The first three minutes of the Barcelona-Roma game had more action than the entire second half of this one. And a better atmosphere.
And Barcelona take the lead. Maybe I should stay up and do this game, too?
Nah. Just watch if you can. See you tomorrow.
FINAL: Manchester United 2-1 Real Madrid
Give United credit for converting on two chances.
Give Real credit for signing Vinicius Jr., a player who’ll make many a La Liga game worth watching this fall.
Give neither team credit for much else, especially in a tedious second half.
Good night, and joins us tomorrow as the MLS All-Stars take on Juventus, which has Ronaldo now but won’t have Ronaldo tomorrow.
90+3 min: Oscar falls 30 yards out. Unfortunately, he wasn’t fouled.
Shot! A shot on goal! From the top right of the box as De Gea sees it, and he sees it all the way to his hands.
90+3 min: Real play the corner short and pass a few more times before a pass is deflected high in the air for De Gea to collect.
90+2 min: United have nine field players back ... oops, wait, the 10th comes sprinting back. They concede a corner.
90 min: Nearly the same situation, and this time, they shoot. Shot hits a red wall. Only three minutes of stoppage time.
Then out of nowhere, Nacho unleashes the best shot of the half, just going over the bar and nestling in the top netting from 25 yards out.
89 min: Real Madrid set up a promising opportunity to shoot. They pass. Sigh.
88 min: Stats thus far -- Manchester United have six shots, three of them on target. I honestly can’t remember the third.
Real Madrid have 13 shots, two on goal. One was a goal, the other was a free kick from a tough angle that would’ve hit De Gea’s head had he not punched it clear.
But Madrid have surely completed hundreds more passes.
87 min: Paul Moody asks, “if utd win what will media angle be on ongoing mourinho crisis.”
i dnt knw, bt itll pass.
83 min: A final change for United (because you can only make substitutions at three distinct times in this competition), and we’ll see James Garner, known to American audiences as the star of The Rockford Files.
Updated
81 min: A rare United foray forward ends with a dive. Meh.
At the other end, Isco chips it for RDT, who tries to pull it back across the box.
Then CHANCE -- and two Real players collide while trying to get to the ball in the 6-yard box.
79 min: McTominay takes a boot to the head. He’s not hurt, but Demetri Mitchell steps onto the field in his place anyway. So, yes, United remembered to use a substitution.
RDT fails to connect in the box. A follow-up Real corner is defleted wide.
78 min: Real make their final four substitutions, with Toni Kroos among the newcomers.
75 min: Water break!
74 min: Shaw trips Valverde just outside the box to De Gea’s left. The free kick is whipped directly at the goal from the tough angle, and De Gea punches clear.
71 min: Manchester United complete 1-2 passes a few yards into Real Madrid’s half of the field. Then back to business as usual.
69 min: A touch at last for Real Madrid’s second-half keeper ... oh no ... what was his name? Ah yes, Andriy Lunin, a teenager signed from Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk. He receives a 50-yard back pass with no trouble.
67 min: It’s Spain vs. Russia redux. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, now pass it forward ... oops, no one’s there.
Manchester United finally make a substitution. Fred claps his massively linked arms as Tuanzebe steps onto the field in his place.
65 min: So Real have made 6-7 substitutions. Manchester United have made none. Could we get a shot of the bench area, please? Is Mourinho still there?
63 min: CHANCE, and it’s the substitute Oscar blazing a shot over the bar after it’s kept in play by a hustling but unidentified Real player.
Also at this point, I need to tell my kids to go to bed.
Kids, go to bed.
OK, back to the game.
61 min: Vinicius leaves, replaced by a player with “R.D.T” on the back of his shirt. That is apparently Raúl de Tomás, another reserve trying to make his way into the first team. Also on: Oscar Rodriguez.
Peter Oh writes:
To me, the photo of Fred (20 mins.) explains why the new United signing came with such an... inflated... price tag.
