The U.S. U-23 national team made another impressive showing on Aug. 8, downing legendary English powerhouse Manchester United’s reserve team, 4-1, with both flair and power at The Cliff training ground in Manchester. The victory was the second in three games for the U.S. on their England tour, following a 1-0 win over the Bolton Wanderers’ reserves (Aug. 1) and a 3-2 loss against Liverpool’s reserve team (Aug. 5). Columbus Crew forward Brian West led the way for the U.S. with two goals and two assists. West’s first tally tied the score at one in the 11th minute and came on a run through the middle of United’s defense. With U.S. forward Chris Brown sending him through, the 20-year-old West won the ball from occasional Man. United first-team ,defender Chris Caspar, dribbled to his left around goalkeeper Paul Ruchubka, and finished strongly ,with a tough-angle, left-foot blast into the top of the net with two defenders closing in. In the 36th minute, West worked his magic again on a carbon copy of his first goal. Brown had a foot in the second goal, as well, pushing the ball to midfielder Peter Vagenas at the top of the penalty area. Vagenas controlled well, beat one defender and then slid a pass forward to West in the penalty area through the legs of another defender. As he did on his first goal, West pushed the ball around the keeper and then hit a shot into the empty net. The second half belonged to the U.S., who outshot the United reserves 5-2 in the final 45 minutes (10-7 for the game). West returned the Vagenas assist in the 74th minute, breaking free on the right wing and hitting a blistering cross to the near post, which was redirected into the right side of the net from four yards out by Vagenas. In the game’s final moments, second-half substitute Scott Bower took a short square pass from West and carried the ball 40 yards down the right wing before slamming a 20-yard shot into the far left corner of the goal. The 88th minute goal was created by West tracking back on defense and intercepting an errant pass from the United reserves. “This was a very good performance for us, against a very strong Man. United reserve team,” said U.S. head coach Clive Charles. “I’m half-worried that a result like this will make people think maybe they didn’t have their strongest team out there, but we know that’s not the case. We were playing against a team worth quite a few million pounds individually, a team with a number of players who train and play daily with the first team. This match was a step up for us in terms of competition.” Interestingly, United’s lone goal was created by 18-year-old Californian John Thorrington, who fought hard for a ball in the midfield and changed the direction of attack with a well-placed pass into the right wing for overlapping right back Michael Clegg, another player with United first team experience. Clegg carried the ball into the penalty area and hit home in the 8th minute from a difficult angle past U.S. goalkeeper Andy Kirk, who stifled United for the final 82 minutes. Thorrington is entering his third season with United’s reserves this year. The U-23s will complete their tour against non-league Hyde United on Aug. 12. Aug. 8 in Manchester Manchester United reserves 1 USA U-23 national team 4. Goals: M.Clegg 8; West 11, 36, Vagenas 74, Bower 88. Manchester United — Ruchubka, M.Clegg, Roach (Studley, 35), Caspar, Wallwork, Ford, Thorrington, Evans, Greening (G.Clegg, 77), Woods, Chadwick (Fitzpatrick, 73). USA — Kirk, Whitfield, McCarty, Dunseth, Corrales, Winters, Victorine (Shak, 70), Vagenas, DiGiamarino, West, Brown (Bower, 70). Att.: 300.