East Coast Bays are one win away from reaching the Manchester United Premier Cup World Finals after...
East Coast Bays lead the standings on the first day of the Manchester United Premier Cup New...
Four of the best U-15 club sides from around New Zealand square off in Auckland this weekend aiming...
Launched in 1993 as the Nike Cup, the Manchester United Cup is the premier international club tournament for U-15s.
It has grown to the point where over 9000 clubs enter each year but only 20 reach the finals, played at Manchester United’s famed Carrington training ground.
The U-15 sides of the some of the World’s greatest clubs have graced the competition, with Brazilian and Spanish clubs dominating the honours board.
The MUPC has also been the launching pad of many of the sport’s current stars. The likes of Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Tevez, Robinho, Xavi and Iker Casillas all announced themselves to the world at the MUPC and have since gone on to Premier League, Champions Leagues, European Championships or Confederations Cup titles for club or country.
The winners of the New Zealand finals square off against the best of Australia for a place in teh World finals.
North Harbour Stadium – Domain 3 (Tiger Turf)
East Coast Bays win the 2010 New Zealand finals and qualify for a playoff against Australian champions in May.
Final
East Coast Bay 3 (Michael Kapteyn 29, 35; Mitchell Cairn 47)
Wellington College 0
Halftime: 0-0
Group play
Wellington College 4 (Wayne Stawles 6, 44; Scott Jacques 27, Will Walkley 36)
Fencibles United 0
Halftime: 1-0
Coastal Spirit 2 (Taylor Catlow 2, Nick Hay 37)
East Coast Bays 2 (Jared Grove 17, Judd Baker 45)
Halftime: 1-1
Wellington College 0
East Coast Bays 2 (Nathan Buswell 21, Judd Baker 40)
Halftime 0-1
Fencibles United 0
Coastal Spirit 3 (Dj Kilden 29, Aaron Spain 31, Josh Wright 37)
Halftime: 0-0
East Coast Bays 2 (Nathan Buswell 16, 41)
Fencibles United 1 (Callum O’Donnell 50+1)
Halftime: 1-0
Coastal Spirit 1 (Matt McCaw 15)
Wellington College 2 (Amir Mohammed 5, Jo Collicoat 24)
Halftime: 1-2
P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Coast Bays | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
Wellington College | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
Coastal Spirit | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Fencibles United | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 0 |
Golden Boot – Nathan Buswell (East Coast Bays) 3 goals
Tournament MVP – Connor Lidstone (Coastal Spirit)
Capital Football were the inaugural New Zealand champions when the Manchester United Premier Cup launched here in 2004 but just missed out of a ticket to Manchester after being pipped into second place on goal difference in the Asia Pacific finals.
Soccer2 (now known as Auckland Football) were the first team to represent New Zealand at the World Finals after toppling Melbourne in a Pacific playoff and finished in 15th after notching two wins.
In 2006 the New Zealand competition moved to a club-based format and the following year Auckland’s Central United, reached the World Finals by beating the best New Zealand, and then Australia, had to offer.
Central notched two wins on their way to a 17th place finish and then repeated the effort in 2008 also grabbing a pair of wins, along with two draws including one against Middleborough. Last year, the torched was passed to Waitakere City who defeated Central in the final but fell at the Australian hurdle in an effort to reach Manchester.
Manchester United Premier Cup – Champions
1994 FC Porto (Portugal)
1995 Real Madrid (Spain)
1996 RCD Espanyol (Spain)
1997 Platense (Argentina)
1998 Athletic Club de Bilbao (Spain)
1999 FC Barcelona (Spain)
2000 Sports Club Internacional (Brazil)
2001 EC Vitoria (Brazil)
2002 Sao Paulo FC (Brazil)
2003 Corinthians (Brazil)
2004 Manchester City (England)
2005 Fluminense (Brazil)
2006 Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico)
2007 FC Barcelona (Spain)
2008 Fluminense (Brazil)
2009 Sao Paulo FC (Brazil)
2010 FC Barcelona (Spain)
Manchester United Premier Cup – New Zealand Champions
2004 Capital Soccer
2005 Soccer2*
2006 Mangere United
2007 Central United*
2008 Central United*
2009 Waitakere United
2010 East Coast Bays
