MANCHESTER, England, Sept 28 (AFP) - Wayne Rooney opened his Manchester United career in spectacular fashion, scoring a hattrick as his new team thrashed Turkish champions Fenerbahce 6-2 in a Champions League Group D tie here Tuesday.
Rooney, 18, who lasted the full 90 minutes, blasted two long-range first half goals and curled a spectacular second-half free-kick after Ryan Giggs had headed the home side in front in the seventh minute.
Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and winger David Bellion scored two more goals for United near the end, while Fenerbahce`s Brazilian striker Nobre scored once and Tuncay Sanli a goal apiece for the visitors when the score was 3-0 and 4-1.
Rooney was wearing a United shirt for the first time after signing from English Premiership rivals Everton for 27 million pounds last month and since breaking a bone in his foot during Euro 2004 in June.
Including Rooney, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson made five changes to the side that won 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premiership last Saturday. Defender Gary Neville returned after injury at right-back in place of Wes Brown, while there were recalls too for Bellion, Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba in midfield.
Paul Scholes was missing with a groin strain, while Rio Ferdinand played his first Champions League game since returning from a eight-month suspension for missing a drugs test.
Fenerbahce started with Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk, who had spells in Britain for Celtic and Nottingham Forest.
Rooney made his presence felt from the first minute, releasing Bellion on the right with an inch-perfect pass but the Frenchman`s cross was cut-out.
Welsh international Giggs put United in front in the seventh minute, leaping unopposed to head past Turkey`s keeper Rustu into the bottom corner of the net after a strong run and cross from Kleberson.
Rooney doubled the lead in the 17th minute, running from deep to latch on to a through ball from van Nistelrooy before blasting the ball home with his left foot from the edge of the box.
Rooney scored his second, and United`s third, in the 28th minute, making space for himself on his right side before unleashing a powerful shot past the diving Rustu, this time using his right boot.
The England forward missed a great chance for his hattrick in first half stoppage time, scooping over a Neville cross.
But the three-goal haul was completed seven minutes after the break, after Rooney curled a direct free-kick over the Fenerbahce wall into the top left-hand corner.
Ironic chants of `what a waste of money` rang out across the Old Trafford arena.
Fenerbahce had started the second half brighter, pulling a goal back in the 46th minute after Nobre fired a shot into the net after a goal-mouth scramble.
And Sanli scored Fenerbahce`s second ten minutes later, drilling home a long-range effort after the visitors` had a chance cleared off the line.
Van Nistelrooy helped to round off a perfect night for United, firing home from inside the box ten minutes from time. Bellion then ran clear to score a sixth with a right foot strike.
Fenerbahce captain Omit Ozat even had time to strike the post before the final whistle.