Final round up from Blue Stars from the official stat sheet.
The tournament was played on the bumpy pitch at the Buchlern Sports Ground in Zurich as the normal stadium has been undergoing renovations in time for the European Championship being held in the summer.
United took a 18-man party to the tournament but Danny Drinkwater took ill and did not play in any games.
The official website has really good statistical information but has a couple of errors and missed some substitutions.
Squad numbers were as follows:
1. Zieler
2. Gray
3. Eckersley
4. Chester
5. Cathcart
6. Hewson - capt
7. Cleverley
8. Possebon
9. Macheda
10. Drinkwater
11. Galbraith
12. Stewart
13. Amos
14. James
15. King
16. Eikrem
17. C. Evans
18. Norwood
Wednesday April 30
15:40 Game 1 v Grasshoppers 4-0 (3-0 at HT)
Team: Zieler, Gray, Chester, Cathcart, Eckersley, Eikrem, Cleverley, Possebon, Hewson, Macheda and Galbraith
Subs: King (9), James (6), Evans (8)
Scorers: Macheda (2), Hewson (p) (6), Galbraith (20), King (35)
Summary:
Macheda scored our first after just two minutes when he hit the net from close range after a cross from the right from David Gray. The second came four minutes later when the referee adjudged a defender had pulled at Macheda's shirt. It was a harsh decision but Hewson duly put the penalty away with a shot straight down the middle. Just before half-time Eikrem played a great through ball which Galbraith ran onto and shot across the keeper to give the Reds a 3-0 half-time lead.
In the second half, Gray was alleged to have pushed a Grasshoppers player in the box....again a very harsh decision....but Zieler made a fine save diving to his right. King rounded off the scoring after a defensive mix-up in the box and knocked the ball past the keeper from about 12 yards.
18:10 Game 2 v Villrreal 0-1 (0-1 at HT)
Team: Amos, Gray, Chester, Cathcart, Eckersley, Eikrem, Cleverley, Possebon, Hewson, Macheda and Galbraith
Subs: King (16)
Summary:
Not a lot to say about this game as we hardly created any chances. Eikrem had our best opportunity missing a free header from six yards after a great cross from the left by Galbraith. Amos should perhaps have done better for their goal.
At the end of Day one United were third in Group 2 but with other teams taking points off each other there was not a lot in it.
Thursday May 1
10:00 Game 3 v FC Basle 0-3 (0-1 at HT)
Team: Zieler, Evans, Chester, Cathcart, Eckersley, Gray, Hewson, James, Stewart, Macheda and Cleverley
Subs: Norwood (6), King (12)
Summary:
Playing in all white, United gave a run out to Corry Evans, Matty James and Cameron Stewart. A mistake from Cathcart as he brought the ball out from defence led to Basle's first goal. Again United didn't really show much in front of goal and were trailing 0-1 at half time.
Basle scored a second four minutes into the second half which pretty much ended the contest and Ollie Norwood was brought on after 30 minutes. Basle wrapped up the match with five minutes left - Bekim Halimi scoring a well taken hat-trick - and King came on to replace Stewart. Richard Eckersley was booked in the last minute for a stong tackle.
11:40 Game 4 v Partizan Belgrade 2-0 (2-0 at HT)
Team: Amos, Gray, Chester, Cathcart, Eckersley, Eikrem, Cleverley, Possebon, Hewson, Macheda and Galbraith
Subs: King (16)
Scorers: Hewson (15), Galbraith (20)
Summary:
A much better performance by United who had most of the first half and scored twice to show their superiority. Hewson scored the first after fifteen minutes with a good header after a great cross from Eikrem on the right. On the stroke of half time Galbraith scored what was probably our goal of the tournament. He was put through with a great ball from Eikrem and running in full stride, chipped the keeper from the edge of the box. Great goal!
The second half saw the Reds control the game and only one substitute was made, King coming on for Magnus Eikrem. With five minutes to go, Richard Eckersley was booked for another bad tackle and misses the next match.
United finished the group stages in second place in Group 2 and faced FC Hamburg in the 3/4 place play-off.
15:20 Game 5 v FC Hamburg 1-0 (0-0 at HT)
Team: Zieler, Gray, Chester, Cathcart, Cleverley, Eikrem, Evans, Possebon, Hewson, Macheda and Galbraith
Subs: Norwood (8), King (16)
Scorers: King (35)
Summary:
With Eckersley banned, Tom Cleverley played at left back and Corry Evans came into the midfield. United had a couple of chances in the first half, the best coming after Galbraith robbed a German defender with a great tackle and bore down on goal. He beat the final defender and was about to shoot when Macheda took the ball off Galbraiths path and scored with a low shot. Unfortunately he was offside and should have let Galbraith finish it.
Norwood replaced Possebon early in the second half and then Eikrem missed a sitter from two yards when he took time to trap the ball and allowed the defender to get in a tackle when he should have hit it first time. King replaced
Eikrem with five minutes remaining and within seconds had scored. Galbraith made a good cross from the left and as it came across the six yard box, King swiped at it and only managed a tame shot at goal. Fortunately the keeper made an almighty cock-up and it squeezed through his legs.
United finished the tournament in 3rd place and also picked up the fair play trophy with only two bookings - both Richard Eckersley.
I would say that Magnus Eikrem was our Player of the Tournament.
