The Manchester Allstars lined up with
Van De Sar (Paley) in goal, Evre (Sav) left back, Neville (Lol) right back, and the experienced partnership of Ferdinand (Gladis) and Vidic (Street) at the centre of defence. Giggs (Dugs/Russ), Hargreaves (Mitch), Scholes (Ricky), and Ronaldo (Miles) making up a strong midfield, with Saha (Botterill) and Rooney (Kelly) leading the attack.
Against a mediocre Crown&Goose Wanderers at Regents Park in the Group Cup.
The class difference between the two sides became immediately evident as Hargreaves took control of the midfield battle, sweeping up every loose ball, and potential break from Wanderers – and with Saha and Rooney combining well up front, some fine attacking moves began to materialise.
The first of note came from Ronaldo, who out-maneouvred his full back marker, and crossed low and hard, with Saha connecting enough to trouble the keeper who could only parry to Giggs – who tried to finish off, but somehow the keeper scrambled across to deflect the shot on to the bar and out to safety. Should have been 1-0.
Moments later, a perfect through ball from Rooney put through Saha, who shot hard and low from the right hand side of the area, but it was saved well by the Wanderers keeper yet again.
Some good communication and patient play by the back four, saw the Allstars maintain possession and create one more chance in the first half from a precision pass from Hargreaves, who fed Ronaldo, but he couldn’t quite get the ball from under his feet, in a one on one, and the opportunity was lost.
Half-time came withn a surprising 0-0 scoreline.
After a calming HT teamtalk from Alex Ferguson, the Allstars got off to a cracking start, led by the influential Rooney, who was everywhere.
Picking the ball up deep, controlling the game, looking for the right option – throughout the second half.
Allstars did not have to wait long for the breakthrough – when a fine corner from Ronaldo found Vidic who glanced a powerful header in, to give them a 1-0 lead.
Within 5 minutes, a masterful throughball from Saha between the centre back and full back of Wanderers, found the oncoming Ronaldo who’s pace sent him through ahead of any defenders. However a storming out keeper, looked like he was going to prevent a goal, were it not for a clever and classy dink from Ronaldo over the keeper, which travelled into the net.
2-0 Allstars, 55 mins gone.
The victory was sealed, when an almost exact replay of the second goal, gave the Allstars a 3-0 win – Saha, to Ronaldo, on coming keeper, this time a finish under the body.
The Allstars then coasted the remaining 30 minutes, with strong performance from Vidic, Hargreaves and Rooney especially.
A one-off goal from Wanderers goal from a corner kick, was cancelled out by some typical terrier-like play from Rooney who beat his man on the by-line, cut in, to cross over the keepers head perfectly, for the on-rushing Evre, who captured his first goal for the Allstars, with a fine volleyed finish.
4-1 final score.
8-0 and 4-1 in the group cup – one draw with Music Choice on 25th November sees the Allstars through to the quarterfinal of the Group Cup on Dec 9th.
Well done all, a fine display of good football.
MOTM = Close call between Hargreaves (Mitch) and Rooney (Kelly) – because both controlled the game, but it was Roooonster who wins the day, because he was simply first class in everything he did. Not a foot wrong all day, and showed his experience and importance to the team, battling, creating and assisting all day.