Speaking of Slurpees. As you probably know, Free Slurpee Day at 7-Eleven stores here in the U.S. is on 7/11, July 11th. I’ve always wondered if in the UK (and elsewhere) it falls on 7.11, 7 November.
Also, I hate Sergio Ramos.
Is anyone awake in the UK to answer the question? About Slurpees, not about Sergio Ramos.
57 min: CHANCE -- The crowd has started to recognize the good things that happen when Vinicius has the ball. In this case, it’s a shot that Odegaard blasts over the bar from close range.
55 min: A brilliant catch by ... a supporter in a plain white T-shirt maybe 20 rows behind the goal. Javi Sanchez will not make the case for inclusion in Real’s senior team with that effort.
54 min: A long ball finds Mayoral in the United box, but he is quickly swarmed by players in red.
53 min: Still Real possession, still no real shots.
50 min: Real Madrid with several minutes of possession. Fred gets the ball and is dispossessed, leading to a powerful shot just wide, but the referee tells us Fred was fouled in the process.
48 min: Real Madrid squander a free kick so quickly the cameras didn’t even catch it. They were busy showing us the foul -- Pereira on Odegaard.
De Gea comes out to play the ball with his left foot, sending it out of play, which was probably the best possible outcome.
46 min: Out for Real Madrid -- Bale, Benzema, Casilla (the keeper) and Theo Hernández.
In: Sergio Reguilón, Martin Odegaard, Borja Mayoral, Ukrainian keeper Andriy Lunin.
No, the second half hasn’t actually started yet. I should’ve gone out for a Slurpee at halftime.
Time to play “spot the second-half subs”! Ready, everyone?
Halftime stats give Real Madrid a 66-34 possession edge. Weren’t those roughly the same numbers we saw when Spain played Russia?
HALFTIME: Manchester United 2-1 Real Madrid
So every time I say the game has hit a lull, the opposite happens.
Let’s see if I can use these powers for good ...
- U.S. youth soccer is too expensive.
- We’re socked in with rain on the East Coast while half of the country desperately needs water.
- Pizza causes weight gain.
All three of these will now be untrue, right?
Updated
GOAL: Manchester United 2-1 Real Madrid (Benzema 45+3)
Just a superb buildup -- a backheel, a cross inside the 6-yard box and Benzema sticks out a foot to redirect it past De Gea.
45+1 min: Shaw brings down Odriozola for some reason, but the United defense copes with a rather half-hearted attack. Maybe Real are content to let Isco, Kroos and company lead the comeback after halftime.
45 min: And whenever I say we have a lull, Manchester United unlock the Real defense. A good give-and-go, and Real are forced to head the ball out for a corner.
We’ll have four minutes of stoppage time thanks to the water break and whatever was ailing Bailly.
44 min: This continues to be a game of spurts and lulls, and we’re currently in the latter.
42 min: Might not be a cramp after all, as a replay shows the ball that was deflected out for a corner may have deflected off the part of the body players guard when they’re in the wall for a free kick.
The corner is finally taken to no effect.
41 min: And we have our second cramp of the night. Appears to be Bailly.
40 min: And we have our first cramp of the night. Appears to be Bailly.
39 min: Real Madrid enjoying possession between the midfield stripe and the top of the box. Then Bale finds Llorente in the box, and the end result is a corner.
36 min: Nothing of interest.
Anyone staying up to watch Manchester United v Real Madrid purely because of Fred?
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) July 31, 2018
Fred hasn’t played badly, but he has been mostly invisible while the quick strikes have been provided by Alexis, Herrera et al.
34 min: The game has resumed. In fairness, it is rather humid in Miami. That’s because it’s ... Miami.
Stuart Graves writes: “The “e” on Bale’s shirt is an English pound sign – lol.”
Wouldn’t it be a Euro?
Looks like fans are working out the parking issues ...
Impressive crowd here tonight as it’s filled-in since game started between Real Madrid and Man U. pic.twitter.com/CUvEFBr20V
— Will Manso (@WillManso) August 1, 2018
The reaction shots after the Herrera goal were priceless. Tons of United supporters looking on in disbelief. Too stunned to smile.
