United’s next academy star bags hat-trick as his side bulldoze their opponents 7-1 in pulsating win abroad

Manchester United U16s rounded out their trip to Hong Kong with a match against the Hong Kong U16s national team on Sunday.

United had already defeated an U18s Hong Kong Premier Youth League Select side on penalties during the trip.

The week long event hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club saw United’s youngsters partake in an a cultural exchange programme alongside the two matches.

First half

Michael Carrick’s son led the young Red Devils out again wearing the captain’s armband.

Pitch conditions saw the turf cutting up throughout the match but United weren’t phased and came flying out of the gates to take an early lead.

Camron Mpofu was played into the box before he rounded the keeper to fire into the net.

Two minutes later, Alfie Walker hit the ball cleanly from over 20 yards out to beat the keeper after Carrick’s back heel layoff.

Alfie Walker 2-0 vs Hong Kong u16s

pic.twitter.com/uavDCiD9wE

— RedYouthUnited (@RedYouthUnited) August 17, 2025

Second half

Hong Kong put up a fight though to hold United until the 56th minute before they added the third goal.

A poorly timed offside trap was taken advantage of by Mpofu to race through and score his second of the match.

Mpofu completed his hat-trick when Manu Ziro’s deflected cross looped up for Mpofu to kindly head in from close range.

The star of the first match of the tour, Jaice Dore, then played provider to set up Jasper Mantato to score at the back post after a low cross.

Hong Kong responded with a well taken consolation goal to make it 1-5. But United were well and truly running away with the match as Jaume Camacho picked the defender’s pocket to steal the ball and finish low past the keeper.

Substitute Pharell Silvester rounded out the scoring deep into stoppage time, finishing off Ziro’s cutback to the penalty spot in clinical fashion.

Man of the Match

The hat-trick hero Mpofu earned the award of Man of the Match which was presented by United legend Peter Schmeichel. The former goalkeeper goalkeeper was joined by Phil Jones in Hong Kong as ambassadors for the tour.

Squad: Darlington Osuchukwu, Jake Ford, Joseph Akinsanya, Joe Deighton, Gazik Ibragimov, Jaume Camacho, Alfie Walker, Sam O’Brien, Connor Laurie, Jacey Carrick, Edson Dejonge-Seiros, Manu Ziro, Harlem McLaughlin, Jodie Nganga, Jed Bangura, Jasper Mantato, Brian Nyonyi, Tunde Shoretire, Louis Kibbalya, Camron Mpofu, Jaice Dore, Silva Mexes, Pharell Silvester, Jack Waters


Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

A football obsessed Canadian who moved to England to enjoy the beautiful game. Colm has been keen follower of Manchester United’s famed academy since seeing a fresh faced Adnan Januzaj for the club’s u18s and has been writing about football with a focus on youth development for over 10 years.

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