TOKYO, July 28: Manchester United were jolted by an earthquake and a Masashi Motoyama double as they lost 2-1 to Japan’s Kashima Antlers in a pre-season friendly on Thursday. A tremor rattled Tokyo’s National Stadium early in the first of United’s two matches in Japan and the visitors were also stunned when they went behind after five minutes.

Japan midfielder Motoyama gave J-League leaders Kashima the lead with a superb left-foot volley that gave United goalkeeper Tim Howard no chance. Ryan Giggs swept in a Cristiano Ronaldo cross to equalise three minutes later but Motoyama restored Kashima’s lead with a carbon-copy of his first goal in the 24th minute.

England striker Wayne Rooney went close with a fierce drive on the hour mark and Ronaldo headed wide from point-blank range in the 71st minute as United pressed for an equaliser. They paid for their wastefulness, however, with strikers Louis Saha and Ruud van Nistelrooy also guilty of glaring misses.

New signing Park Ji-sung came on as a 70th-minute substitute for Ronaldo and he too missed a simple chance when he blazed over from close range. The South Korea midfielder left the pitch moments later with blood pouring from a cut to his face after colliding with Antlers goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata.

The 24-year-old needed nine stitches above his left eye and was left nursing a badly swollen face after being caught by Sogahata’s elbow. Park, who cost United $7 million from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, scored his first goal for the club in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Beijing Guo’an.

The Premier League team began their Asian tour with a 2-0 win over Hong Kong’s national side last weekend. They play Urawa Reds, Japan’s best-supported side, at Saitama’s World Cup stadium on Saturday.—Reuters