31 min: CHANCE-ish. Or maybe Bale is just impatient, whipping in a shot from outside the box and over the bar.
And we get a water break, though it’s hotter in much of Europe right now than it is here in the USA.
30 min: Bale wins a corner against a succession of sliding United defenders. The near and far posts are not guarded, but the ball is not near a player in white.
GOAL: Manchester United 2-0 Real Madrid (Herrera 27)
Well, this was unexpected. The ball is played to Mata down the right. He plays across the field, and Alexis Sanchez nods it down to Herrera, who rips a low shot past the helpless Casilla.
Judging from the lineups, this shouldn’t be happening. But it is indeed Real’s first preseason venture.
26 min: Manchester United’s McTonimay wins the ball with a bit more emphasis than the Real Madrid attacker was expecting. No foul committed or called.
Speaking of Wales, I’ve just been informed that The Joy Formidable will be playing near me in November. Must mark my calendar for that at halftime.
24 min: CHANCE. The crowd roars when Gareth Bale touches the ball, but it’s Vinicius who’s showing something, twisting Fosu-Mensah every which way before unleashing a cross. Perhaps a bit too much youthful enthusiasm, because his cross is lashed with such pace that no one can handle it.
20 min: Two minutes after the goal, and the crowd have once again settled into the same sort of atmosphere you’d expect for a sermon. Presumably they’d be a bit more consistent if David Beckham ever gets his MLS club off the ground.
Updated
GOAL: Manchester United 1-0 Real Madrid (Alexis 18)
The Real defense falls asleep, and Darmian makes them pay with a strong cross that Alexis Sanchez one-times past a befuddled ... um ... let me check again ... Casilla, who could only stick out a foot like MTV icon Daria sticking out a hand in a volleyball game.
16 min: The AR is indeed awake, flagging Luke Shaw, who’s offside.
Strange rhythm to this game, as if both teams have decided to play in two-minute spurts punctuating what amounts to a passing warmup exercise.
14 min: Vinicius takes on the United defense and centers to Benzema, but the pass is slightly off.
13 min: Real Madrid complete a couple dozen passes in their own half under no pressure whatsoever.
For the tabloids to dissect ...
United and Real Madrid players in the tunnel. Bale getting a handshake from Mourinho @ESPNFC pic.twitter.com/vDMxftA4xg
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) August 1, 2018
11 min: CHANCE, and this time Mata fires from the left side of the box, right at Real Madrid keeper ... um ... (checks notes ... OK, not Navas, not Zidane) ... Casilla, who holds it well.
10 min: Fred ties a couple of defenders in knots, eventually drawing a foul from Benzema.
8 min: CHANCE. The crowd springs to life, and so does Real Madrid, moving the ball deftly down the right flank and crossing to Benzema, who isn’t quite able to get the ball on frame.
7 min: We have our first sighting of the expensive prospect Vinicius Jr. He has been fouled. Real Madrid not seeing much of the ball early on.
5 min: CHANCE. Again, it’s surprising this wasn’t offside, but the ball is lofted to Mata near the corner of the 6-yard box, but he can’t quite settle and shoot to put Manchester United ahead.
For Real Madrid, Vallejo has committed two fouls thus far, a bit like a National Hockey League player in preseason trying to punch his way onto the team.
4 min: Vallejo hugs Alexis, which is sweet but not allowed under the Laws of the Game. He gets a stern word from our referee, and Manchester United get a free kick. It is taken quickly and not well.
2 min: Manchester United play a long ball wide on the right, hoping to catch the AR napping. I’d ask to see a replay if anything happened.
The atmosphere is subdued.
Kickoff. It has taken place.
If you’re stuck in traffic near the stadium, you’re not alone.
“Parking sucks!” Miguel Ramos writes. “We have waiting an hour half a mile away to get in and still 40 minutes from arriving.”
