United Youngsters Pay The Penalty

By David Hobbs
July 26 2004

Manchester United have started their pre-season tour of the United States of America with a 4-2 defeat on penalties after battling out a goalless 90 minutes with German giants Bayern Munich. Sir Alex Ferguson fielded a very young and inexperienced side with 3 debutants.

United Youngsters Pay The Penalty

Manchester United have started their pre-season tour of the United States of America with a 4-2 defeat on penalties after battling out a goalless 90 minutes with German giants Bayern Munich.

Sir Alex Ferguson fielded a very young and inexperienced side with just skipper Roy Keane and debutant Alan Smith possessing any real match experience in the United XI. Along with £7 million man Smith, promising Irishman Paul McShane and American Jon Spector also made their debut.

Bayern Munich on the contrary sent out all their stars but could only match the youth of the Red Devils in Chicago's Soldier Field Stadium.

Predictably, United struggled to break the strong German defence in the first 45' but Bojan Djordic unleashed a powerful effort from long-range that proved United's only real shot of the half that was coolly saved by the sharp Oliver Kahn. 

Defender Phil Bardsley, who has Carling Cup experience, had an effort denied by the bar moments before the whistle that drew a close to the first period.

Felix Magath made 7 half-time substitutions but non-of-which could stop Kieran Richardson breaking through and firing a shot that was eventually cleared from danger minutes in.

Roy Carroll  was soon called into action for the first time on the 54th minute and saved a dazzling Piotr Trochowski drive.

John O'Shea was brought on for Chris Eagles with 20 minutes to go. The Irish-international was a doubt for the whole tournament and it was his penalty miss along with Alan Smith's that lost United that game after Roy Keane and David Bellion converted.

The youngsters shouldn't feel robbed however. They showed they can battle it out with one of the best teams in Europe for 90 minutes at least and not concede a goal.

             Full Time - Manchester United 0(2) -0(4) Bayern Munich
                                       Attendance - 80,000

Manchester United: Carroll, Bardsley, McShane, Spector, Keane, Djemba-Djemba, Djordic (Jones 69), Richardson (Chadwick 81), Eagles (O'Shea 69), Smith, Bellion.

Bayern Munich: Kahn, Gorlitz, Linke(Demichelis), Kuffour, Rau (Kovac), Salihamidzic (Trochowski), Hargreaves (Hashemian), Ballack, Deisler ( Scholl), Ze Roberto (Frings), Makaay (Santa Cruz)