In the afternoon, YPTusa headed to Manchester United's Carrington Training Centre to see the US u17 National Team play Manchester United's u17's in preparation for the u17 World Cup that would begin in Finland the following week. The YPT players were fortunate to see 14-year-oldFreddy Adu lead the US u17's team to a 2-0 victory over Man U. Adu scored one and assisted on the other before getting injured in the final minutes.
Following the match, the YPT players spent a few minutes, and had pictures taken with, Tim Howard, the American player who had recently signed as a goalkeeper
with the Premiership giants. Most of the YPT players had seen Tim deny Barcelona time and again in Philadelphia just a few days before when Manchester United opened the Lincoln Financial Field as part or Man U's US tour. Tim was incredibly approachable and answered all their questions.
From Carrington, YPT departed for their first match against Preston North End, of the English first division. The same age, but considerably smaller, the Preston players gave the Americans a crash course in the aggressive English style of play. They held nothing back physically, getting stuck in on the Americans several times in the opening minutes. YPT caught a break in the first two minutes when an own goal was scored by Preston off a deflection off a shot by Taylor Helsel (Baltimore Bays). YPT's luck, however, would change towards the end of the
period when Sean Smith (Dumferline AC-SCT) would suffer a broken arm after being taken down from behind. Unfortunately, as a result, Sean's tour would be cut short and the team would have to face the rest of their opponents without him.
Early in the second of three 25 minute periods, Nick Dundon (FC
Delco-PA) would score YPT's second from a pass by Cody Antonini (FC Delco-PA) to make the score 2-0. In the third period, Taylor Helsel would set up Connor Gorman (Montgomery United-PA) to score YPT's third to make the game 3-1. Preston, not wanting to be beaten at home by the Americans, found a way to score 2 more by the final whistle and the match ended 3-3. A good lesson, and a good start, for YPTusa.
Friday 8.8...
More Training, Old Trafford, and The Megastore.....
YPTusa trained this morning with United academy trainer Mark Dempsey. Mark played for United and is now responsible for overseeing 3 youth teams at the Academy. Mark put the players through an academy level training session that would help get them ready for their match against the United's Academy u14 team the next day.
After lunch the team traveled to Old Trafford for a tour of 'The Theater of Dreams', one of the most magical stadiums in the world. Following the personalized tour arranged by the Mark, the group experienced the history of the club by visiting the
Manchester United museum, which is located within the stadium,
as is The Manchester United Megastore, which has everything from
Man U pencils, to jerseys, to videos and books. The megastore
was one of the most anticipated stops on the tour and the
players spent over an hour looking for things to take home.
Saturday 8.9...
YPT vs Manchester United...
On Saturday morning the team, with much anticipation, traveled back to the Carrington Training Center, not to watch this time, but to play. 'Fortress Carrington', which is only accessible by two monitored checkpoints, is a busy place on Saturdays as it is match day for the Academy teams. If an academy team does not have a scheduled match against a league, or visiting, team, they will play inter squad scrimmages, or matches against an older age team at the Academy. YPTusa was in elite company this morning at Carrington as the US u17 National team was back play the Nigerian u17 National team. Both teams were playing a round-robin, over several days that also included Man U's u17's.
YPT's locker-room was next to the US 17's. It was almost surreal for the players as they passed US National team players in the hallway, in England, as they both prepared to play Manchester United. You could practically hear the butterflies.
The YPTusa players were in awe as they walked out onto the calm sea of green that were the perfectly manicured academy pitches. Acres of them. For American players who live and breathe the game, it was almost to much to comprehend. Here, now, not just to see, but to play. Win or lose, it would be a day to remember forever. The first goal of the game came within one minute, and as the Manchester United goalkeeper was turning to see if that really was the ball that went screaming over his head and into the net, the referees assistant was
overheard saying "Well that wasn't in the script, was it."
Taylor Helsel (Baltimore Bays-MD) hit a volley off a cross from left footed
Tim Lierman (Super Nova-PA)
to put YPTusa ahead 1-0 over Manchester United.
5 minutes later, the future professionals made it 1-1 to make it clear that an academy team would not be giving up a second game to an American team in the same week. This friendly would not go down without a fight. The second 25 minute period began with the stalemate still at 1-1 but it didn't last long. YPT struck again in the opening minute when Shane Spanninger (UGH-PA) pressured a United center back into coughing up the ball inside their own 18, and then with the composure of a professional, slotted the ball under the keeper in the 33rd minute to make the score 2-1. In order to give youth players more input during matches, the Academy plays 3 periods instead of two halves and before
the end of the second, Manchester United had drawn even once more. Going into the third and final period, it was clear that the United players were given instructions to pick up the intensity and pressure YPT's backfield in an attempt to force a turnover in possession and finish the Americans in the final period. The tactic almost worked early in the period but for a phenomenal 1on1 save by Connecticut ODP goalkeeper Adam Margulies (Oakwood-CT) to keep the battle even. YPT defenders Hollis Irvine (Vineland Thunder-NJ), Nick Dundon (Montgomery United-PA), Carsten Wagner (Hockessin-DE), Tom Reno (Hockessin-DE), led by Grant Glatfelter (York United-PA) repeatedly denied the red and black throughout the third period to keep the game even.