Miami, like many American cities other than New York and Boston, is not known for its mass transit.
A bit more about the Real Madrid prospect who’ll surely be a player to watch tonight ...
Some pregame communication:
@duresport I believe tonight's Man Utd reserves are actually the entire precinct from a 1970s cop series.
— D Young (@statto99) July 31, 2018
Grant, Pereira, Tuanzebe, Williams, Mitchell, Garner, Hamilton, Gomes, Chong, Bohui, Greenwood.
Are you telling me it’s ...
Via email, Bharat Tiwari offers a tepid defense of the Special Sourman.
As exasperating as Mou gets for fans with his relentless gripes, he does seem quite cheerful with the players during training sessions. Herrera and Grant said so in their pressers. Andy Mitten wrote a piece recently, perfectly summing United supporters’ thoughts about Mou’s need for the gripe-water, but also noted that the dressing room is still with Mou.
Third season syndrome or not, I do think the season might surprise a few naysayers. The only thing that can disrupt seasoned Mourinho’s tenure is the seasonal Mourning....
Our stadium tonight is Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. I’ve never been. Do they have cool guitars on the walls?
Capacity is a little over 65,000, or relatively puny compared to the Big House in Michigan, where more than 100,000 fans showed up despite Jose Mourinho’s admonitions.
This one looks a bit more like a European ground, though ...
Real Madrid’s absentees ...
Modric, Raphaël Varane, Marcelo, Casemiro, Mateo Kovacic, Fábio Coentrão.
Two players were listed in their traveling party but not on the lineup as we see it here. One is Sergio Ramos, which will probably be a relief to a few people. The other is one Luca Zidane, a 20-year-old goalkeeper with one appearance for the Real senior team. You may have heard of his father.
So for the record, let’s go through the Manchester United absentees:
Lindelöf, Jones, Rojo, Pogba, Lukaku, Martial, Smalling, Lingard, Young, Rashford, Romero, Valencia, Fellaini, Matic, Dalot, Bueller.
(Only one of those is not real.)
“I think (Mourinho’s) an insecure man,” says the great Kate Markgraf on ESPN FC, which is our lead-in programming to tonight’s game.
Or maybe he’s actually very secure and is trying to get fired, a la George Costanza in the “Body Suit Man” episode of Seinfeld.
Here’s Jose Mourinho on United’s previous game:
I wouldn’t have spent my money to watch these two teams.
You’re welcome, ICC organizers.
Maybe we do mean the cricket organizers, because Mourinho also made a puzzling comment about the officials coming from the “baseball federation.”
Manchester United lineup ...
David De Gea will see his first action of the ICC (which is the International Champions Cup in this context, not something having to do with cricket). Andreas Pereira, who scored on (oh, excuse me, Twitter person of a few nights ago -- scored with) a brilliant free kick against Liverpool, also is in the lineup. It’s actually most of the starters from that game, plus Fred.
Here's the #MUFC line-up to face @realmadrid... #ICC2018 #MUTOUR pic.twitter.com/M1Ji10r8ps
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 31, 2018
Real Madrid lineup ...
And the two big signings, former Real Sociedad defender Álvaro Odriozola and Brazilian teen attacker Vinicius Jr., get the start. So do regulars Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. So does cycling legend Alejandro Valverde. Oh ... no, that’s Uruguayan youngster Federico Valverde.
(Yes, I fully expect a deluge of humorless tweets and emails now.)
The rest of this starting XI falls in the “some experience, but still looking for the breakthrough” category.
📋 Once inicial frente al @ManUtd_Es #RMTour | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/N9JHrdHD6E
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) July 31, 2018
Hello to all ...
Jose Mourinho might not care about these games, but we do. And Real Madrid is bringing a loaded roster to its first excursion of the International Champions Cup.
This venture is Real Madrid’s 19th trip to the United States. Maybe they’ll have home-field advantage?
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s Jamie Jackson’s latest dispatch from the American pre-season tour.
