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Manchester United u16s have spent the past week in Hong Kong where they took on two local sides.

This is an annual trip United have taken part in for years. This year United first took on a Premier Youth League Select side before facing off against Hong Kong’s u16s national team.

Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher captained United. The number 10 proved dangerous in the first encounter against the Select side, threatening with a number of driving runs and long range efforts which called the keeper into question.

Just before the half time break, centre-back Jayden Ngwashi came close with a headed attempt from a corner. But the Premier Youth League Select threatened themselves, with their left winger causing trouble in particular.

With the players drenched in sweat on a hot and humid night, it took until the dying moments for JJ Gabriel to grab the match winner in injury time.

Running through the defence into the box, Gabriel sat one defender down, cutting onto his left boot before sliding it low past the keeper.

In the second match, Kai Rooney looked to role back the years to emulate his father with a long range effort that was deflected off the crossbar and out. From the resulting corner, Ibrovic-Fletcher delivered for Noah Ajayi to rise and win the header which bounced off a Hong Kong defender before rolling in to give United the lead in the 10th minute.

Ajayi came to life after his goal and was twisting his marker inside and out down the left wing, ultimately winning a penalty for United. But Ibrovic-Fletcher’s effort from the spot was kept out by the Hong Kong keeper.

There was a heart-in-mouth moment for United just before the break when keeper Zac Watson’s clearance was blocked by a Hong Kong forward. This saw the ball head towards the open goal, but fortunately for United it spun wide.

Later in the match, substitute and new signing Silva Mexes hit the crossbar from close range after latching onto the rebound from Yuel Helafu’s blocked shot.

Silva Mexes then played provider, laying the ball off to JJ Gabriel at the edge of the box to cut past one defender and strike low past the keeper for his second goal in Hong Kong.

Gabriel returned the favour to Silva Mexes to make it 3-0 to United. Spreading the ball out to Silva Mexes on the left wing, the winger cut inside to shoot and his shot was deflected up and over the keeper with just a few minutes remaining.

Notching a goal and assist in the second half, JJ Gabriel was awarded the man of the match and was one of the standout stars on the tour despite still being only 13.

There was a number of more familiar stars in Hong Kong as well, with Dimitar Berbatov and John O’Shea joining the trip as club ambassadors, while Paul McShane was present amongst the coaching staff.

Squad: Zac Watson, Jake Ford, Connor Thorley, Jariyah Shah, Yuel Helafu, Jacob Watson, Jayden Ngwashi, Connor Laurie, Jaume Camacho, Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher, Jay McEvoy, Harlem McLaughlin, Rafe McCormack, Luca Scanlon, Junior Brown, Kai Rooney, Silva Mexes, Camron Mpofu, Jaedon Donkor, Noah Ajayi, JJ Gabriel



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