A first-half penalty from Michael Carrick and a second-half Wayne Rooney header gave Manchester United a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.A minute before half-time Rooney was felled by Dons keeper Jamie Langfield inside the box, allowing former Tottenham midfielder Carrick to slot home his first spot-kick since the Champions League final penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea in Moscow.

Rooney headed home number two from Darren Fletcher's cross in the 69th minute before going off to a standing ovation minutes later.

A near sell-out of 20,500 turned up for the testimonial game in honour of the Aberdeen side that won the European Cup Winners' Cup 25 years ago in Gothenburg when United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was manager at Pittodrie.

A good percentage of the crowd appeared to be there to see United who fielded a strong side including Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Scotland international Fletcher.

Aberdeen had new signings Mark Kerr and Gary McDonald making their debuts in midfield.

Ferguson was given a rousing reception by the home fans as he made his way to the dugout before a typically tepid pre-season game began.

As United eased themselves in to the match, Rooney had three efforts on goal, none of them impressive, before 10 minutes had elapsed.

The first eruption from the traditionally subdued Dons fans came in the 21st minute when midfielder Jeffrey de Visscher drove inches past United keeper Ben Amos's right-hand post from just outside the box.

A minute later Pittodrie striker Darren Mackie took a Lee Miller pass and toe-poked the ball past Amos from five yards out but was correctly ruled offside.

Rooney, looking keener than most, had a further two efforts but neither troubled Langfield.

But in the 44th minute, the Aberdeen keeper pulled the England striker down inside the box after he latched on to a defence-splitting Carrick pass, the former West Ham player sending the Dons keeper the wrong way with his spot-kick.

There were eight substitutions made between the two sides at the interval, the five home changes including 6ft 7in Bertrand Bossu making his debut in goal, and more followed in a confusing second half.

On the hour mark, Giggs met a Rooney cross with his forehead 12 yards out but Bossu rose to his left to tip the ball on the bar, Aberdeen escaping with their goal intact.

That only lasted nine minutes until Rooney coolly headed a Fletcher cross past the flailing Frenchman from 10 yards out.

Bossu pulled off a fine top corner save from United substitute Danny Simpson, before another United substitute Chris Eagles, who had missed a sitter just after the break, chipped a loose ball wide of an open goal after some confusion in the Pittodrie rearguard.

Ferguson described his return to Pittodrie as "emotional" and said he was satisfied with United's first outing ahead of the new season.

"They all did all right. There was no real great performances," he told MUTV.

"You can't expect any great performances - that's the reason for pre-season games.

"The important thing is to get your fitness and also to come through without injury."

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