Chelsea line-up: Hilario, Ferreira (Bruma, 79'), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole (Zhirkov, 79'), Essien, Lampard, Mikel (Drogba, 60'), Kalou, Anelka (Sturridge, 60'), Malouda (Benayoun, 72')
Manchester United line-up: Van Der Sar, O'Shea, Evans, Vidic, Fabio (Smalling, 71'), Valencia, Scholes (Fletcher, 80'), Carrick (Giggs, 79'), Park (Nani, HT), Owen (Hernandez, HT), Rooney (Berbatov, HT)
It's all started again, the football season has begun. The NPower leagues all kicked off this weekend and that meant the Premiership curtain raiser was due to start. The top two teams in England went face to face again on the Wembley stage. A lot of people say don't read into pre-season form but Chelsea were coming in off the back of three consecutive defeats, whereas Manchester United were coming in off the back of a 7-1 victory over a League of Ireland XI. Although the Community Shield is thought of as much by many this year's Shield would be a huge step-up for the season as the last three winners of the Community Shield have gone onto win the Premiership. With Ancelotti not too happy with his team thus far he boldly decided to say who his team was going to be on Friday with a very strong team, the only notable absences were Cech and Alex (injured) and Drogba would be on the bench after recovering from hernia surgery. Ferguson's surprise pick was Carrick who, according to Old Trafford officials, was out for two weeks with an ankle injury.
With three consecutive defeats and countless defensive errors in pre-season, Ancelotti would have been hoping for a strong game from his defence but they were immediately cut open by a Rooney pass which fed in Valencia behind Cole but Valencia's cheeky chip just didn't have enough on it and Hilario clutched onto it. Scholes, who would be the eventual man of the match, was next to have a chance but he horribly miscued his volley on the edge of the box and it sailed high over the bar. From there though Chelsea began to find their rhythm and Anelka fired a stinging shot which Van Der Sar could only parry to an on-coming Kalou, but he was forced wide by United's defence and his pass along the box went to no-one. Van Der Sar made up for the poor parry by brilliantly saving a goal-bound effort from Ivanovic who out-jumped his compatriot Vidic from a corner. Although Chelsea were beginning to have more possession United were looking more dangerous with Scholes orchestrating the mid-field and spreading balls out wide to Valencia that just completely lost Cole every time. It would prove to be the downfall of Chelsea when United broke the deadlock four minutes from half-time; again Scholes fired another inch perfect fifty yard pass over to Rooney which again lost Cole, Rooney crossed the ball along the floor through Terry's legs where Valencia was storming in to finish past the sprawling Hilario.
As promised before the match Rooney and Owen would get 45 minutes and were substituted for the Mexican new boy Hernandez and Berbatov, Park was also replaced at half-time for Nani. Chelsea's nightmare defence proved again when John Terry belatedly tried to step-up and catch Hernandez off-side but failed, however Hernandez's pass was just a little too strong for Berbatov who just couldn't quite get his toe to the ball. Drogba entered the fray on the hour mark and Anelka made way for Daniel Strurridge. Following this Chelsea started again to build attacks and look for an equaliser. Strurridge looked very dangerous from the out-set as his sighter was just off target when set up by fellow substitute Benayoun. But just as Chelsea were beginning to get more dangerous, Manchester United doubled their lead; Valencia again went past Cole like he wasn't even there and crossed the ball into the on-rushing Hernandez. Hernandez took a shot but somehow sliced it into his face and it rebounded into the net. Chelsea would reduce the deficit to make it a nervy last ten minutes when Strurrigde forced another parry off Van Der Sar but again this one went into the path of Kalou who, this time, would find the back of the net. Chelsea again kept looking for the equaliser to force penalties, like Rooney did this time last year. But as injury time approached United decided to play a game of keep ball which lasted 19 passes before Berbatov was put through by Nani and the Bulgarian lobbed Hilario to seal the Shield for Manchester United.
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