appointment, gratefully traipsed off.
Amorim was more drastic than Klopp. There were 11 changes at half-time, so Lacey, Kone, Armer and Kamason were not even afforded a quarter of the match. All but one of the second-half XI played 45 minutes.
United used 27 players, overall. Altay Bayindir was the only unused matchday squad member, with Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, Luke Shaw and Mason Mount all clad in leisure gear. United have another game in less than 48 hours, a four-hour flight away, in Hong Kong.
They sang ‘Glory glory Man United’ in the stands. In a season that could not end soon enough for United, it goes on, on, on.