Manchester United’s Under-21s got a chance to shine under the big lights at Old Trafford last night when they played AS Monaco in the Premier League International Cup.
In the opening minutes, Kobbie Mainoo slid the ball past Charlie McNeill in the box, but he took his shot wide to the left.
Monaco came up the other side and his right winger sent Bjorn Hardley spinning round and round before forcing a save from Ondrej Mastny.
In the 15th minute, clever feet from Isak Hansen-Aaroen on the edge of the area opened up space for a shot from 18 meters that went over the crossbar.
Marc Jurado crossed into the area and McNeill controlled down for Hansen-Aaroen to shoot into the stands.
Shortly after, Mainoo gained possession high up the pitch before McNeill crossed Noam Emeran at the far post, but the French winger was unable to stop the header.
In the 31st minute, it looked like Monaco had created an opening, but a recovering Hardley was quick to make an important late clearance.
Seconds later, a heavy midfield clash left Hansen-Aaroen down for several minutes, but luckily he was on his feet and able to continue.
Charlie Savage and Rhys Bennett were caught in possession, giving Monaco a great chance from 10 yards out, but Mastny stood his ground to save.
Monaco had a late chance in the closing stages of the first half when Jurado was beaten at the baseline, but Bennett crossed to block the corner kick.
In the second half, United had a great chance on the counter when McNeill played Emeran down the left, who then switched to Omari Forson for an open shot, but was parried by a fine save by the Monaco goalkeeper.
Immediately afterwards, Monaco responded with an offside goal after a blocked shot fell into their striker’s path, but the offside flag was immediately raised.
In the 65th minute, it was a brilliant move by Mainoo down the right side to work into the box and fire Savage, who looked for placement and floated the ball to the top of the net.
Three minutes later, Monaco raced down the right and crossed for an open chance into the box for their number seven to easily slip into the net and take the lead in the 68th minute.
United almost responded quickly when Willy Kambwala’s long ball into the right channel mercifully fell into the hands of Hansen-Aaroen after Monaco went down with a strained muscle that allowed the Norwegian to run freely. He returned the ball to Forson, who inadvertently missed his direct shot at McNeill. on the back post to also scrape your effort wide open.
In the 75th minute, the Monaco goalkeeper went to kick from his hands and McNeill cheekily struck the ball into the net, but the referee was quick to return it before Monaco’s Ritchy Valme shoved McNeill to the ground. This was an infraction that the referee considered only a yellow card.
The match really went to sleep in the dying seconds when Diedry Kouassi cut in from the left and converted an injury-time goal at the right post to give Monaco a 0-2 win and continue the poor run of results for United’s U21.
United: Mastny, Jurado, Bennett, Mengi, Hardley, Savage, Mainoo, Forson (Oyedele 87), Hansen-Aaroen, Emeran (Kambwala 66), McNeill (Huddlestone 76)
Unused Subs: Wooster, Murray, Fredricson
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