Manchester United vs Dortmund match report: Jose Mourinho suffers first defeat in sweltering Shanghai

Manchester United 1 Borussia Dortmund 4

Castro robs Depay, who looked off the pace before being pulled at half-time (Getty)

Jose Mourinho suffered defeat for the first time as Manchester United manager with Borussia Dortmund taking advantage of an error-strewn display by the Premier League outfit in stifling conditions in Shanghai.

United began life under Mourinho with a 2-0 victory against Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium last Saturday, but last season’s Bundesliga runners-up Dortmund highlighted the task facing the Portuguese at Old Trafford by completing a convincing victory in this International Champions Cup tie.

Goals from Gonzalo Castro, Ousmane Dembele and a Pierre-Emericak Aubameyang penalty gave Dortmund a 3-0 lead before Henrikh Mkhitarayan, United’s summer signing from the German club, pulled one back for Mourinho’s team. Castro then added a fourth just before full time.

But while Mourinho can cite the absence of several key players, including captain Wayne Rooney, David de Gea, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial, as mitigation for the defeat – plus temperatures which exceeded 100 degrees prompted two drinks breaks -- the lapses in concentration by those on the pitch are likely to prove a cause for concern for the United manager.

Dortmund opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Castro scored from close range after goalkeeper Sam Johnstone had failed to deal with Aubameyang’s free-kick and Dembele’s subsequent follow-up shot.

And after Jesse Lingard wasted a clear chance to equalise three minutes later when shooting straight at goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, Dortmund doubled their lead from the spot through Aubameyang after Antonio Valencia had handled the forward’s shot.

Phil Jones then forced Johnstone into a crucial save after slicing a clearance into the direction of his own net.

Jones and Memphis Depay, who both looked unconvincing in the first-half, were replaced at the interval by Mourinho, with Marcos Rojo and Marcus Rashford entering the fray.

Mourinho watches on from the sidelines in Shanghai (Getty)

But Rojo did little better than Jones, with the Argentine gifting Dembele his goal by slipping on the ground as the Dortmund forward raced past to score.

Mkhitaryan’s goal two minutes later gave United hope of a late fightback, but in such difficult conditions, the energy levels had already dropped to a minimum going into the final half hour.

With four minutes remaining, Castro got his second of the game, striking past Sergio Romero into the top-right hand corner after being given time on the edge of the box.

United now fly to Beijing to face Manchester City in the Bird’s Nest Stadium on Monday.