Adu makess his European debut...

[Zeno]

Adu enters Benfica's Champins League Qualifier in the 37th minute versus FC Kopenhagen. Its currently 1-1 at halftime.

Rangers and Demarcus Beasley are playing right now as well. Beasley scored in Rangers last Championship League qualifier a 1 - 0 win(they won 3 - 0 on agg).

 

[Mulli]

Adu enters Benfica's Champins League Qualifier in the 37th minute versus FC Kopenhagen. Its currently 1-1 at halftime.

Rangers and Demarcus Beasley are playing right now as well. Beasley scored in Rangers last Championship League qualifier a 1 - 0 win(they won 3 - 0 on agg).

Rangers?

 

[Zeno]

Rangers?

Glasgow, Scotland....Beas' new home.

 

[Mulli]

Glasgow, Scotland....Beas' new home.

I should have known that. Sorry.

 

[Zeno]

Benfica wins 2-1 on 2 Rui Costa goals. I hope that Adu learns from Rui Costa during his stay there--the man at 35 yrs old is still a quality player and his on field work ethic was top notch.

Adu was so-so, but what really can be expected of the kid who only joined the team less than 2 weeks ago and went from playing MLS to a Champions League Qualifier. He had his moments both good and bad (including a rather ambitious and ill advised bicycle kick he missed from about 18 yards out).

 

[Zeno]

Beasley's Rangers won 1 - 0 too, I didn't get to see the match so I don't know how he played. He did go the whole 90 minutes though.

EDIT: Beasley did not go the whole 90, it was his replacement that scored the winner.

 

[Jasper]

Adu is a prodigy that hasn't or might quite never fullfill his potential. He had a trial with Man U but I guess the scouts didn't see his potential.

 

[Zeno]

Adu is a prodigy that hasn't or might quite never fullfill his potential. He had a trial with Man U but I guess the scouts didn't see his potential.

Not quite. Adu was only 17 and under contract with a team already, he couldn't have signed a deal with them if he wanted to. To be honest I didn't think England or Germany would be the best fit for him--France, Italy, Spain, Holland and Portugal are the best fits for a player of his type.

He had about 5 other offers from European clubs after the U20s world cup where he was one of the runner-ups in the Gold Ball trophy given to the best player in the tournament.

Portugal is the perfect place for him to develop. Benfica is a good club that will develop his talents and eventually cash in on him when he is transferred to a bigger club.

 

[Jasper]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=455314&cc=4716

Here's a link explaining how Adu has to actually perform on the field now that MLS and sponsorship backing is no longer with him.