CELEBRATE THE DAY

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Premier League - Owen out for three weeks

FOOTBALL 2009-2010 Champions League Manchester United Michael Owen - 0

Manchester United striker Michael Owen is set for three weeks on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of a groin problem in the 2-1 Champions League victory over Wolfsburg.

Owen, 29, had been hoping for a recall to Fabio Capello's England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus next month.

The striker picked up a groin injury over the weekend but had declared himself fit for the game against Wolfsburg but he was forced off after just 20 minutes.

"He felt his groin after training on Sunday and he trained a little bit on Monday but had a rest day on Tuesday and he thought he was fine," United manager Alex Ferguson said.

"But groins are groins and on a wet surface he turned quickly and it's gone again so we had to take him off.

"It's not a serious one but groin injuries can be troublesome and maybe two to three weeks. The only good part of it is his fitness levels are very good so he shouldn't need to worry too much about that."

manchesterunited 9/30/2009 10:56:00 PM

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Champions League - United overcome Wolfsburg

FOOTBALL Michael Carrick Manchester United - 0

Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick were on target as Manchester United came from behind to beat Wolfsburg 2-1 in an entertaining Champions League clash at Old Trafford.

The German champions took the lead after 56 minutes through Edin Dzeko's towering header but evergreen midfielder Giggs fired home a free-kick to pull United back on level terms just three minutes later.

Carrick curled home what proved to be the winner with 12 minutes remaining to give United two wins from two in Group B and inflict Wolfsburg's first defeat in the competition.

The Bundesliga side, making their debut in Europe's premier club competition this season, kicked off their campaign with an impressive 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow a fortnight ago, Brazilian striker Grafite completing a hat-trick with four minutes to go.

And Armin Veh's side continued where they left off in Germany, taking the game to their hosts in a rainy Manchester and making most of the early running.

Grafite and strike partner Dzeko started for the German club, with Obafemi Martins again forced to start on the bench, and early interchanges between the pair helped reinforce their reputation as a force to be reckoned with.

Certainly, United's backline appeared slightly unnerved by Wolfsburg's strong start to the game and both Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra gave the ball away cheaply within the opening 10 minutes.

Vidic's aberration, after just four minutes, allowed Zvjezdan Misimovic, Dzeko's Bosnian compatriot, the chance to shoot on goal and Tomasz Kuszczak, preferred to Ben Foster in United's goal, was forced into making his first save of the night.

As an attacking force, United struggled during the opening stages of the game, and part of the reason became clear when Dimitar Berbatov, who was overlooked in favour of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney, started to warm up on the sidelines on the quarter-hour mark.

In front of the watching Fabio Capello, Owen had tweaked his groin and was forced off the pitch with just 20 minutes played. Enter Berbatov, and United's attacking play became noticeably sharper.

His impact was almost immediate, the Bulgarian's backheel finding Antonio Valencia, who wastefully shot wide of the mark on 25 minutes.

Wayne Rooney then found the back of the net from Berbatov's ball across the face of goal but the strike was chalked off for offside. Replays later showed Berbatov to have been onside when he received the ball.

It was not the last time United were to have a goal disallowed on the night - Giggs also had an effort ruled out for offside after the break, and again it was a contentious decision as replays showed the Welshman was played in as the ball pinged off the legs of Misimovic.

With Berbatov pulling the strings, United looked a different proposition and Carrick nearly opened the scoring after having profited from the Bulgarian's clever through pass in the 30th minute.

Berbatov himself then fired over from Giggs's back-post cross before Carrick saw a diving header saved by Benaglio.

But Wolfsburg maintained a threat of their own and Christian Gentner's header over the bar on 34 minutes served as a reminder that at 0-0 this game was still up for grabs.

But it did not stay goalless for long and as Berbatov's influence diminished Wolfsburg broke the deadlock when Dzeko leapt above Evra to direct a header past Kuszczak 11 minutes into the second half.

