(Manchester United News)
Manchester United's hopes of winning the Nike Academy Cup 2015 ended in disappointment after defeat in an end-of-match penalty shoot-out to Hertha Berlin at St George’s Park on Sunday.
After a 3-3 draw in normal time, the lads from the German capital netted all three of their spot-kicks but only Andy Kellett was successful for the Reds.
It was one of those occasions when it was sad to see one of teams lose because United and Hertha had produced a excellent contest.
United’s 3-0 win over AS Monaco on Saturday, coupled with Hertha’s success against Nike Academy by a similar score, meant this match would decide the destination of the Europa League-lookalike trophy.
It was an early start for United and Hertha, with the game having a 10:00 BST kick-off, but on a damp and miserable Staffordshire morning, there was plenty of get up and go from both sides.
There was also a liberal sprinkling of goals to embellish an entertaining first half.
Ashley Fletcher gave United the lead, in the 16th minute, after Hertha’s keeper Nico Wiesner had blocked Matthew Willock’s shot.
But then Hertha hit back with two goals inside six minutes from Tashin Cakmak and Tim Gelleski.
It appeared that United had a battle on their hands, but within five minutes the Reds were back in front with a pair of goals from midfielder Liam Grimshaw.
The teams were certainly giving the small throng of onlookers plenty of goals to appreciate and, just before half-time, Farid Abderrahmane struck to send the teams in at the break level pegging on three goals apiece.
As regards goalscoring, the game went off the boil as the second half unfolded, but both teams were still making chances.
Skipper Tom Thorpe went close to getting on the end of speculative through ball and then Tashin Cakmak rattled one of United’s posts with a well-struck shot.
The rain, which had been falling down from the sky in torrents for most of the morning, finally started to ease as the game reached its closing stages.
By that time, the goal glut that had been an enjoyable feature of the first half had also dried up, with fewer and fewer genuine chances being produced.
So it was down to the dreaded penalty shoot-out and it was Hertha who proved more accurate from the spot.
United: O’Hara, Evans C. (Fosu-Mensah 46), Tuanzebe, Thorpe (Fletcher 90), Kellett; Rothwell, Grimshaw, Goss, Weir; Willock (El Fitouri 64); Fletcher (Rashford 46). Sub not used: Henderson.
