U18S FRIENDLY: LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1
Manchester United and Leicester City's Academy teams contested a feisty friendly match on Friday evening at Nanpantan Sports Ground, home of Evo-Stik League side Loughborough Dynamos.
No quarter was asked and certainly none was given in an extremely hard-fought friendly that failed by some way to live up to its billing. The challenges were full blooded and, at one point, early in the second half, it boiled over into a free-for-all that involved almost every outfield player.
The outcome was a solitary yellow card shown to United’s Dion McGhee.
Despite the vigorous exchanges, there was plenty of attractive football to admire as the teams put on an entertaining contest for the modest attendance of 252 dotted around the perimeter of the well-manicured pitch.
Brandon Williams put United in front, in the 29th minute, but the Foxes were level within seven minutes.
That was the scoring completed but chances continued to be made at both ends and, but for some fine goalkeeping, the scoreline could made very different reading.
Both United’s keepers, Alex Fojticek and James Thompson, were in inspired form in limiting the Foxes to just one goal.
The crowd certainly enjoyed seeing the youngsters of two Premier League clubs on their local ground and the teams ensured that they saw a game to remember.
United: Fojticek (Thompson 74), Ercolani (Dunne 82), B. Williams., Bernard, Barrett, Galbraith, Tanner (Baars 75), Garner, Mellor, McGhee (Barlow 82), Ramazani.
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