Man United 0-0 Inter Milan (5-3 pens): Louis van Gaal's winning run continues as perfect penalties earn United victory in Washington

• Manchester United have now won three games out of three on US tour
• Ashley Young, Javier Hernandez, Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Darren Fletcher all converted spot-kicks
• Inter's Marco Andreolli saw penalty crash back off the bar
• Match at FedEx Field in Washington ended 0-0 after 90 minutes
• Van Gaal fielded a different team in each half as he continues to search for best XI

By Ian Ladyman for the Daily Mail

Published: 21:35 EDT, 29 July 2014 | Updated: 06:14 EDT, 30 July 2014

On returning home from their two-and-half week tour of America, Louis van Gaal’s players will not be able to complain about a lack of opportunity to impress.

As the new Manchester United manager continues to seek the best way to implement his favoured 3-5-2 formation, there are few tweaks, twists and turns that he is not prepared to try.

On Tuesday night, for example, United began this game against Inter Milan at FedExField with Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck up front. They ended it with Nani and Wilfried Zaha playing in those positions.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Van Gaal looking for defensive reinforcements

Spot on: Shinji Kagawa (left), Darren Fletcher (centre) and Tom Cleverley (right), three of United's penalty scorers, celebrate after the 5-3 shootout success against Inter Milan

Pleased as punch: Fletcher celebrates with United goalkeeper David De Gea after the shootout win that kept Louis van Gaal's good start going

Happy: Louis van Gaal and Ryan Giggs smile after the success

Embrace: Fletcher hugs Michael Keane after converting the decisive penalty in Washington

Fall guy: Marco Andreolli was the victim as his penalty struck the crossbar and rebounded out

Cool finish: Captain Fletcher calmly converts the decisive penalty in the shootout to defeat Inter

Letting fly: Ander Herrera has an attempt at goal for United, who were wearing their new blue third kit for the first time

VIDEO Van Gaal looking for defensive reinforcements  

Ashley Young, meanwhile, played at both left and right wing-back as the night progressed while Luke Shaw – declared unfit for purpose just 24 hours ago – was given a surprise outing on the left during the second half.

It didn’t add up to much in the end. United were the more progressive team against an Italian side that included their former captain Nemanja Vidic and created the better chances. They couldn’t score, though, and eventually won courtesy of an immaculate penalty shootout.

With Young, Javier Hernandez, Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Darren Fletcher making it a perfect shootout for United, Inter were overcome after Marco Andreolli smacked his team’s fourth kick against the crossbar.

Van Gaal and his players were perhaps vindicated for thoroughness of their preparation. In each of their open training sessions on this tour, they have practised penalties.

In the United coach’s mind, however, none of this will really matter. One gets the feeling that the Dutch veteran is simply answering questions in his head about his players as he goes along.

As he explained here on Monday night, there are certain players who are going to have to adapt if they are fit his system. He has decided, for example, that Nani, Young and the much-maligned Zaha cannot function at wing-back. The only chance they will have of making his team, therefore, will be at centre forward.

Too many men: Wilfried Zaha shoots as Inter players close in during his first appearance under Louis van Gaal

Elusive: Shinji Kagawa escapes the attentions of Juan Jesus as he looked to take over the midfield

Clean sheet: David de Gea makes a save to keep the score at 0-0 at the FedExField

Thank you Vidic: United fans in the States send their best wishes to their captain who left during the summer

Eyes on the ball: Ashley Young wins his header in front of Inter defender Danilo D'Ambrosio

Clamber: Chris Smalling goes for the ball by climbing over Inter's Mauro Icardi

Trip: Icardi goes down under challenge from Herrera during the first period

Getting fitter: Luke Shaw rides a challenge as he completed 45 minutes for United

Watchful eye: Former United captain Vidic watches on as Kagawa and Shaw escape with the ball

It would appear unlikely that any of them will in the long-term, of course, but at least they are being handed their auditions by their new manager.

Here in Maryland, Young actually did quite well. There was more energy about his play than we are used to seeing. Nani and Zaha – on the other hand – were rather more fitful, even if the former did come close with a couple of low shots in the second half and the latter had a penalty appeal turned down.

Certainly, United maybe should have won.

After a slow start that was noticeable only for a diving heard from a corner by Phil Jones that was saved low to his left by Samir Handanovic, United grew in to the game and began to threaten on the back of some effective midfield passing between Juan Mata and Ander Herrera in particular.

Wayne Rooney curled one shot over the crossbar from 20 yards while a 22-pass move from United in the 38th minute almost created a chance only for Mata’s low cross from the right to be cut out by a defender.

Good viewing, Louis? Van Gaal watches while Ryan Giggs laughs after Fletcher's winning penalty

Old timers: Giggs poses with Inter vice president Javier Zanetti ahead of the pre-season friendly

Joking around: Giggs and Zanetti both retired from playing last season

Taking it to the edge: Mata tries to keep the ball in play under pressure from Juan Jesus

Spanish star: United's new signing Herrera keeps the ball away from Inter's Dodo

On the charge: Wayne Rooney gets away from Inter's Jonathan during the first half of the friendly

Whip it in: Ashley Young attempts to deliver a cross during the first half of the match at FedEx Field

Domination: Smalling makes sure he wins the ball

Drawing a blank: Rooney failed to make a mark

Hard to beat: Mata twists and turns as he tries to get away from Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Rene Krhin

SCORED: Young

SCORED: Hernandez

SCORED: Cleverley

Perfect five: All of United's penalty takers scored, with Kagawa and Fletcher converting the last two

Mata himself then drove a shot wide from 18 yards before Van Gaal made his changes at half-time.

Certainly the introduction of Shaw was peculiar. The 19-year-old defender was training here on the pitch with United fitness coach Tony Strudwick in the hours leading up to the game and wasn’t even listed as a substitute at kick-off by United’s own website.

However, he was thrown on at half-time and went on to do reasonably well.

Zaha certainly looked keen as he tried to make the most of his first opportunity on tour and one run down the left in the 55th minute left two defenders floundering before Vidic of all people made ground from a central position to take the ball from his toe.

The Serbian defender was also on hand to intervene when a low Young cross was about to cause problems and the more Vidic went about his business here, the harder it was not to think he would have fitted in quite well in Van Gaal’s new three-man defence.

As it was, both Zaha and Tom Cleverley both could have been given penalties late on before United substitute goalkeeper David de Gea was called in to action with a few minutes left, diving to his left to spectacularly touch away a free-kick from Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin. 

Extra training: United boss Louis van Gaal had said earlier in the week that new signing Luke Shaw wasn't fit enough and excluded him from the squad for this match. He did take part in the warm-up however

You look familiar: Former Man United defender Nemanja Vidic, who moved to Inter Milan earlier in the summer, walks out to face his former club