Nani's injury-time goal settled a wonderful Community Shield victory for Manchester United, as the title holders roared back from two goals down to defeat Manchester City 3-2 at Wembley.
The Portuguese winger had already netted with a jaw-dropping equaliser in what turned out to be the highest-scoring of these encounters since 1992. He then capitalised on Vincent Kompany's blunder to win a game that seemed City's for the taking after Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko had taken advantage of goalkeeper David De Gea's hesitancy.
But Sir Alex Ferguson's introduction of three younger members of his squad at the break triggered a comeback for which United are so famed, Chris Smalling got the ball rolling six minutes after the restart, triggering a richly-deserved victory charge for the Premier League champions.
"I couldn't believe we were 2-0 down at half-time after it looked like we were controlling the game but credit to the players, they kept their heads," Ferguson said. "They have courage to keep the ball and are not intimidated by rough tackling."
It had been some 24 hours for Danny Welbeck. Selected for England ahead of Jermain Defoe yesterday, he started this afternoon's showpiece while Dimitar Berbatov was on the bench and Michael Owen remained in his suit. The 20-year-old was part of a scintillating performance from the Red Devils that lacked only an opening goal.
The referee issued some strict instructions to Blues skipper Kompany after another shuddering lunge from Nigel de Jong, this time on Welbeck.
The Portuguese winger had already netted with a jaw-dropping equaliser in what turned out to be the highest-scoring of these encounters since 1992. He then capitalised on Vincent Kompany's blunder to win a game that seemed City's for the taking after Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko had taken advantage of goalkeeper David De Gea's hesitancy.
But Sir Alex Ferguson's introduction of three younger members of his squad at the break triggered a comeback for which United are so famed, Chris Smalling got the ball rolling six minutes after the restart, triggering a richly-deserved victory charge for the Premier League champions.
"I couldn't believe we were 2-0 down at half-time after it looked like we were controlling the game but credit to the players, they kept their heads," Ferguson said. "They have courage to keep the ball and are not intimidated by rough tackling."
It had been some 24 hours for Danny Welbeck. Selected for England ahead of Jermain Defoe yesterday, he started this afternoon's showpiece while Dimitar Berbatov was on the bench and Michael Owen remained in his suit. The 20-year-old was part of a scintillating performance from the Red Devils that lacked only an opening goal.
Between them, Welbeck, Wayne Rooney, Nani and new signing Ashley Young cut City's midfield apart. Had United's final ball been better, they surely would have got their noses in front. As it was, though, Lescott got in the way of efforts from Young, Smalling and Welbeck. Rooney curled a free-kick narrowly wide.
City's tackling grew increasingly desperate and after Mario Balotelli and Dzeko had got themselves embroiled with Nemanja Vidic and Anderson respectively, Micah Richards was fortunate to stay on the field for a studs-first lunge on Young that sent the former Aston Villa winger flying.The referee issued some strict instructions to Blues skipper Kompany after another shuddering lunge from Nigel de Jong, this time on Welbeck.
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