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Football

28th Oct 2018

Manchester United welcome Thai cave boys to Old Trafford for Everton match

Wayne Farry

The boys, members of the Wild Boars Football Team, were part of a group trapped in a Thai cave during the summer

Manchester United have welcomed members of the Wild Boars Football Team – the youth team which was trapped in a Thai cave between 23 June and 10 July – to Old Trafford ahead of Sunday’s match with Everton.

The young boys, who ranged in age from 11 to 17, were trapped in the cave alongside their 25-year-old assistant coach after sudden and heavy rainfall left them stranded miles within the cave’s narrow tunnels after entering.

The team was trapped in the cave for a week without contact with rescuers, before eventually being found on an elevated rock in near total darkness about four kilometres from the cave mouth.

The rescue effort, led by two British divers, involved more than 10,000 people. One person, a former Thai Navy Seal named Saman Kunan, died after delivering supplies of air to the trapped group.

The trials of the group gained global attention, and they were invited to a match by Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward shortly afterward.

Prior to their attendance of Sunday’s match, where they are expected to line the side of the pitch before watching from the director’s box, the team was introduced to a number of Manchester United stars, including Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial.

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