Posted: 10 Aug 2009 06:18 PM PDT
Hot on the heels of Paul McGuinness and his academy side bringing the Northern Ireland Milk Cup back to Manchester last weekend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the United second string will also have some silverware amongst the hand luggage when they return from their mini-tour of the Netherlands and Belgium after clinching the Wout van Overdam tournament yesterday in terrific style.
The WVO tournament is held in Pijnacker-Nootdorp, 15 miles or so from the city of Rotterdam, and has typically been contested mainly by teams from Holland and Belgium, but United added an English flavour in what was the fourth hosting of the event. Ole added Ritchie de Laet – fresh from a great performance for the first team at Old Trafford on Wednesday – to the squad that picked up a 4-1 win in Katwijk on Thursday, and that meant kitman Ian Buckingham was handed a squad number…
Full Squad
1. Tom Heaton
2. Danny Simpson
3. Joe Dudgeon
4. James Chester (c)
5. Ritchie de Laet
6. Corry Evans
7. Cameron Stewart
8. Sam Hewson
9. Febian Brandy
10. Magnus Eikrem
11. Robbie Brady
12. Oliver Gill
13. Ron-Robert Zieler
14. Oliver Norwood
15. Scott Wootton
16. Matt James
17. Reece Brown
18. Nicky Ajose
19. Ian Buckingham
The Reds were drawn in Pool 1 of the 10-team tournament, along with local side BVCB and Eredivisie teams Vitesse Arnhem, Sparta Rotterdam and NEC Nijmegen. Those teams, as well as the five teams in Pool 2 (Royal Antwerp, Oliveo, De Graafschap, Germinal Beerschot and FC Groningen), played each other in a round robin format throughout Saturday morning and into the afternoon at the Oliveo FCS training complex.
MATCH 1: United 1-0 Vitesse Arnhem (Evans 6)
The tournament got underway at 10.20am for United with a game against Vitesse Arnhem, one of the stronger teams in the tournament. The games are only 35 minutes in duration with no half time, so Solskjaer started what is probably what is his most experienced side.
In a tough, scrappy game, United were soon ahead as Corry Evans gave us the lead after only 6 minutes. From then on the contest was fairly even but we had more of the play and were deserved winners. We played 451 with Brandy up front, watched by a small crowd of 114.
1. Heaton
2. Simpson
3. Dudgeon
4. Chester (c)
5. De Laet
6. Evans
7. Stewart (17. Brown 29)
16. James
9. Brandy (18. Ajose 29)
10. Eikrem (8. Hewson 27)
11. Brady (14. Norwood 27)
Unused subs:
12. Gill
13. Zieler
15. Wootton
19. Buckingham
MATCH 2: United 4-0 BVCB (Stewart 7, Wootton 12, Ajose 15, Buckingham 32 (pen))
The second game started 15 minutes later and obviously the team had a completely different look, with most of the subs in the first game starting against BVCB, who were much lower quality than Vitesse.
The game was played on the main pitch which is synthetic, and although there are artificial pitches at Carrington it was interesting to see how the Reds would cope with a slightly different game. As it turned out there was no reason to have worried….. Cam Stewart gave United the lead on 7 minutes when he ran on to a through ball by Ajose and placed the ball calmly past the keeper into the bottom left hand corner. Scott Wootton made in 2-0 on 12 minutes when he scored with a glancing header from 12 yards into the top right hand corner from a Stewart corner. A much larger crowd of 327 were delighted when United made it 3-0 on 15 minutes. Stewart was having a good game and ran onto a through ball by Ollie Norwood. He raced towards goal before squaring it to Ajose who calmly slotted it into an empty net.
With the game virtually won, Ian Buckingham came on after the goal for Cam Stewart. Eikrem then missed an open goal from four yards and got into a bit of a slanging match with one of their defenders. He must of said something as he was immediately substituted. Then on 32 minutes the bench went crazy! Hewson was upended in the area and we were awarded a penalty. Up stepped Buckingham who drove the ball hard into the bottom right hand corner giving the keeper no chance. The management and subs were in stitches as Ian turned to celebrate.