United hit back almost immediately, Giggs notching his 150th goal for United with a heavily deflected free-kick that wrong-footed Benaglio in the Wolfsburg goal.

The goal gave United a lift and they surged forward in search of a winner. Rooney almost found it with a sumptuous curling effort that flew inches wide of the angle of post and bar before Carrick finally did, the England midfielder sending a shot into the top corner after Berbatov and Giggs conspired to tee him up on the edge of the penalty area.

But still the visitors refused to accept defeat and when Josue lifted his head with six minutes remaining, Old Trafford hearts were firmly in mouths. But his stabbed effort bounced wide and with it went Wolfsburg's hopes of getting anything from the game.

United are now three points clear at the top of Group B with six points. Wolfsburg and CSKA Moscow have three apiece while Besiktas are bottom with none after their defeat to the Russians in the day's early game.

manchesterunited 9/30/2009 10:42:00 AM

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Sunday, September 27, 2009

Premier League - Giggs sends United top

2009-2010 Stoke-Manchester United Ryan Giggs John O'Shea - 0

Manchester United went top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.

The champions' victory, coupled with Chelsea's 3-1 defeat at Wigan, meant they overtook Carlo Ancelotti's side on goal difference.

Second-half goals from Dimitar Berbatov and John O'Shea secured the points, but it was the introduction from the bench of Ryan Giggs that proved decisive.

The veteran midfielder unlocked a previously solid Stoke defence, setting up both goals and proving his enduring ability.

Sir Alex Ferguson kept faith with under-fire keeper Ben Foster, but the England man could hardly have had an easier time against his former club.

Foster had such an easy afternoon, he could have sat in the United goalmouth with his pipe and slippers and still kept a clean sheet.

United are used to being patient; just four of their 17 Premier League goals this season have come in the first half.

The only clear-cut chance before the break fell to winger Antonio Valencia, who has made a slow start to life with the champions.

The Ecuadorean winger raced in from the right flank and bore down on goal, but clipped his shot just past Thomas Sorensen's left-hand post.

Elsewhere it was just half-chances for United; Wayne Rooney hooked an early volley over, Nani was equally wayward and Berbatov saw a shot blocked.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis is an arch-pragmatist, putting results ahead of romance. Their performance in the top flight since summer 2008 shows it is working, and the Potters were happy to defend in numbers in front of their home crowd.

Time and again, there would be 21 players inside the Stoke half but no breakthrough for the champions, who were expertly forced wide from where the deliveries of Nani and Valencia lacked quality.

Dave Kitson provided Stoke's main threat, bothering Rio Ferdinand to distraction before a collision with Valencia saw him pick up a shin injury that put him off his game.

Stoke's disciplined display hardly made for great entertainment, but the 28,000 roaring fans inside the Britannia Stadium were clearly prepared to sacrifice that in exchange for a point against United.

However, on 54 minutes, Ferguson brought Giggs on for the disappointing Nani and the veteran soon showed what United had been missing.

Just after the hour mark, he received a Darren Fletcher pass in the left channel, then played a clever square ball across the six-yard line to present Berbatov with a tap-in.

It was just the sort of simple, intelligent play United will miss when the 35-year-old eventually ends his glittering career.

Having set out to protect the stalemate, Stoke struggled to shift into a more attacking gear.

The visitors continued to dominate possession and chance were fleeting and few for Stoke.

James Beattie and Tuncay Sanli came off the bench, but Giggs continued to exert his magisterial influence.

Having claimed three assists in last weekend's derby, the Welshman made it two against Stoke with a pinpoint free-kick that O'Shea glanced inside the far corner.

Giggs might have added a goal of his own when Paul Scholes found him unmarked, but sent the shot high over with the outside of his left boot.

manchesterunited 9/27/2009 07:33:00 AM

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Welbeck wira United

WELBECK (dua dari kiri) menerima ucapan tahniah daripada rakan-rakan sepasukannya selepas berjaya menjaringkan gol kemenangan United ke atas Wolves pada aksi Piala Liga kelmarin.

