Manchester United let FC Barcelona have the ball most of the time. But this time, Man U made Barca pay for losing it.

No Messi, not a problem. Two months after Champions League final heartbreak, United fans were finally able to celebrate against Barcelona, as the Reds beat the European Champions 2-1 at FedEx Field in Washington DC.

In the 76th minute Michael Owen scored on a counterattack to give Manchester United a 2-1 victory over FC Barcelona on Saturday night.

Nani also scored early for United, which levied a measure of revenge in a preseason exhibition that doubled as a rematch of last May’s Champions League final, where Barcelona won 3-1.

Thousands of fans arrived a handful of hours before kickoff, turning the parking lots into a churning mass of red and black, maroon and blue.

Tying the game Thiago, for Barcelona, in front of 81,807 at FedEx Field, was the largest soccer crowd in Washington DC area history.

He barely missed an equalizer a few minutes earlier after a lofty, chipped pass from Andres Iniesta. Pedro forced United’s goalkeeper David De Gea into a diving stop earlier in the half, giving coach Pep Guardiola optimism on several levels.

Tom Cleverley set up Owen’s goal, by stealing Sergio Busquets’ pass at midfield, streaking toward the goal, and then slipping a pass to Owen just in time to keep the forward onside.

Owen chipped the ball right over Victor Valdes, Barcelona goalkeeper who had rushed out to close the angle.

After a lethargic first half, Barcelona dominated the second until Owen’s goal.

In the 70th minute, Thiago gave the defending Spanish league champions a deserved tying goal blasting a shot from about 23 yards out into the top right corner.

United, last year’s Premier League winners, Nani put them ahead on a similar goal to Owen’s. Danny Welbeck corralled the ball in midfield, charged forward, and then found Nani alone, who drove a low finish past Valdes in the 22nd minute.

Friendly or not, the rematch had an impressive atmosphere, including a halftime appearance from Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

Barcelona’s fans were the majority, chanting “Barca! Barca! Barca!” as early as 45 minutes before kickoff, chants which eventually echoed throughout the stadium during the match’s early stages.

For United coach Alex Ferguson, the atmosphere was exciting, especially by sealing the win.
 

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