The game finished 4-0 to the Reds who lined up again in a 451 formation with Ajose the lone striker. After two games, United looked to be firmly established as one of the favourites to win the competition.
13. Zieler
17. Brown
3. Dudgeon
12. Gill
15. Wootton
7. Stewart (19. Buckingham 16)
8. Hewson (c)
14. Norwood
10. Eikrem (16. James 22)
11. Brady (4. Chester 20)
18. Ajose
Unused subs:
1. Heaton
2. Simpson
5. De Laet
6. Evans
9. Brandy
MATCH 3: United 1-1 NEC Nijmegen (de Laet 24)
The hosts Oliveo were in Group 2, and they showed that although they may be a small provincial junior team, their facilities are top division in all respects and their set-up puts many English clubs to shame.
As the tournament was progressing, it became clear that the Dutch teams were using the games to give match time to many of their first team regulars as well as their reserves. As a consequence, the result against an experienced Vitesse team was even more encouraging.
The Reds then faced a very strong NEC side with first team players listed on their team sheet. United lined up in last season’s kit of white shirts and blue shorts. However, Febian Brandy wore the Number 20 shirt as the Number 9 jersey had been ripped to shreds in the match versus Katwijk on Thursday. United had a back four of Simpson, Chester, De Laet and Gill, with Stewart and Dudgeon playing out wide. Hewson, James and Evans were the middle three with Brandy again the lone striker.
Starting on the outside grass pitch, the opening ten minutes saw NEC over-power United in most areas. They were a strong physical side and went ahead early in the game when one of their forwards lobbed Zieler from the edge of the area. After 17 minutes, Eikrem came on to replace Gill and De Laet moved from centre-half to left back. Corry Evans moved from midfield to central defence and Magnus took the central midfield role.
It was a sign of good tactical awareness by Solskjaer and Joyce, as Eikrem started to get a grip on midfield and Evans strengthened the defence. Eikrem nearly scored with his first touch, forcing a great save from the keeper with a free kick. Cam Stewart was again doing well on the right, while Brandy was continually busy up front and pressurising the NEC defence.
Then on 24 minutes, United drew level when Ritchie de Laet scored with a header at the far post from another Eikrem fee-kick. For the remainder of the game it was pretty even with a 1-1 draw being a fair result.
13. Zieler
2. Simpson
12. Gill (10. Eikrem 17)
4. Chester (c)
5. De Laet
6. Evans
7. Stewart
8. Hewson
16. James
3. Dudgeon
9. Brandy
Unused subs:
1. Heaton
11. Brady
14. Norwood
15. Wootton
17. Brown
18. Ajose
19. Buckingham
At first I had thought that these games might be a bit of a breeze for the Reds and not much competition. However, it was clearly a very competitive tournament which our next opponents had won for the last two years!
United were now guaranteed to finish in the play-off places, but a win over Sparta Rotterdam was still needed to see us through to the final. Sparta were on the same points and goal difference as United, so a draw between the two sides would have seen top spot in the group and the berth in the final decided by a penalty shootout.
MATCH 4: United 2-0 Sparta Rotterdam (Brandy 26, James 33)
With Robbie Brady injured, United played Joe Dudgeon on the left and the back four were Brown, Chester, de Laet and Simpson. Stewart was again wide right, Evans, James and Eikrem in the middle with Febian up front.
It was a tight opening ten minutes with United not giving anything away and the only shot of note was a 30-yard effort from Corry Evans which was easy for the keeper to collect. It remained fairly even for the first twenty minutes and then United upped the tempo. Sam Hewson replaced Reece Brown so Simpson went to right back, Dudgeon to left back, and Magnus went wide left.
In the 24th minute the 461 crowd saw a clear penalty decision turned down as Brandy went down in the box. Whatever frustration he felt was soon forgotten however as Febian scored a cracking solo goal two minutes later. Receiving the ball from Dudgeon on the edge of the area, he spun past one defender, burst in between another two and slotted the ball under the keeper to give United a deserved lead.
On the half hour mark, Gill came on to replace Stewart and went to outside left with Eikrem switching wings. Then on 33 minutes, Danny Simpson released Magnus on the right and he raced down the wing before knocking a great ball to the far post. Oliver Gill met the ball and headed it back for the on-rushing Matty James to hit it with his left foot. The Sparta keeper made a great save but James scored from the rebound to give United a 2-0 lead.
