On the evening of May 28, 2025, in a shocking turn of events, Premier League giants Manchester United suffered a 0-1 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars in the Maybank Champions Cup friendly match at Bukit Jalil National Stadium. In front of a roaring crowd of 72,550 fans, the vast majority clad in United’s iconic red, the Red Devils stumbled once again, compounding a dismal season with yet another disappointing result.
A Sea of Red, but No Glory
Even before kickoff, the stadium was transformed into a sea of red shirts, with local fans singing “Glory Glory Man United” in unison, creating a spine-tingling atmosphere. Though just a post-season exhibition, United manager Rúben Amorim signalled clear intent by fielding a strong starting lineup, featuring the likes of André Onana, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, and Manuel Ugarte. Team captain Bruno Fernandes began the match on the bench.
Despite having the stronger lineup on paper, United looked sluggish and uninspired. The ASEAN All-Stars, made up of top talents from across Southeast Asia, played with heart and intensity. Vietnamese winger Nguyễn Hải Long was a constant threat down the right flank, repeatedly testing United’s backline.
Fans Chanted in Hope, But ASEAN Delivered the Blow
By the 29th minute, Amorim began rotating his squad, substituting veterans like Casemiro and Maguire for younger players. The score remained 0-0 at halftime, and although the tempo dipped slightly, fan enthusiasm stayed high.
In the second half, Amorim introduced Fernandes, along with the controversial but talented Alejandro Garnacho and several academy prospects. Chants of “Bruno! Bruno!” echoed across the stadium, raising hopes for a United breakthrough.
But the night took a twist no one expected.
In the 69th minute, as the crowd belted out “GGMU” once more, Myanmar’s Win Naing Tun stunned the crowd with a brilliant goal, putting the ASEAN All-Stars ahead. The stadium fell silent. Manchester United, the global powerhouse, were trailing to a team assembled for a one-off friendly.
Amorim: “Maybe We Deserved the Boos”
United failed to mount a response, and as the final whistle blew, boos erupted from the stands. Fans who had come to celebrate were left frustrated and disillusioned.
In the post-match press conference, Ruben Amorim didn’t sugarcoat the defeat:
“Maybe we did deserve those boos,” he admitted. “I feel guilty for letting the fans down. We should’ve performed better. Our transitions were too slow, and we didn’t show what we’ve been working on in training. The only positive is that no one got injured.”
He continued: “For some of the players, this match was a risk, but we wanted to show respect to the fans. We came here to play a good match, and we should have won a game like this.”
Bruno Fernandes: A Lesson for the Young Players
Captain Bruno Fernandes also addressed the media after the match. Though disappointed with the result, he chose to highlight the experience gained by the squad’s younger players.
“No one likes to lose, but for our youngsters, this was a valuable learning moment. They’ve trained with us and shown potential. Matches like these help them grow,” he said.
Acknowledging the difficult playing conditions, Fernandes added:
“It was humid and tough, but both teams faced the same environment. That’s not an excuse. Now, we look forward to our next stop in Hong Kong. We want to enjoy the journey, engage with our fans, sign autographs, take photos, that’s what this tour is about.”
This defeat only adds to what has been a bleak 2024/25 season for Manchester United. Under Amorim’s leadership, early hopes of a turnaround faded quickly. Not only did United end the season trophyless, but now they’ve lost even a symbolic exhibition cup, the Maybank Champions Cup, to a regional select side.
For fans, players, and management alike, the question looms:
Can the Red Devils rise again? Or will nights like this become the new normal?
