FanFootball - English Premier League, Champion's League, La Liga and general soccer news and results.

English football news Manchester United Portsmouth - FanFootball

Curtain-raiser: Manchester United wins Community Shield

August 11th 2008 02:26

Reigning English and European champions Manchester United have started the new season by capturing the Community Shield at Wembley.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side continued where they left off last season by winning a penalty shootout to beat Portsmouth 3-1 on penalties in a game which United had complete control but a string of wasted chances.

com shield man u - pompey

Despite the endeavour of Carlos Tevez - the only recognised (and fit) striker in the squad - and a strong display from Portugal's Nani, signing a new striker must be Ferguson's top priority if they want to defend their Premier League and European titles this season. Without last season's 42-goal top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo (injured) and England striker Wayne Rooney (virus) in the side, you just can't seem to see where the goals are coming from.

The game marked the return of United captain and England right-back Gary Neville to the side - his first start since March 2007 - but it was Portuguese winger Nani who ran the show with his pace causing all sorts of problems for Sol Campbell and Glen Johnson in the Pompey back-line.

The FA cup winners were having a torrid time and created very little meaningful opportunities which culminated in three penalty misses in the shootout from Lassana Diarra, Arnold Mvuemba and Glen Johnson. Fortunately for the Red Devils, their players managed to find their scoring boots just in time for the shootout with all three penalty-takers - Tevez, Giggs and Carrick - finding the back of the net.

The win made it a lucky seven victories in the curtain-raiser for Fergie but the general consensus is that he needs to sign a top striker to ensure that his team wins more than just the community shield this season.

[Source: Fliggo]

Vote

Shared on

FanFootball

charles Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: charles - Category: English football news, Manchester United, Portsmouth

Email this Post to a Friend

Ronaldo and Rooney double-act

March 19th 2007 03:57

RESULTS:

Sat, Mar 17:

Man Utd 4 - 1 Bolton
Chelsea 3 - 0 Sheff Utd
Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Man City
Reading 0 - 0 Portsmouth
Tottenham 3 - 1 Watford
Wigan 0 - 0 Fulham
Blackburn 1 - 2 West Ham

Sun, Mar 18:

Charlton 2 - 0 Newcastle
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Liverpool
Everton 1 - 0 Arsenal

SUMMARY:

Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung and Wayne Rooney both scored a brace in their team's 4-1 victory over Bolton at Old Trafford.

However, the chief tormentor for Bolton was none other than in-form Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo who played a part in three of the four goals, including a stunning 80 yard run from the edge of his own box to setup Wayne Rooney for a chipped goal.

A serious-looking ankle injury to skipper Gary Neville in the 10th minute was the only sour-note of a dominant Red Devils performance and with six senior players already on the treatment table, the latest injury blow will truly test the depth of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad.

Chelsea are still in hot pursuit of the league leaders with a comfortable 3-0 demolition job on struggling Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge.

Goals from Andriy Shevchenko, Salomon Kalou and substitute Michael Ballack were more than enough to settle a game in which the home side were rarely in trouble.

Arsenal and Liverpool, however, were unable to keep up with the top two sides with a loss and draw respectively.

The Gunners lost to an injury time winner from Everton's Andy Johnson which came from Mikel Arteta's corner. Arsenal chose the worst time to lose concentration and failed to clear the ball allowing the striker to drill home with a left-foot shot.

Meanwhile, Liverpool dominated possession at Villa Park but was unable to find a way past a resilient Aston Villa defence, reinforcing the need for a world-class striker in the off-season.

The man known as "God" to Liverpool fans, Robbie Fowler, replaced Gerrard with six minutes left and almost won the game for Liverpool when his header was turned around the post by Sorensen.

Oh what might have been had Fowler been brought on earlier when it was clear that a goal-poacher of his quality would not go amiss.

In other games, wins were recorded for Manchester City - a huge relief for under-fire manager Stuart Pearce - Tottenham, West Ham and Charlton.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: charles - Category: EPL results, English football news, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Portsmouth, Tottenham, West Ham United, Wigan, Charlton, Reading, Sheffield United, Watford

Email this Post to a Friend

Liverpool's unbeaten home run ends

March 5th 2007 03:40

RESULTS:

Sat, March 3:

Liverpool 0 - 1 Man Utd
Arsenal 2 - 1 Reading
Fulham 1 - 1 Aston Villa
Man City 0 - 1 Wigan
Newcastle 0 - 0 Middlesbrough
Sheff Utd 1 - 1 Everton
Watford 2 - 2 Charlton
Portsmouth 0 - 2 Chelsea

Sun, March 4:

Bolton 1 - 2 Blackburn
West Ham 3 - 4 Tottenham

SUMMARY:

Liverpool's unbeaten home run was ended in dramatic fashion when Manchester United defender John O'Shea's shot from a loose ball ended in the back of the net in the dying seconds.

Manchester United visited Anfield knowing that a win would give them a hand on the prized Premiership trophy but Liverpool had other ideas and dominated the game throughout the match.

However, in the dying seconds, the Red Devils pulled off an amazing "smash and grab" when O'Shea scored after a Ronaldo free-kick had rebounded off Liverpool keeperJose Reina.

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed Manchester United were lucky to beat Liverpool - and admitted the referee was right to send off Paul Scholes, who flung a stray arm at Xabi Alonso, for violent conduct.

Manchester United now has a nine-point lead in the Premiership race with just nine games remaining and the win at Anfield may have just sealed it for the Red Devils.

Chelsea remains within sight of the leaders with a 2-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park courtesy of Didier Drogba's 29th goal of the season and Salomon Kalou's 82nd minute goal.

Arsenal bounced back from their recent disappoint to beat Reading at home to move within a point of third place Liverpool.

Elsewhere, West Ham's relegation battle looks doomed after throwing away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-4 to Tottenham. The Hammer's defensive frailities were cruelly exposed when Tottenham scored twice in as many minutes to down the fellow Londoners.

Wins were also recorded for Blackburn and Wigan.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]