David Beckham UNICEF Charity Match 2015: Score, Report, Reaction and Highlights

Team Great Britain and Ireland beat the Rest of the World squad 3-1 in Saturday's David Beckham UNICEF Charity Match 2015 at Old Trafford.

Paul Scholes opened the score before Michael Owen added a brace to give the "hosts" a deserved win. United legend Dwight Yorke scored the Rest of the World team's only goal. The fans were the real winners, however, as they were treated to a fantastic afternoon of football, despite the rainy conditions.

Sir Alex Ferguson returned to the United dugout for the first time since retiring in 2013, and he was accompanied by a host of former Red Devils and star players from across the globe.

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The match was part of Beckham's tour around the world that saw him play football matches on all seven continents. All proceeds will go toward UNICEF, who provide care for children in need.

The Manchester Evening News' James Robson shared the starting XI's of both teams, which included a number of stars from the past:

He also provided this quote from Ferguson on how he planned to slow down the impact of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:

From the opening whistle, the Great Britain and Ireland team was in full control of proceedings, with Scholes and Beckham pulling the strings in midfield. Peter Crouch came close to opening the score but just failed to hit the target, before Darren Fletcher also missed.

Beckham was the first to put Edwin van der Sar to work, and per Robson, it shouldn't come as a big surprise how:

Meanwhile, the fans inside Old Trafford were having a great time. The United heroes were almost treated to a standing ovation every time they touched the ball, while Jamie Carragher was given a less-warm reception, per Full Time DEVILS:

Van der Sar did well to deny Crouch the opening goal from close range, and William Gallas was on point to stop Fletcher from bundling home the rebound. But a goal for the GB and Ireland team seemed inevitable, and before long, they took the lead.

Turning back the clock for a few seconds, Beckham produced a perfect cross for Scholes, who dashed inside the box and powered a header past Van der Sar. Robson couldn't help but remember when Scholes used to do that on a regular basis:

Luis Figo blasted the Rest of the World squad's best chance miles past the upright after a lovely assist from Ronaldinho. The Brazilian then provided a superb assist for Patrick Kluivert, who converted the chance with a backheel, knowing full well he was miles offside.

Soccer-Laduma's Joe Crann loved watching Ronaldinho play as he always does:

There was also some bad news, however. Nicky Butt had to be replaced after what appeared to be an ankle injury just before half-time, and according to Robson, the 40-year-old may have torn his Achilles.

It was an unfortunate incident, but it couldn't spoil the fun of watching these legends play the game. Scholes and Beckham in particular looked like they could still ply their trade for a number of Premier League squads without missing a beat.

Crouch made way for Owen early in the second half, and the former England international immediately made his mark, doubling GB and Ireland's lead within minutes. Beckham and Scholes again played big roles, working the ball in front of goal, where Owen pushed it past Raimond van der Gouw.

Almost immediately afterward, Yorke pulled one back with a cool finish from just outside the box. Robson couldn't help but think how the current Red Devils squad could learn a thing or two from the legends' finishing:

Bleacher Report UK had similar ideas:

Beckham provided super cross after super cross for 73 minutes before he was replaced by his son Brooklyn Beckham, adding another touching moment to what was already a wonderful afternoon. Just a few minutes later, the legendary midfielder returned to the pitch, however, wearing the same No. 7 shirt as his son.

Actual chances were few in the final minutes, with Kluivert drawing a fine save from David Seaman, but it hardly mattered. The fans packed inside Old Trafford were treated to a light-hearted, fun spectacle with plenty of fluid, attacking football—even if the end product wasn't always perfect.

The GB and Ireland team continued to dominate, and Owen doubled his tally with five minutes left to play after Van der Gouw spilled a cross. HITC Top Corner couldn't help but see Ferguson crack up when the stopper made the blunder:

Scholes nearly made it 4-1 with a delightful chip over Van der Gouw, but his effort hit the crossbar. That would be the last real chance of the match.

Saturday's clash at Old Trafford was the last leg of Beckham's trip around the world, and given the fact the iconic venue sold out weeks in advance and was packed for the match, despite the weather, one has to assume the charity match was a roaring success.

Per Robson, Beckham is sure it raised a huge amount of money for UNICEF:

Perhaps more importantly for the fans, it was a glorious return to the pitch for some of the club's biggest legends, with the likes of Scholes, Beckham and Owen putting together wonderful performances. Class never fades, and the players showed that.

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