New Manchester United Manager Louis Van Gaal's Debut Leads U.S. Invasion

Fifty years after the Beatles' musical "invasion" of America, English football clubs are playing preseason matches in the U.S. "hoping to spark growth for the sport," according to the AFP. ManU, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City will combine to play 16 matches on U.S. soil "in a follow on to strong American interest in the World Cup." ManU striker Wayne Rooney said, "Football is growing here, particularly after the World Cup, and every time you come over you see it's getting bigger." More than 55,000 watched as hosts Seattle drew 3-3 with Spurs in Saturday's friendly, "but the biggest and best events are yet to come." New Manager Louis Van Gaal "kicks off his reign at Manchester United this week when the Reds visit the Los Angeles Galaxy." ManU will play Serie A side AS Roma on Saturday in Denver, meet Inter Milan on July 29 in Washington and face Real Madrid on Aug. 2 in suburban Detroit "before a sold-out Michigan Stadium crowd of about 110,000," the largest U.S. crowd ever for the sport (AFP, 7/22).