MANCHESTER - Danny Welbeck muncul wira Manchester United apabila dia menjaringkan gol tunggal ketika menewaskan Wolves 1-0 pada aksi pusingan ketiga Piala Liga kelmarin.

Penyerang lincah berusia 19 tahun itu menyudahkan gerakan satu dua bersama Michael Owen pada minit ke-66 dan meraikan jaringan tersebut dengan gaya tangan yang sering dilakukan oleh Usain Bolt.

Terdahulu, percaturan The Red Devils sedikit terjejas apabila pemain pertahanannya, Fabio Da Silva dibuang padang pada minit ke-30 selepas mengasari Mi- chael Kightly.

Pengurus United, Alex Ferguson secara berseloroh berkata bahawa beliau mahu diundi bertemu Peterborough yang dibimbing anaknya, Darren pada aksi pusi- ngan keempat nanti.

"Pasukan mana yang saya mahu jumpa selepas ini? Harap-harap bertemu Peterborough di tempat sendiri. Semua ahli keluarga kami akan gembira jika itu menjadi kenyataan," katanya.

Pada aksi kelmarin, pengadil Peter Walton melayangkan kad merah kepada Fabio selepas pemain muda dari Brazil itu melakukan terjahan keras terhadap Kight- ly.

"Pengadil memberikan kad merah secara serta-merta. Dia tidak beri peluang langsung. Mungkin dia sepatutnya menunggu beberapa saat sebelum membuat keputusan itu.

"Saya beranggapan Fabio tergelongsor dan dia cuba menarik semula kakinya yang secara tidak sengaja telah menjatuhkan pemain lawan itu.

"Tetapi itu semua merupakan peraturan dan dia terpaksa meninggalkan padang," jelas Ferguson. - Agensi

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Carling Cup - Ten-man United hold off Wolves

Manchester United's Danny Welbeck (C) shoots to score during their English League Cup soccer match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford REUTERS - 0

Ten-man Manchester United held on to defeat Wolves 1-0 thanks to a Danny Welbeck strike in their third round Carling Cup clash at Old Trafford.

Wolves were unable to take advantage of Fabio's 29th minute dismissal for a professional foul on Michael Kightly and United eased through to round four with the minimum of fuss thanks to Welbeck's composed 66th minute finish.

It was Wolves who had the first opportunity of the match after 12 minutes and the former United striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was the man with the chance.

Ebanks-Blake and Kightly had shared a few neat link-ups prior to this one and this time Kightly fed last season's top scorer in the Championship, who cut inside and hit a shot that had Tomasz Kuszczak at full stretch, but that in the end was just too high.

United, as is customary at Old Trafford, enjoyed the majority of possession, but in part due to Nani's inability to produce a final ball to back up his neat wing play, the hosts hadn't created a chance of note in the opening 28 minutes.

In the 29th minute Wolves broke after a United attack and when the ball broke loose after a challenge by Wes Brown on Stefan Maierhofer, Kightly was away and clear.

Fabio was caught on the wrong side and with Kightly bearing down on goal Fabio slipped and pulled the Wolves winger down with him, giving referee Peter Walton no option but to send the young defender off.

Wolves had a couple of chances to make their numerical advantage tell in the final quarter of an hour of the half, but David Jones, himself a former United youngster, was guilty of missing the best of them.

Goalmouth action was few and far between in the second half and other than a deflected 64th minute effort from Nani that struck Marcus Hahnemann's post and rebounded to safety, chances were at a premium and the match looked to be at a stalemate with Wolves reluctant to go all out for the win.

All that changed two minutes later when Michael Carrick picked out Owen on the edge of the Wolves penalty area and the striker played a perfectly weighted first time pass to Welbeck, who finished confidently past Hahnemann.

