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Manchester United u19s spent the weekend in the Netherlands as they took part in the annual Otten Innovation Cup, hosted by PSV Eindhoven.

The Innovation in the name comes from the innovative new ideas which are trialled in the tournament. The rule changes included substitutions on the fly, sin bins, and dribbling from set pieces.

After finishing sixth in last year’s edition, United were looking to improve on their position in this year’s tournament.

Using a Swiss model approach, all 10 competitors formed a single table but only played three matches in the group stage to determine the knockout fixtures.

First up, United met with SL Benfica where despite looking the better side throughout, Adam Lawrence’s side couldn’t make the breakthrough. It came back to haunt United as Benfica grabbed a late winner with the last kick of the game.

In the second match, United faced off with Paris Saint-Germain. In another game of dominance, United took their chances this time with Tyler Fletcher powerfully heading home from James Bailey’s cross to give United the initial lead.

Jack Fletcher then danced into the box before laying the ball off to Zach Baumann for an easy tap in to give United a 2-0 victory.

In the final group stage match, United took on hosts PSV Eindhoven with a win needed to advance to the semi-finals.

An even encounter back and forth, the hosts eventually took the lead early in the second half when Robin van Duiven finished from Benjamin Khaderi’s cross from the right wing.

Chasing an equaliser, United thought they had it when Amir Ibragimov was first to react on a rebound to put the ball off the crossbar and into the goal.

But controversy was afoot, as the linesman’s flag was raised soon after for offside despite Ibragimov being well onside at the time of the initial shot from Fletcher.

Ibragimov had another chance late on one on one with the keeper but couldn’t find the finish past Roy Steur, giving the hosts PSV Eindhoven the 1-0 win.

With only one win in three, United finished 8th in the group stage which put them in the 5-8th placement rounds.

On the final day of the tournament, United first took on South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, having also met last year, where United came out the victors.

This time around, it was Jeonbuk who would strike first. The story of much of the tournament, United looked the better side but couldn’t capitalise on it and then a mistake at the back gifted the chance to Seokjin Han who graciously accepted to apply the finish.

Five minutes later though, Tyler Fletcher drew it level again with his strike going off the post and into the goal.

The match finished 1-1 and went to penalties where United looked confident with Tyler Fletcher, James Scanlon, Amir Ibragimov, and Jayce Fitzgerald all scoring from the spot to give United the 4-1 win.

In the final match for fifth place, United came up against FC Utrecht.

After falling behind early, United pulled it back heroically in the final minutes. Bailey went on a fantastic run into the box before being taken down to gain United a penalty with just one minute remaining. Scanlon stepped up to put the ball into the net to make it 1-1 and send it to penalties again.

United’s finishing from the spot wasn’t as sharp on this occasion though, and misses from Tyler Fletcher and Jim Thwaites mean United lost 3-4 to put them in sixth place, a repeat of last year’s finishing position.

United didn’t come away empty handed though, with Scanlon picking up personal accolades as the best attacker at the tournament.

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