Late in the period, starters Connor Gorman (Montgomery United-PA) and Chris Harmon (FC Delco-PA) re-entered the game as forwards and instantaneously combined to give YPTusa the lead for the third time in as many periods. Gorman won the ball from a United defender deep in the left corner and drove an incredible cross that never went higher than a few inches off the pitch until it found Harmon at the back post in the 70th minute. Harmon made no mistake about it and slammed it home to make it 3-2 with 5 minutes to go.
The academy players escaped defeat with a minute to go when a stray
free kick deflected off a YPT defender to draw the game even. It ended 3-3. Safe to say, at the very least, the YPT players held their own against players who may very well be playing at Old Trafford someday.
Sunday 8.10.....
Manchester United vs Arsenal.....The Charity Shield.....
The team were provided with tickets to see one of the biggest Premiership matches of the year, which included arguably the two best teams in England. The event was the Charity Shield and the teams were Manchester United versus Arsenal. Attending the game had its price - 8+ hours on a coach. Normally games of this caliber are played at England's national stadium, which had been the games spiritual home, Wembley Stadium, but since Wembley is no longer in use, big matches in England are being played in Cardiff, Wales, which is a good distance from the University of Manchester. After spending more than 5 hours on the road back to Manchester the players were still buzzing about what they had witnessed in Cardiff earlier on. It would prove to be one of the highlights of the tour.
Monday 8.11.....
YPTusa vs Wrexham.....
Monday would be the groups last full day in Manchester, and a full day it was. After breakfast, the team had a training session in preparation for its third friendly later that evening. Following lunch the team did some last minute shopping at two soccer stores near Old Trafford. Ater picking up some very cool soccer stuff not found in the states, the team departed for Wrexham, in Wales, for
their next match. When they arrived, the YPT squad was greeted by Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Darren is a former United first team player and is now currently a first team player for Wrexham AC. He is also learning his father's trade in
management by working with the academy teams at Wrexham.
As with the Preston team, Wrexham were small but no less aggressive. If the American players would learn anything on this tour, it would undoubtedly be the art of the tackle. Time after time, the English players would tackle with
precision, skill, and force, upending their opponent as they won the ball.
Although not as technical as Preston or Man U, Wrexham were all the more physical and YPT would have no such luck as scoring in the opening minute of THIS match. So far, YPT's
possession game had made it possible to move the ball until a scoring opportunity presented itself. Wrexham, however, would not permit the
Americans to get into their rhythm and YPT went through an adjustment period of dealing with Wrexham's tackles and then trying to move the ball effectively. It was far from easy. In the 17th minute, however, YPTusa's
attacking midfielder Justin Grove (Richmond Kickers-VA) won the ball deep in Wrexham's midfield, beat a defender, and scored the opening goal of the match.
In the 26th minute, Kevin Mealey (UGH-PA) assisted Taylor Helsel to make the score 2-0. Nine minutes later in the 35th, Kevin Mealey
assisted his second when he found Connor Gorman to make it 3-1. Another lesson the YPT players would learn here in the UK, is that English (or Welsh) teams don't like to be scored on by Americans. OK, maybe it has nothing to do with where you are from but
the fact was that YPT was making a habit of stirring up hornets nests wherever they went. Maybe Darren got a a call from Sir Alex following the victory at Carrington.....'They're headed
your way, don't let them get away.' Wrexham made some tactical changes that allowed their best player to get free enough to score two more goals to make them game even at 3-3 by the end of the second period. In between periods, the YPT played could not help but feel that their luck had run out and this one was getting away.
YPT went into the third
with some tactical changes of their own. Shane Spanninger would be handed the
responsibility of eliminating number 10, Wrexham's play maker, from the game, and he did it beautifully, tracking him all over the pitch, not allowing him to breathe, let alone touch the ball. With their go-to-guy out of the way, YPT got back to moving the ball and scoring goals. In the 52nd minute Connor Gorman took a pass from Justin Grove and put YPT ahead 4-3. And in the 65th Kevin Mealey chipped the keeper to put YPT ahead by 2
goals. The match
ended 5-3.
Tuesday 8.12.....
More training with United.....
YPT trained again this morning with United staff, this time with Academy trainer Eamonn Mulvey. The team put in a solid two hours on the pitch working on their first touch, technical passing, and a finishing
exercise at the end that the players could have done all day.
After lunch the team boarded the bus for the next leg of the tour to London. On the way south the team stopped at historic
Warrick Castle and found time for some impromptu short sided play just outside the castle walls.
Wednesday 8.13.....
Sightseeing in London.....
The final two days in London were scheduled for mainly sightseeing, with a final match scheduled for
Thursday night. The team spent the day around London seeing the sites such as The London dungeons, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace.
After dinner, the team walked to nearby famous Hyde Park for some small sided play in anticipation of their last match, against Milwall/Albion in East London.
Thursday 8.14.....
YPT played their last match of the tour in East London against Milwall-Albion. Milwall were an amateur side but proved challenging for the Americans none the less as their style was less
technical as the youth professionals but more physical. YPT's first goal from defender Zach Wendler (York United-PA). Wendler won the ball on his side of midfield and found himself in some space and decided to press the East Londoners. He carried
straight up the middle until pressured, then played a perfect ball
out wide for a flying Chris Harmon. The last thing Wendler expected was a one time ball right back to him but handled it beautifully, striking it off the bounce and catching everyone, including the Milwall keeper, by surprise and scoring a great goal from about 25 yards out. The second goal, and game winner, came late in the second half from Cody Antonini (FCDelco-PA).
