Manchester United showed their class when they came back from a couple of goals deficit to win the Community Shield match against Manchester City 3-2. It was a goal in those few extra injury-time seconds from Nani that sealed City’s fate as Manchester United won their second successive Community Shield title after having overcome Chelsea a year ago.
Manchester City were put 1-0 ahead by Joleon Lescott after United had dominated early proceedings, before Edin Dzeko made it 2-0. Both the City’s goal came in the first half but they could not sustain the momentum in the second half and allowed Manchester United to comeback from the dead.
Lescott scored in the 38th minute and Dzeko doubled the score in the injury time of the first half before the defending EPL champions came roaring back in the second half of the match.
It was Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to get in the newly signed three players on to the field that changed things around for United. It was Chris Smalling who reduced the lead for Manchester United in the 52nd minute before Nani smashed home the equaliser in the 58th. It was an excellent goal and ensured that this was the highest-scoring game in this tournament in 19 years.
The match looked to be going into the tie-breaker when Nani ensured that Manchester United will continue to have an advantage over their fierce rivals as he converted a Kompany’s mistake into a goal.
An elated Nani later said, “We all believe until the last minute, and the attitude of the lads in the second half was that everyone believed we could score. It is good to play against Man City and win like that.”
The EPL season begins from August 13 this year and will have Manchester United taking on West Brom on August 15 and Manchester City will play Swansea on August 16.