Far East United takes on Las Vegas Legends in TST tune-up match

MANILA, Philippines – In the second day of their Las Vegas training camp prior to decamping for North Carolina for The Soccer Tournament $1 Million Winner-Take-All, Far East United took on the Las Vegas Legends in a friendly match.

Although the home side took a 5-3 victory, Far East United’s Filipino team manager Ethan Lee pronounced himself satisfied.

“It is our first game as a seven-a-side team with no one having played together before and we even took the lead,” related Lee from Las Vegas.

The Southeast Asian all-star team — which counts Malaysian star Safee Sali, Indonesian star Greg Nwokolo, Thai national team mainstay Charyl Chappuis, Croatian-Indonesian player Marko Simic, and long-time Philippines defender Anton del Rosario among its ranks — took a 1-nil lead and then 3-2. 

However, the team ran out of gas after 50 minutes of play, falling 5-3, with the American side scoring the final three goals of the tune-up match.

Nwokolo scored a brace with Jesus Pacheco adding a goal for Far East United. 

“It’s a good learning experience for us as we adapt to this 7x7 game and its different tactics,” added Lee. “Now, everyone understands what it takes. But there is potential. We will do much better.”

The team, sponsored in part by AIA, has two more days of camp before they fly to North Carolina.

The tournament starts on June 1, with Far East United taking on West Ham United Legends at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.

The matches will be shown live on YouTube.