Youth is Served: Manchester United 5 - Kitchee FC 2

photo by j / f / photos	via PhotoRee

With the pitch in diabolical shape after repeated drenchings from torrential rain, Manchester United played five-time Hong Kong League champion Kitchee FC in a game Monday night that was played solely on account of the English Champion's global commercial obligations. Facing the dual task of beating their easily outgunned opponent while trying mightily not to get injured, United used a youthful squad to dominate the proceedings, scoring three goals in just ten minutes of the first half to rip the contest wide open in the early going.

After Anderson fired wide of the post from 18 yards to offer a preview of things to come, Ashley Young hit the post and left Danny Welbeck with a relatively routine rebound to hand his side the lead after only 15 minutes had elapsed from the game clock. Chris Smalling rose highest to head home Tom Cleverley's cross and double the visitor's advantage just seven minutes later, before Fabio took Wilfried Zaha's imaginative feed and bent the ball beyond the outstretched arm of the beleaguered Kitchee goalkeeper to put the outcome beyond doubt.  Only the final margin of victory remained uncertain at the break.

Adnan Januzaj scored less than five minutes after the restart, steering Alexander Buttner's cross into the net and stretching the visitors' advantage to four, but it was at that point in the contest that the home side finally woke up. Kitchee pulled the first goal back with the best effort from either side on the evening, with Lam Ka Wak firing just past the fingertips of a leaping Ben Amos with a strike that brought fans of both sides to their feet.

Game Day Beer Review: Whistler Brewing Cheakamus Chai-Maple Spiced Ale

(5.00% ABV) Poured into a rocks glass on a hotel balcony overlooking a thickly-wooded hillside in Whistler, Canada. Cheakamus Chai-Maple Ale poured a Coca-Cola brown with a thin tannish head that quickly receded.

The beer smelled strongly of sweet candied maple. Chai was the first flavor we noticed upon tasting, before the maple joined in and the two flavors combined for an exceptionally long finish. The beer was relatively thin bodied with a lively, effervescent mouthfeel.

Maple Ale was different than almost any other beer we've sampled, and for that we've got to give the brewmaster credit for trying something new. It's probably not something we'd drink regularly, but for a late spring / early summer beer we found it refreshing. B

In Moyes Time: Cerezo Osaka 2 - Manchester United 2

photo by Roby Ferrari	via PhotoRee

 

 

Ten minutes in and there were signs to encourage both sides, the ball zipping around the humidity-slicked surface of Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan like a greased watermelon on the Fourth of July. Although the players ran around the pitch as if intent on circling the track which surrounded it, there was precious little payoff in front of net -- in main part due to the sharp goalkeeping on display at both ends. As the game clock hit a half hour, the contest had comfortably settled into a tit-for-tat affair, with each attack by the visitors equaled impressively by the home side. It was Osaka, though, who finally broke the deadlock, taking advantage of a Chris Smalling mistake to grab a 1-0 lead -- showing that, if nothing else, United had become accustomed to playing from behind in the David Moyes era.

Although the visitors enjoyed a brief flurry of dominant, fluid football as the interval drew near, the second half began with the home side on level footballing terms once again. Ashley Young demonstrated that his diving was already in mid-season form, but the resulting Shinji Kagawa effort from the spot was denied -- rough justice for the hopeful fans in Osaka, perhaps, but justice nonetheless. The crowd favorite make quick amends, however, slotting Ryan Giggs' quick assist through Osaka 'keeper Kim Jin Hyeon's legs from a tight angle to pull his side level less than two minutes later.

Look, it's Shinji Kagawa!: Yokohama 3 - Manchester United 2

The game started with a bang as Yokohama's Brazilian forward Marquinhos put the ball in the visitor's net within 27 seconds -- and that only after United goalkeeper David De Gea was forced to deny the Marinos once already at full stretch. The young Spaniard needed to be at his defensive best in the contest's early going, and only some help from midfielder Adnan Januzaj and the goalkeeper's cat-like reflexes stopped Yokohama from tripling their advantage in the first 15 minutes.

Jesse Lingard was in the right place, right time for the counter attack, and -- somewhat kindly for the visitors -- the game was back to equal by the time the clock hit 20 minutes. Although Lingard emerged with the glory, the goal was all but set on a platter by the beautiful wing play of Wilfried Zaha, who took full advantage of the 39 year old Yokohama defender who was unfortunate enough to draw defensive duties against United's new signing.

'Unfortunate' also aptly described Yokohama goalkeeper Enemoto and his hapless defender Masakaza Tashiro who combined for a horror show to welcome -- just barely, but welcome nonetheless -- young Januzaj' free kick over the line for a 2-1 United lead near the half hour mark. The Reds may have been on top at this point in the evening, but little did they know that would be their highpoint for the night.

Deep (but Mediocre)

photo by JennyHuang	via PhotoRee

 

 

It's not like Ed to make snap judgments and all, but check out the last paragraph -- a highly uninformed opinion!:

 

o Watching the USA B-team paste the El Salvador B-team was enjoyable. Well, the US team did have 'A' players such as Landon Donovan and a few others, but still it's nice to see. I think unlike years gone by, the US actually has some depth. Granted, the teams they are playing in the Gold Cup are poor, but what better way to handle that then to absolutely crush them?

