Manchester rivals dominate Premier Cup
Manchester rivals dominate Premier Cup

Posted in News on Aug 03, 2004.

Local rivals Manchester United and Manchester City are both on course to reach the Quarter Finals of the Manchester United Premier Cup World Finals following impressive first day displays at Carrington.

City scored maximum points to leave them top of Group C and within reach of the next round.

And hosts United also look in good shape to progress with four points to keep them second in Group A on goal difference from Dalian Railway going into the next round of games on Tuesday.

City coach Paul Power said: "We have made an excellent start but it is important now we win our final games and progress.

"We have to build on what we have achieved on day one but I am very pleased."

The tournament organised by Nike , the largest of its kind in the world for under-15 players, has brought together twenty teams from all over the world at Manchester United's training complex in Carrington.

For the competing teams there is the additional incentive that the final will be held at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.

City started superbly with an excellent 2-0 win over Barcelona and to complete an excellent day, Mexico's Atlas FC were beaten 1-0.

United also started off with a win, beating Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 before fighting out a tough goalless draw with Estudiantes of Argentina but Group A remains very tight.

Chinese side Dalian Railway are also on four points with Dinamo Zagreb tied on three. Estudiantes have two points with MTK Hungaria bottom with no points.

Group B is led by American side Alta Coma Arsenal who scored wins over Slavia Praha and Colo Colo from Chile to leave them with maximum points.PSG, Slavia and Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol are battling it out for second place while Colo Colo lost both games.

Manchester City look set to top Group C with reigning champions Corinthians on four points. Barcelona are third with three points while Atlas's one point lifts them above bottom placed Chonburi from Thailand.

Group D is very close to call with both FC Koln and Columbia's Deportivo Estudiantil level on three points. Inter Milan and Yongin FC have two points while Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa lost both games and are bottom.

GROUP A

RESULTS: Man United 1 Dinamo Zagreb 1, MTK Hungaria 0 Dalian Railway 1, Estudiantes 1 Man United 1, Dinamo Zagreb 3 MTK Hungaria 1, Dalian Railway 0 Estudiantes 0.

CURRENT STANDINGS: 1st Dalian Railway 4pts, 2nd Manchester United 4pts, 3rd Dinamo Zagreb 3pts, 4th Estudiantes 2pts, 5th MTK Hungaria 0

GROUP B

RESULTS: AL Arsenal 1 Slavia Praha 0, PSG 2 Kashiwa Reysol 0, Colo-Colo 0 Arsenal 1, Slavia Praha 2 PSG 1, Kashiwa Reysol 1 Colo Colo 0.

CURRENT STANDINGS: 1ST AL Arsenal 6pts, 2nd PSG 3pts, 3rd Slavia Praha 3pts, 4th Kashiwa Reysol 3pts, 5th Colo Colo 0pts.

GROUP C

RESULTS:Man City 3 Barcelona 0, Chonburi 0 Corinthians 3, Atlas 0 Man City 1, Barcelona 3 Chonburi 0, Corinthians 0 Atlas 0.

CURRENT STANDINGS: 1st Man City 6pts, 2nd Corinthians 4pts, 3rd Barcelona 3pts, 4th Atlas 1 point, 5th Chonburi 0pts.

GROUP D

RESULTS:FC Koln 0 Inter Milan 0, Yongin 0 Esudiantil 0, Kaizer Chiefs 1 FC Koln 2, Inter Milan 1 Yongin 1, Estudiantil 2 Kaizer Chiefs 0.

CURRENT STANDINGS: 1st Estudiantil 4pts, 2nd FC Koln 4pts, 3rd Inter Milan 2pts, 4th Yongin 2pts, Kaizer Chiefs 0pts.

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