United U19s End Otten Cup With Sixth-Place Finish
Manchester United’s U19s closed their Otten Innovation Cup campaign with a 5-1 defeat to SL Benfica in the fifth-place play-off, leaving Darren Fletcher’s side sixth in the eight-team field.
Benfica scored five times in the final placement match, while United were unable to build on their previous victory over Club Brugge. The result confirmed a sixth-place finish for United in the Netherlands.
How United got here
United’s route to the play-off had shown promise. A 2-2 draw with Adelaide United in the final group game saw Jaume Camacho score from 25 yards before Camron Mpofu converted a penalty to put United 2-0 ahead at half-time.
Adelaide responded through Amlani Tatu before a late defensive error allowed Harry Crawford to earn his side a draw. United would have remained third in the group even with a win, sending them into the fifth-to-eighth-place bracket.
There, a 2-0 win over Club Brugge set up the meeting with Benfica. United’s high press led to the opening goal, with Manu Ziro winning possession before Mpofu finished, and Ziro later scored the second after Jariyah Shah’s effort was saved.
Final standings and what’s next
United finished below Benfica, Monaco, Chelsea, PSV Eindhoven and eventual winners Palmeiras. Club Brugge and Adelaide United completed the standings beneath them.
| Position | Team | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SE Palmeiras | 5 | SL Benfica |
| 2 | PSV Eindhoven | 6 | Manchester United |
| 3 | Chelsea | 7 | Club Brugge |
| 4 | AS Monaco | 8 | Adelaide United |
Fletcher’s squad included Kai Rooney and Jacey Carrick. The group now returns to England to prepare for its league opener at home to Manchester City next Saturday, a fixture that has often proven to be a title decider in recent seasons.