Brandy and Eikrem were immediately replaced by Ajose and Norwood for the last two minutes. As Brandy was coming off the pitch he was berated in no uncertain terms by Warren Joyce for lashing out at a Sparta defender a few minutes earlier. Brandy received strong words from the referee but no card was shown. If Brandy picked up a booking he would have missed the final, and as our only forward, the coaching staff were not too happy with his impetuousity.
Regardless of his ‘mad moment’, Brandy was easily the Man of the Match, working his socks off and causing the Sparta defence loads of problems.
The game finished 2-0 to the Reds and the final table looked like this:
1. Manchester United – Played 4 Won 3 Drew 1 Lost 0 GF 8 GA 1 Points 10
2. Sparta Rotterdam – Played 4 Won 2 Drew 1 Lost 1 GF 6 GA 3 Points 7
3. Vitesse Arnhem – Played 4 Won 2 Drew 0 Lost 2 GF 3 GA 3 Points 6
4. NEC Nijmegen – Played 4 Won 1 Drew 3 Lost 0 GF 7 GA 2 Points 5
5. BVCB – Played 4 Won 0 Drew 0 Lost 4 GF 1 GA 16 Points 0
It was hard on NEC who were one of the better teams in the tournament, but they – like United – were in the toughest group, and their three draws cost them.
United were now through to face FC Groningen in the final.
1. Heaton
17. Brown (8. Hewson 23)
2. Simpson
4. Chester (c)
5. De Laet
6. Evans
7. Stewart (12. Gill 30)
16. James
10. Eikrem (14. Norwood 33)
3. Dudgeon
9. Brandy (18. Ajose 33)
Unused subs:
11. Brady
13. Zieler
15. Wootton
19. Buckingham
FINAL: United 1-0 FC Groningen (Eikrem 25 (pen))
And so to the final against Dutch Eredivisie side FC Groningen. Groningen have a a proud history of hosting a youth tournament of their own and Manchester United have competed in the Groningen Youth Tournament on many occasions down the years.
Continuing in our white and blue strip, the game took place on the main grass pitch and Solskjaer probably named his strongest line-up. The back four were 2-5 and Hewson was preferred in the middle with Eikrem outside left in the five man midfield. Brandy was the buttress up front. The game kicked off at 15.40 and 795 spectators gathered to see the action.
In the first ten minutes we were on top but showed little penetration. The pattern continued until the 24th minute when Groningen had their best chance of the game. One of their forwards broke through the United defence and struck the ball with venom in the box bringing out an outstanding save from Tom Heaton. The Reds then raced down the other end of the pitch with Eikrem feeding Brandy on the edge of the box. Brandy took one touch, shimmied past a defender who brought him down in the area for a definite penalty. Eikrem stepped up and calmly placed the ball in the bottom left hand corner to give United the lead on 25 minutes.
Groningen had lots of possession in the final ten minutes as we started to tire, but our defence held firm. Gill and Wootton were introduced to help keep our goal intact and we ran the clock down to win the tournament at our first attempt.
Both Eikrem and Stewart had good games and, along with Febian Brandy, were our players of the tournament. After nearly three hours of action, James Chester lifted the tournament trophy at the presentation ceremony.
1. Heaton
2. Simpson
3. Dudgeon
4. Chester (c)
5. De Laet
6. Evans
7. Stewart (14. Norwood 26)
8. Hewson (12. Gill 34)
16 James
10 Eikrem
9. Brandy (15. Wootton 30)
Unused subs:
11. Brady
13. Zieler
17. Brown
18. Ajose
19. Buckingham
So we leave Holland on a high note and travel to Belgium where the players are enjoying a day of rest before facing Royal Antwerp on Monday night. The tournament has been a great success with everyone delighted that such a prestigious club as United participated. Jan Reuwijk of the organising committee is hopeful that we will make this a regular occurrence in the years to come.
Thanks again to Mr MUJAC for the report. You can view a selection of pictures from the tournament here.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น