Champions World Tour

[peat moss]

Any of you follow it ? I know it's just a friendly tournament . Good chance for us in Canada and the US to see good soccer tho. :D

[slim150]

I'm going on Wednsday to the practice session and Thrusday to the game of Chelsea vs AS Roma in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I cant wait! I've never seen world class play like this before.

[manker]

I certainly will be following it, although it's a friendly tournament the teams involved will be taking it pretty seriously. Last year Manchester United won all their games, in fact Club America gave them the biggest challenge if I remember rightly. It was a pretty good set of games for the spectators over there, don't remember the name but I believe it set a record attendance for a stadium in NJ when Man Utd played there.

Slightly different teams involved this year but it's still the best pre-season tournament in the world :D

[peat moss]

Originally posted by manker@24 July 2004 - 09:34
I certainly will be following it, although it's a friendly tournament the teams involved will be taking it pretty seriously. Last year Manchester United won all their games, in fact Club America gave them the biggest challenge if I remember rightly. It was a pretty good set of games for the spectators over there, don't remember the name but I believe it set a record attendance for a stadium in NJ when Man Utd played there.

Slightly different teams involved this year but it's still the best pre-season tournament in the world :D
Ya manker it's a shame the points don't count . Mabye in the future that would be nice.
Pride is a great motivator tho. :)

[manker]

Hrm. I feel a bit stupid after praising the tournament now, last year's was good though.

I Watched the Manchester United Vs Bayern Munich match last night and Utd put their reserves out :angry:

Rubbish game and whats with the penalties at the end?

[DanB]

Originally posted by manker@26 July 2004 - 11:18
Hrm. I feel a bit stupid after praising the tournament now, last year's was good though.

I Watched the Manchester United Vs Bayern Munich match last night and Utd put their reserves out :angry:

Rubbish game and whats with the penalties at the end?
Added entertainment? ;)

[peat moss]

Well for the price of a ticket and the miles I would have to drive, Should state the starting lineup on the fff ticket. <_<

[Dr Spaulding]

Celtic 2-1 Man Utd: Beattie eclipses Al


Beattie&#39;s winning goal (70th min) (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gordon.y/beattie-manu.avi)

Hartson kicks Neville in the bollocks &#33; (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gordon.y/hartson-neville.avi)


Celtic&#39;s homegrown striker Craig Beattie upstaged £7million buy Alan Smith at Lincoln Financial Field.

Alan Smith: Opened his account with United against Celtic (PhilCole/GettyImages)

While Smith scored his first goal for the club after arriving from Leeds, Beattie came off the bench to grab the winner in this ChampionsWorld Series match.


The 20-year-old&#39;s goal gave Celtic their first victory on tour after successive defeats by Chelsea and Liverpool.

On the downside for the Scottish giants, Alan Thompson was stretchered off.

Thompson appeared to be in considerable distress after being floored by a challenge from Chris Eagles in the third minute.

He pounded his hand on the floor as some Celtic players made the youngster know exactly what they thought of his actions.

Thompson was playing his first match of the tour after being troubled by a calf injury. He also had hamstring problems last season.

Local TV reports said he needed five stitches inserted in an ankle injury.

Last Sunday, Eagles was booked in the game with Bayern Munich after four minutes when he tangled with Owen Hargreaves.

Celtic manager Martin O&#39;Neill flew in only a few hours before the match and named a team full of big hitters.

United brought back goalkeeper Tim Howard as well as the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, after losing on penalties to Bayern Munich on Sunday.

They made a bright start and David Bellion, who partnered Alan Smith up front, scuffed a shot wide after one minute.

Then Kieran Richardson whipped in a cross that goalkeeper Magnus Hedman took cleanly.

Stephen Pearson replaced Thompson and a minute later Eagles was the subject of a stiff challenge from Chris Sutton.

The striker put Celtic ahead in the 11th minute when he scored from the spot after Jonathan Spector bowled over Stilian Petrov.

United were stung and Richardson got away from his marker in 20th minute when Phil Neville delivered a cross but he headed wide from close range.

Then Eric Djemba-Djemba saw a shot go over the top following another good delivery from Phil Neville.

There was a bit of attitude on the pitch and John Hartson was booked a minute later for leaving Gary Neville hobbling.

United drew level in the 35th minute through Alan Smith when he got on the end of a corner from Eagles to flick a header past Hedman.

Howard then flapped at a cross but Djemba-Djemba was well positioned and mopped up.

Certainly there was no lack of commitment from both sides and the big crowd were enjoying the atmosphere.

Smith should have added a second for United in the 50th minute but lofted a shot over the bar.

United skipper Roy Keane lost possession in the 55th minute and Pearson raced away down the left.

He picked out John Hartson but his effort from an acute angle ended in the side netting.

The players were beginning to wilt in the humidity and the second half did not match the urgency of the first period.

Diego Forlan was given an outing for United in the 69th minute when he came on for Eagles.

The Uruguay international only arrived in Philadelphia today after playing in the Copa America.

But United were rattled in the 71st minute when Keane lost possession and Beattie took advantage.

He raced away down the right and from what seemed an impossible angle he drilled a shot low past past Howard.

Forlan was looking lively and delivered a good cross into the path of Smith, who seemed to be taken by surprise.

Then Forlan found himself in the clear inside the area but his first touch let him down and Hedman was able to gather safely.

Phil Bardsley could have put United level on the stroke of full time but hooked the ball over from a good position.

So United now head for New York on Saturday to face AC Milan looking to chalk up their first win in the series.

[slim150]

I went to the game in pittsburgh last night, chelsea beat as roma 3-0. It was a good game to watch. It was real close in the first half. Totti didn&#39;t seem to do much, but there was a good scuffle too which was unexpected since it was only a friendly. Plus, i got to see Joe Cole score a goal, and i enjoyed it.


Funny thing tho, the whole thing is sponsered by master card, and when we got at the game all the master card credit card things were down so everyone had to use cash haha.

[manker]

Finally saw a good game this evening (I&#39;ve only watched the Man U. games) - Manchester United Vs AC Milan :01:

Both teams put out more or less their best XI, the passing and skill level was superb - not at all like the joke games against Bayern and Celtic.

I wish they&#39;d put their proper side out for the first two games too. Would have made for a much more interesting tournament. The result? ahhhh after a 1-1 draw United lost on penalties. Again&#33;