Football: FA Community Shield - Chelsea 1 Manchester United 3
Published: 09 August 2010
by JOHN EVANS
THE traditional Community Shield curtain-raiser to the domestic season was taken by Manchester United in front of 84,623 fans at Wembley on Sunday.
A goal just before half time by Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia, topped off by late strikes from Mexican Javier (Chicharito) Hernandez and Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov were enough to beat Chelsea, whose only goal came from Ivorian Salomon Kalou in the 83rd minute.
A delighted United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said he was pleased with the victory and the opportunity to give players match time ahead of the Premiership kick-off.
“At the moment, touch wood, we’ve not any real major injuries with the present squad and if we keep that present squad together, then we’re in a good position,” he said. “Other, long-term players like Ferdinand and Hargreaves and Anderson, that’s a good few weeks away. I’m happy with this squad. I don’t need to add to it,” he added.
This was to understate the importance of the Shield game, which had started with the slicker passing moves coming from Chelsea as players tested out the latest Wembley surface. Yet boss Carlo Ancelotti was seen to be pointing them goalwards as they criss-crossed the pitch. United soaked it up without much trouble in what became a hard-fought contest.
Referee Andre Marriner denied a concerted series of appeals by the Chelsea players looking for protection from physical challenges. Mr Marriner saw out the game without booking anyone, though on a Premiership day a Paul Scholes challenge from behind on Florent Malouda would have brought a yellow in the sixth minute.
The contest between England left back Cole and Valencia shaped much of the game and there was little love lost between the two. On five minutes the Manchester United man slipped past the defender on the right for a good opening but tamely lifted the ball into keeper Hilario’s hands.
Valencia and Cole were still at it as the first half drew to close, with the latter flattened when they clashed near the halfway line.
By that time, however, Valencia had opened the scoring after a precision pull-back across goal by Wayne Rooney, who himself had received a perfectly-weighted long ball from eventual man-of-the-match Scholes.
United went into the break one-nil up.
There had been other chances in the half. Scholes had collected a Valencia cross in a central position 14 yards out, but skied his chance. A John O’Shea slip had given Nicolas Anelka a good opening for Chelsea but he could not capitalise.
The second half started with United making three substitutions, Hernandez for Rooney, Nani for Ji-Sung Park and Berbatov for Michael Owen.
On the hour, Chelsea brought on Didier Drogba for John Obi Mikel and Daniel Sturridge for Anelka.
Drogba’s mere presence seemed to unsettle the United defence but Chelsea also reverted to long-shot attempts instead of playing to this strengths.
It was Drogba himself who, on 69 minutes, put a great through-ball into the path of Malouda, but Edwin Van Der Sar saved bravely at his feet.
The goalkeeper was challenged again within the minute but parried a Cole chance.
The substitutions continued with United’s Chris Smalling came on for Fabio Da Silva on 71.
And Yossi Benayoun replaced Malouda for Chelsea on 73.
Other changes included Ryan Giggs for Scholes, Darren Fletcher for Michael Carrick, Jeffrey Bruma for Paulo Ferreira and Yury Zhirkov for Cole.
United’s scored their second through new signing, Hernandez, whose shot rebounded off his own face, such was the speed with which he reached a cross into the box, exquisitely delivered by Valencia.
As Chelsea continued to battle, Sturridge’s lively intervention had brought a good save from Van Der Sar as the pressure mounted on the United goal. And when the keeper could only parry another Sturridge shot into the path of Kalou on 83 minutes, the goal set up a thrilling finale.
The game ended as it had begun, with a stylish passage of passing play, albeit with the roles reversed and with the Manchester side running down the clock. So effective was it, that Nani managed to slip the ball to Berbatov who neatly lobbed Henrique Hilario to seal it in extra time.
While Carlo Ancelotti admitted his side had been second best on the day and had not performed well pre-season, he said: “I think in two weeks the players will be 100 per cent.”
The victory means Manchester United extend their record as the side with the most Shield wins – 18 in all – including four shared. On the other hand Chelsea have won it on four occasions and the sides are quite likely to be contesting it again this time next year.