Romario a no show as Owls draw again

Wednesday's second game of their pre-season tour of USA once again ended in a stalemate this time with an All-Star XI from the USL First Division, a football league in the US. It was expected that former Brazilian World Cup winner and Golden Boot winner Romario would play but an injury kept him out despite much hype before the game. However, another Brazilian, Zinho, did make the field.

For Wednesday it was an all too familiar case of being unable to take chances. The Owls enjoyed the majority of play and the game's better scoring chances but just couldn't stick the ball away. Paul Sturrock had opted to utilise a 4-4-1-1 formation with new boy Kenny Lunt playing behind Steven MacLean. It is a formation Sturrock employed on a number of away matches last season. Graham Coughlan returned the side, relieving the captains duties from Lee Bullen, as Sturrock chose to use just one substitution in the match in order to give the players a full 90 minute run out.

Wednesday's final match on the tour is against the Rochester Raging Rhinos in the northern part of the state of New York on Saturday. Their pre-season schedule resumes back on English soil on Wednesday with an away fixture to Mansfield Town.

Half-time: USL All Stars 0-0 Owls

AnzOwls' verdict: Just one sub used as the kids all watched on from the bench. I think we can already put pen to paper on the starting XI for Preston.