Wolves brought on Kevin Doyle for the tiring Ebanks-Blake and the Irish international had the best of the remaining chances in the game, however he found Kuszczak in decent form in goal for United and the visitors were unable to get back into the game.

manchesterunited 9/24/2009 07:23:00 AM

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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Premier League - Owen hero as United win derby

FOOTBALL 2009-2010 Premier League Substitute Michael Owen nets a dramatic injury-time winner as United beat City 4-3 in a pulsating Manchester derby at Old Trafford. - 0

FOOTBALL 2009-2010 Premier League Substitute Michael Owen nets a dramatic injury-time winner as United beat City 4-3 in a pulsating Manchester derby at Old Trafford. - 0

Substitute Michael Owen netted a dramatic injury-time winner as United beat City 4-3 in a pulsating Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Owen replaced Dimitar Berbatov on 78 minutes and struck with a typically cool finish in the sixth minute of injury time to settle a thrilling match in which City had three times come from behind.

Indeed, Craig Bellamy thought he had snatched a valuable point at the death when he netted his second of the game in the 90th minute, but Owen ensured he will go down in United folklore with an even later strike.

Wayne Rooney had given United the perfect start with the opener after just two minutes only for City to reply through Gareth Barry soon after. A Darren Fletcher brace in the second half twice restored United's lead with Bellamy maintaining City hope with his first in between.

The result means United keep in touch with leaders Chelsea, who beat Tottenham in the later kick-off to restore their three-point advantage at the top of the table, while City's first defeat of the season saw them remain in fourth.

That Owen managed to steal the headlines says much for the late drama at Old Trafford, given that the day also marked the return of Carlos Tevez to his former stomping ground.

The Argentine managed to shake off a knee injury to start against his former club but amicable scenes in the tunnel which saw Tevez hugging some of his old team-mates quickly disappeared as he was roundly booed on his entrance into the Old Trafford arena.

His every touch was subsequently jeered by those fans for whom he was an idol not so long ago.

But Tevez, who had said he expected to receive a warm welcome on his return, was not diminished by the reception and, almost inevitably, was heavily involved during an explosive first half.

Not only did his hassling and harrying create the chance for Barry to equalise, he was also booked for a late challenge on Rio Ferdinand and hit an upright before the half-time whistle sounded.

The day started in the worst possible fashion for City as Rooney capitalised on a shocking lapse of concentration in the visitors' defence in just the second minute, firing past Shay Given after the totally unmarked Patrice Evra was allowed to receive a throw-in and find the England striker in the box.

The goal rocked City and with United not giving an inch early on, the pre-match bluster surrounding a shift of power appeared to be nothing more than hot air.

But Mark Hughes's side are undoubtedly a different animal to the one on show last season and proved as much when they drew level 14 minutes later thanks to a combination of a calamitous blunder by Ben Foster and some typical Tevez tenacity.

The England keeper opted against finding row Z with a clearance, instead choosing to turn back inside his penalty area so he could pick up the ball. But he did not reckon on Tevez, who stole in and dispossessed him before playing the ball across to Barry. The midfielder still had a lot to do, but he coolly found the corner with a first-time strike.

As the opening period wore on the game settled, but Tevez reignited the excitement when the Argentine hit the woodwork after a careless Rooney backheel allowed Kolo Toure to advance and feed the former United man.

United burst out of the blocks in the second half in a similar vein to the first and Fletcher restored their lead just four minutes after the restart, rising highest to head home Ryan Giggs's cross.

Soon after Giggs, who was to become a central figure in the game, was denied a goal himself by the legs of Given.

But before United could extend their advantage, Bellamy thundered City level for a second time with a stunning strike on 52 minutes that flew into the top corner, leaving Foster no chance at all.

The goal came against the run of play but United did not allow it to derail their plan. Indeed they proceeded to dominate the remainder of the second half and should have wrapped up all three points much earlier than they did.

