NEW YORK: Wayne Rooney scored his first Major League Soccer hat-trick as DC United thrashed Real Salt Lake 5-0.

The former England captain, 33, opened the scoring with a penalty and beat the keeper with a chipped finished for his second just before half-time.

He slid home his third in the 65th minute against a Real Salt Lake side who finished the game with nine men.

Rooney’s side are top of the Eastern Conference after three games of the new MLS season.

The team were bottom when Rooney, Manchester United and England’s record scorer, joined from Everton in June 2018.

Rooney, who was made captain after three games, scored 12 goals and made seven assists as DC United sealed a play-off spot with a game to spare.

But he missed a penalty in a shootout as DC United were knocked out of the 2018 MLS play-offs in the first round by Columbus Crew.

In December 2018, Rooney was arrested for public intoxication at Dulles International Airport in Virginia after returning from a one-day trip to Saudi Arabia.

His spokesman said the arrest was a result of feeling “disorientated” after taking sleeping tablets on a flight while drinking.

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