Fab five, Freddy

Adu's goal, assist lead U.S. youths past Man Utd reserves

Stats Summary   USA  MAN  Shots  8  1  Saves  0  6  Corners  4  7  Fouls  15  15  Offside  3  0

ATLANTA (SI.com) -- Fourteen-year-old prodigy Freddy Adu scored the tying goal and set up the winner Thursday, leading the U.S. under-17 team to a 2-1 victory over Manchester United’s under-18 team at Carrington Training Center in Manchester, England.

The match was the third the U.S. has played in England as the team gets prepared to compete in the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Finland from August 13-30. The U.S. will face the Nigeria U-17 national team in its final preparation match on Saturday.

Thursday's goal was Adu's fifth after three games on the current trip to England. On Tuesday, Adu scored on a penalty kick as the U.S. beat Australia’s U-17s 1-0, and the Ghanaian-born U.S. citizen had a hat trick in Saturday’s 4-2 win against Blackburn’s U-18s.

Manchester United’s goal in the 10th minute proved to be their only shot on goal during the entire game. Midfielder Marcus Neumayer volleyed a cross from forward Sylvan Blake off defender Julian Valentin and into the net.

The U.S. got the equalizer in the 40th minute after a United giveaway near the center circle. Harrington quickly got the ball out wide left to midfielder Chris Germani, whose cross on the ground from the end line was knocked in by Adu from six yards out.

The U.S. broke the tie as Jamie Watson got his second goal in the past three games in the 50th minute. The U.S. was awarded a free kick from the left side of the penalty area after Adu was taken down. Adu crossed in the free kick Watson slid in to score after it was misread by substitute United ‘keeper Lee Crockett.

In injury time, the U.S. had a bit of a scare as Adu went down in the box after a shot attempt. Adu stayed on the field and got treatment for a few minutes before walking off on his own power. The injury was said to be a slight ankle sprain, and there was no swelling.

He is listed as day-to-day and it is uncertain whether he will play against Nigeria.

Notes: Tim Howard, a U.S. full national team goalkeeper who recently transferred to Man Utd from the MetroStars, came out to watch the game ... U.S. defender Jonathan Spector wore the captain’s armband for the first time in his U-17 career. He played against many of his future teammates, having signed to play with United's U-19 team next year ... Nigeria beat an Everton youth team on Wednesday 3-0.

Summary

Scoring:

MAN – Marcus Neumayer (Sylvain Blake) 10th minute
USA – Freddy Adu (Chris Germani) 40th
USA – Jamie Watson (Freddy Adu) 50th

Lineups:

USA – 18-Quentin Westberg; 14-Julian Valentin (5-Brandon Owens, 46), 3-Jonathan Spector, 16-Adrian Chevannes (4-Eddie Gaven, 46); 19-Jacob Peterson (2-Kyle Helton, 22) 12-Steve Curfman, 6-Chris Germani (8-John DiRaimondo, 46), 7-Brian Grazier (17-Daniel Szetela, 46), 10-Guillermo Gonzalez (15-Corey Ashe, 46); 11-Freddy Adu, 9-Michael Harrington (13-Jamie Watson, 46).
Subs not used: 1-Phil Marfuggi, 28-Steven Sandbo

MAN – 1-Luke Daniels (13-Lee Crockett, 46); 3-Michael Lee, 5-Paul McShane, 4-Flo Ngalula, 2-Mitchell Booth; 7-Marcus Neumayer, 8-Richard Jones (17-Jamie Mullen, 57), 6-Kiernon Lee, 11-Aaron Burns; 9-Sylvain Blake (12-Kyle Moran, 61), 10-Phil Marsh.

 

Related information

Stories

Adu raising U.S. hopes before U-17 World Cup Officials divided on opinions about fake turf U.S. U-17s top Australia in warmup on Adu PK

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video