With Giggs pulling the strings, Berbatov in particular was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. That he did not had much to do with the excellent Given, who twice denied headers from the Bulgarian with fine saves.

Given beat a Giggs half-volley behind on 70 minutes, but there was nothing the Irishman could do about Fletcher's second, a near carbon copy of his first as United took the lead once again.

Still City refused to accept defeat and following an opportunity apiece for Shaun Wright-Phillips and Micah Richards, Bellamy ran through to finish brilliantly inside the near post after an uncharateristically sloppy piece of defending by Ferdinand.

The goal stunned the Old Trafford faithful while it sent the travelling City fans into raptures, but those roles were duly reversed when Owen swooped deep into injury time, leaving Hughes - and the blue half of Manchester - to wonder exactly why six minutes of injury time were added.

manchesterunited 9/20/2009 10:20:00 AM

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Scholes selamatkan maruah Man. United

SCHOLES (dua dari kiri) meraikan jaringannya bersama rakan sepasukan pada aksi Liga Juara-Juara menentang Besiktas kelmarin. United menang 1-0.

ISTANBUL - Jaringan tunggal Paul Scholes berjaya memastikan Manchester United memulakan kempen Liga Juara-Juara dengan noktah kejayaan setelah menang 1-0 ke atas kelab Turki, Besiktas kelmarin.

Scholes menanduk masuk gol tunggal tersebut pada minit ke-77 selepas penjaga gol Besiktas, Hakan Arikan menampan percubaan pemain sayap Portugal, Nani.

Sekalipun anak buahnya dilihat gagal menampilkan persembahan bertenaga, pengurus United, Alex Ferguson menegaskan, dia tetap berpuas hati dengan tugas yang dilaksanakan barisan Red Devils itu.

"Sejak beberapa tahun, Paul Scholes telah menyumbang banyak gol seperti itu dan ia memang gol yang penting bagi kami," kata Ferguson.

"Suasana di sini sangat hebat dan ia satu ujian bagi konsentrasi dan keberanian kamu, jadi ini adalah keputusan yang bagus bagi kami.

"Nani agak tidak bernasib baik gagal menyumbang gol buat dirinya tetapi Paul Scholes telah jalankan tugasnya dengan baik. Ia memang satu jaringan yang biasa daripada Paul Scholes."

Kebanyakan gerakan United termasuk jaringan kemenangan itu banyak melibatkan pemain baru, Antonio Valencia dan aksi bekas pemain sayap Wigan itu turut mendapat pujian Ferguson.

"Antonio sentiasa mendatangkan ancaman kepada pasukan lawan," kata Ferguson.

"Dia banyak menjana gerakan dan kami sepatutnya melakukannya dengan lebih baik lagi. Dia ada potensi menjadi pemain yang baik. Dia kuat, bertenaga dan penuh semangat." - AFP

manchesterunited 9/17/2009 10:31:00 AM

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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Premier League - United end Tottenham run

Wayne Rooney scores for Manchester United against Tottenham in the Premier League at White Hart Lane - 0

Ten-man Manchester United came from a goal down to win 3-1 at White Hart Lane and end Tottenham's 100 per cent Premier League record.

Jermain Defoe opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick after just 47 seconds, but thereafter things went downhill for Spurs.

A Ryan Giggs free-kick, Anderson's first United goal and a Wayne Rooney strike turned the match around, and not even Paul Scholes's red card could halt the champions' progress.

After opening the season with four wins, Harry Redknapp's side were knocked off their perch after an afternoon that began so magnificently when Defoe launched himself acrobatically at a dropping ball and powered a picture perfect bicycle kick past Ben Foster.

It was his eighth goal in as many appearances for club and country this season, and the kind of strike that only a man at the top of his game would attempt, let alone execute to perfection.

