A stunning second-half comeback by Manchester United saw them clinch the Community Shield at the expense of Manchester City in one of the most entertaining curtain-raisers to a football season in the fixture’s history.
The win crowned right at the death thanks to a Nani winner saw United clinch their 15th Community Shield outright extending their record whilst denying City a chance to brag about claiming the first silverware of what is set up to be a close-fought season.
United started the game well. The only surprise handed out by Sir Alex Ferguson was to start Danny Welbeck ahead of Dimitar Berbatov and the young England striker delivered on the day with a performance that had everything but a goal.
The first half saw United dominate. Whilst Joe Hart didn’t have much to do in terms of dealing with shots, Welbeck, Ashley Young, Wayne Rooney, Nani and Anderson all looked sharp and linked up well putting City under pressure for the opening half-hour.
City were slightly fortunate that Micah Richards was not sent off after 20 minutes for a nasty-looking lunge on Young just outside the box after Nani and Rooney had opened up space for the winger. Rooney shot the resulting free-kick just over the bar in United’s best chance of the half.
Going forward City had not really made any real threat on the United goal. However football can be a funny game and after Patrice Evra got rackeled by James Milner out wide he gave away a silly free-kick moments after claiming that he’d been fouled as City won a throw in.
David Silva who probably behind Carlos Tevez and Kompany was City’s best player last year whipped the resulting freekick into the box where Joleon Lescott found space in between Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to head home past David De Gea to put the Blues in front.The goal had come completely against the run of play, but worse was to follow.
In the last minute of the half Edin Dzeko found space in midfield and from roughly 30 yards out struck a low shot powerfully past De Gea to put City 2-0 up much to the shock of their jubilant fans. It was struck well by the Bosnian but De Gea should certainly have saved it never the less.
After half-time Sir Alex rung the changes with Carrick, Ferdinand and Vidic making way for Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones and Johnny Evans. Most fans would not have been blamed for thinking that with the loss of those experienced players it would be hard for United to get back in the game.
If there were any fans thinking that, they were proved wrong as all 3 players shone in the second half as United really from the kick-off kept the ball well and made strides towards changing the game. Within three minutes Cleverley had presented United with a chance to reduce the arrears with Welbeck heading wide the midfielder’s cross.
The goal that United’s positive play had deserved came seven minutes after half time. After Young was fouled by Richards 30 yards from goal, United’s new no.18 whipped in a brilliant delivery into the box and after ghosting away from Dzeko, Chris Smalling tucked the ball home.
It was a great start to the half for United and the way the team quickly celebrated the goal before making their way back to the half-way line showed that they meant business. Six minutes later United were level, with a goal that surely must rank as one of the best ‘team’ goals in Wembley’s long and rich history.
Nani did well to win the ball back inside his own half, before Rooney, Anderson, Young and Cleverley joined in on the move. The move ended sublimely with Nani feeding the ball back to Rooney who backheeled the ball perfectly into Cleverley’s path inside the box.
The youngster being tightly marked by Richards faintly passed the ball straight into Nani’s run into the box and the Portugese winger coolly took one touch wide before slotting the ball over Joe Hart into the top corner of the net.
After quickly losing their 2-0 lead, City’s players looked shell-shocked and but for some good defending by Richards, Kompany and Lescott they could have been behind before De Gea produced a save at his near post to deny Adam Johsnson 15 minutes from time.
United’s new keeper was in the thick of the action after and made a good one-handed save to keep out a Richards header from a corner. Had the header gone in, it wouldn’t have counted though as City’s right back had fouled Smalling leaping to win the ball, but it was still a good save by the Spainard which showed his agility and reflex skills well.
With time running out it looked like the game would be decided by a shoot-out and that looked the case after Cleverley blazed a chance over in the last minute of normal time after Nani’s shot inside the area was blocked by Lescott following good play by Smalling galloping forward.
United were to have the last say on the game and sealed their comeback in the third minute of added time. After surviving a Silva free-kick into the box, Rooney thumped the ball clear and with Kompany dawdling waiting for the ball to come down, Nani took advantage and sprinted clear before rounding Hart in goal to slide the ball home to clinch the season’s first silverware.
United: De Gea, Evra (Rafael), Ferdinand (Jones), Vidic (Evans), Smalling, Nani, Anderson, Carrick (Cleverley), Young, Rooney, Welbeck.
Star Man
Nani has to win this award. His performance over the game was exactly what Sir Alex and the fans would have wanted. He looked dangerous every time he got on the ball and is developing into a real match-winner for United. The way he took his goals shows how much of he’s matured and the signs are all there that Nani again will produce this coming season.
By @ADennehey87
