Manchester United’s Under-21 team kicked off the Premier League International Cup with an opening game hosting Sparta Prague this week.
The cup is a competition in which 12 English teams face 12 of the best development teams in Europe.
Noam Emeran made his first start of the season on his return from injury and made an instant impact, earning a penalty in the 10th minute after being brought down.
Charlie McNeill stepped up to take it, having dispatched three penalties already this season, but this time Filip Nalezinek turned the striker away.
Dan Gore and Isak Hansen-Aaroen played freely in midfield while the experienced Tom Huddlestone anchored behind them.
Omari Forson and Emeran caused a lot of trouble with their movement down the wings and Emeran almost had a great chance near the end of the half but couldn’t get to Sam Murray’s lovely cross.
However, the closest chance of a half would come just before the whistle, with Huddlestone looking to turn back time with a hammer from a long-range effort that sailed wide.
After the break, Sparta came out strong with two great chances but could not beat United’s Ondrej Mastny.
With United pressing for victory, they thought they had found it with the fit Shola Shoretire finding space from close range, but the expanding goalkeeper would deny him his sixth goal of the month.
Substitute Kobbie Mainoo created a chance for himself before firing over the bar.
In the end, United were unable to break the physical Sparta and the match ended 0-0 with the assists of Darren Fletcher and Andy O’Boyle.
United: Mastny, Murray, Fredricson, Mengi (Jury 46), Hardley, Gore, Huddlestone (Savage 81), Forson, Hanson-Aaroen, Emeran (Shoretire 46), McNeill (Mainoo 65)
Unused Subs: Wooster, Bennett, Norkett