Tottenham have never been a team to sit on a lead, and within a minute they presented United with a chance to level. Dimitar Berbatov backheeled into the path of Scholes, who dragged his shot disappointingly wide.

Less than four minutes in, United went close again. Darren Fletcher seized on a loose ball on the right side of the box and brought a fine save from Carlo Cudicini with his low shot.

Defoe's early piece of genius seemed to inspire others to attempt the spectacular, and Peter Crouch did just that when he chested down a long clearance and, in one motion, volleyed the ball goalwards from 30 yards but watched it sail off target.

Crouch forced a save out of Foster with another volley, while Tom Huddlestone also tried a volley on his left foot but sent it over.

On 25 minutes, Wilson Palacios went into the book for a two-footed challenge on Berbatov, but a worse punishment was to come.

The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford meant very little free-kick practice for Giggs, but the Portuguese's departure for Real Madrid has allowed the veteran to dust off his shooting boots.

Rooney helped disguise the Welshman's run-up, and Giggs curled the ball past Cudicini into the top-right corner.

Giggs, nearly 36, is a man who simply oozes statistics. This was his 700th start for United, and he has now scored in each of the last 18 league campaigns.

Anderson, by contrast, had failed to find the net in any of his 77 previous games for United.

His goal drought has always seemed baffling considering his willingness to get forward and have a shot, and is even harder to understand after watching him thump the ball low into the right corner from the edge of the box.

The Brazilian even had a machine-gun celebration prepared - clearly one that had been more than two years in the making.

Spurs started the second half in impressively determined fashion. Robbie Keane had a shot deflected over, Jermaine Jenas forced a brilliant save from Foster and Crouch headed against the bar - simply too tall to convert his towering header.

United, meanwhile, threatened to self-destruct. In the space of eight minutes Scholes executed two of his trademark late, wild tackles that left referee Andre Marriner no option but to send him off.

It was the ninth dismissal of the 34-year-old's career; we can definitively say he will never learn.

Alex Ferguson reacted by replacing Berbatov with Michael Carrick - both ex-Spurs men were heartily booed when the change was made - and United barely noticed any difference.

Rooney went close with a low shot that brought a brilliant save from Cudicini, then made it three on 78 minutes after a counter-attack from a Tottenham free-kick.

With Sebastien Bassong and Ledley King upfield, Rooney cut in from the right, bamboozled Alan Hutton and finished through the legs of Cudicini.

manchesterunited 9/13/2009 09:17:00 AM

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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Saya janji - Rooney

ROONEY (tengah) mahu terus menabur bakti di Old Trafford.

LONDON - Penyerang sensasi Manchester United, Wayne Rooney berjanji kepada peminat The Red Devils bahawa dia tidak akan mengikut jejak Cristiano Ronaldo.

Janji tersebut pastinya sesuatu yang amat bermakna bagi peminat United tatkala bintang England itu meraikan ulang tahunnya yang kelima di Old Trafford.

Rooney, 23, kini menjadi tonggak paling utama United sejak Ronaldo menyertai Real Madrid awal musim ini.

Setelah meledakkan lima gol buat United musim ini, Rooney menegaskan, dia akan terus menyumbang lebih banyak gol buat The Red Devils.

"Saya selalu katakan bahawa saya sayangkan kelab ini dan selagi saya diperlukan di sini, saya akan terus bermain di sini. Tiada satu sebab pun untuk saya meninggalkan kelab ini.

"Saya telah dapat segalanya yang saya mahu. Keluarga saya tinggal hanya 30 minit dari sini, saya juga selesa di sini dan secara jujurnya saya sendiri tidak dapat gambaran yang saya akan pergi melainkan pengurus mahukan saya pergi," kata Rooney.

Untuk rekod, Rooney telah meledakkan 102 gol buat United sejak pengurus, Alex Ferguson membawanya dari Everton pada Ogos 2004.

- Agensi

manchesterunited 9/02/2009 07:10:00 AM

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