 

Players that impressed me from the roster included Mix Diskerud and Joe Corona. Both were good on the ball, though Corona was the better of the two. Obviously Donovan and Eddie Johnson appeared to be athletes of a completely different level, but it was still nice to see Klinsmann get time for the next team and have them perform. While this is just a small part of what he will ultimately be judged on, it's hard not to be happy with the direction of the US program right now. I must admit I had my concerns (and still do) when I heard (and continue to hear) that tactics aren't something he has worked on. But to a large extent personnel is policy as can be seen by the adjustment against El Salvador to spread them out with Eddie Johnson, a player that I had yet to see much from on the international stage.

o How much did PSG pay for Cavani? $84MM?? The amount seems outlandish until you consider how much we've been paying these families in the Middle East over the years. Well, it still seems outlandish. If it does anything it may actually slow down the exchange of top tier players as everyone thinks they should get that amount now. Was he worth it? Not unless he gets them a Champions League victory.

Game Day Beer Review: Kassik's Kenai Brew Stop Morning Wood English IPA

 

 

Morning Wood poured a burnished copper that appeared almost cherry red in the near 'round-the- clock sunlight of an Alaskan summer. The beer also had a huge, off-white head.

 

The initial smell was hoppy, although we also detected a fair amount of malt in the nose, as well.

 

Morning Wood displayed a subtle hop and malt mix upon tasting, not too much of one or the other, but fairly well balanced in keepign with the british style.  It was tingly on the tongue -- maybe a bit too much so.  On the whole, it was better than average, but we found beers in Alaksa we liked  more: B 

Getting Fit: Manchester United 5 - Australian League All-Stars 1

David Moyes mixed up the lineup for his second game in charge of Manchester United, swapping six starters from a week ago, although its doubtful that the 85,000 Aussies in attendance at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night noticed much. Staring Lindegaard, Rafael, Jones, Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs, Carrick, Cleverley, Lingard, Zaha, and Welbeck, United faced a lineup of off-season A-League All-Stars in much cooler conditions than in their prior outing, thanks to the mild Sydney winter evening.  

In stark contrast to the torpid performance turned in last weekend, it took leas than 12 minutes for Jesse Lingard to score the first goal of the Moyes era and set United on their way.  When Danny Welbeck tucked away a second on 35 minutes it capped off a half that was dominated by the visitors. Showing considerably more fluidity, speed and decisiveness in front of net, the English champions knocked the ball around with a high degree of confidence -- and few more so than the youngster looking for a call up from the reserve squad, Lingard. 

Game Day Beer Review: Midnight Sun Brewing Mammoth Extra Export Stout

(7.80% ABV) Poured into a glass that should have known better after a long night of karaoke on the sea, Mammoth Extra Stout was jet dark black with a thick head of cocoa-colored foam that took more than a little while to settle down.  

 

The beer had the deep, dark smell of cocoa and coffee. Upon tasting, the chocolate ruled -- we tasted it both first and last-- with the bittering hops making themselves apparent only on the finish.

 

The beer was thin to medium bodied and displayed quite a bit of carbonation -- a mammoth amount, in fact -- much more than a Guinness or thereabouts. We enjoyed it on the open ocean: B+

On Why We're Angry and Confused

photo by Arturo J. Paniagua	via PhotoRee

You think Wayne Rooney is angry and confused?  Here's a couple of things we've been dying to clear up, as well:

o David Luiz plus any amount of cash as a makeweight for Roo?  Please.  We'd rather see Luis Suarez walk through the tunnel at Old Trafford every week than be forced to cheer for Sideshow Bob.  If we're going to take a horse's ass, at least let's take one who knows how to play football.

o Did the Special One become so unhinged in Spain that he thought he could get one over on his rivals by publicly unsettling a player curently under contract?  Credit to David Moyes and the new press-friendly Manchester United PR department for leaking the inclusion of Juan Mata or Luiz in the proposed deal.  True or not, Moysie returned Chelsea's aggressive serve with a bullet aimed directly at Mou's ankles.

o Hmmm, let's see: Cristiano or Fellaini?  Thiago....or Fellaini....?  Fabregas.....OR Fellaini....?  ANYONE or Fellaini??!!  Why can't Moyes just admit he wants his former fro-laden hitman to follow him to Old Trafford?  Perhaps it's because he knows this now highly-likely move will be greeted with a massive sigh of resignation from the club's worldwide fanbase.

Game Day Beer Review: Granville Island Brewery Cloak & Dagger Cascadian American Black Ale

(6.25% ABV). Purchased at the Granville Island Brewery and drunk that very same evening at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver, Canada.

 

Cloak and Dagger poured a root beer black color with a toffee colored head filled with bubbles of mixed sizes.  The beer smelled hoppy more than anything else, but there was a certain malt balance evident, as well. Upon a second sniff, we also caught a whiff of chocolate.

 

The dark chocolate and hops were  apparent on the finish of this medium bodied beer; it was fairly well carbonated, too. Nothing to write home about, but we wouldn't turn it away, either. B