Rooney fires United to opening day victory
Rooney scored his 99th Manchester United goal
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Sunday, 16, Aug 2009 03:21
By Matt Fortune.
Wayne Rooney notched the only goal of the game as Manchester United begun the post-Ronaldo era with an uninspiring win over newly-promoted Birmingham City.
The England man was a shining beacon in a new-look side that flattered to deceive, especially when the visitors showed signs of life in the final third.
It is easy, and perhaps lazy, to draw comparisons with a United team who last season contained the greatest player on the planet, but those watching couldn't help but feel an absence of urgency that has become custom in the Old Trafford wide areas.
Of course, United have lost big players before and to say the departure of one man leads to a season of transition is wide of the mark. However a glance at the team-sheet told an interesting story.
Just three of those that had been so embarrassingly outclassed by Barcelona in the Champions League final started this match. A new formation and injuries, of course, have taken their toll with Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic all sidelined.
In recent years the Old Trafford faithful have endured frustrating opening weekend home rubbers. Their respective opponents in 2007 and 2008, Reading and Newcastle, both forced draws but were in mourning come May. Superstitious Birmingham fans may then take solace from this defeat.
And as the scoreline suggests, it wasn't the stroll in the park many had predicted for the defending Champions. In fact James McFadden's tame shot was one of several early forays into enemy territory from the Blues. At the other end Dimitar Berbatov capitalised on Joe Hart's scuffed kick and tumbled under the attentions of Carr. If a foul had been given a red card would surely have followed.
Rooney then took up the role of tormentor-in-chief. Midway through the half he showed the craft and graft that will make him spearhead England's World Cup campaign next summer. Shortly after a typically boulder-like surge teed up Nani, whose shot was blocked by a succession of blue shirts, the striker fashioned a dipping, curling shot of such elegance that Hart had to be at his best to claw it over the bar.
For all the host's possession, though, it was the keeper's only real moment of consternation. Nani was twice wasteful and Rooney too perhaps could have reacted quicker to a bouncing ball in the six-yard box.
But the hosts were turning up the heat and Birmingham's defence duly melted. Captain for the day John O'Shea pumped the ball forward, Rooney won the first header and Berbatov helped it on to Nani. The Portuguese - no not the Portuguese - took one touch and caressed a cross onto the head of an unmarked Rooney. The initial effort cannoned off the post but it was the United man who reacted quickest to nudge the ball into the unguarded net.
Unlike the majority of teams who concede at Old Trafford, Birmingham to their credit didn't capitulate and instead sought an instant return to all square - Jerome slashed an effort wide via the slightest nick of Scholes' heel. From the resulting corner Franck Queudrue glanced a header goalwards only to be thwarted by Patrice Evra flying across the line.
In stoppage time Evra and Nani combined well on the left and when the ball was rolled square it looked for all the world that United would go in with a two-goal cushion. As it was, Fletcher would have 15 minutes to sit and stew on the most glaring miss of the opening weekend.
Rooney almost provided the perfect tonic to the miss two minutes after the restart with a speculative half-volley and then almost turned creator with a cute flick to the far post that Queudrue stretched to nip off the head of Berbatov.
Keith Fahey's fierce daisy-cutter forced Foster into emergency action as Birmingham reminded United just how precarious a one-goal lead can be. From then McFadden and Jerome both got whiffs of goal and the home side at times looked ragged under pressure.
Berbatov then did a little reminding of his own with a slaloming run between a bank of City defenders and shortly after he had a header cleared off the line by Lee Carsley. It was, though, his final act before being replaced by Michael Owen.
At the same time Birmingham also gave a league debut to their main summer signing. Within minutes of coming on Christian Benitez, who had question marks over his fitness in the lead up to the new season, showed just why Alex McLeish has shelled out the best part of £8 million pounds on the Ecuadorian. His run, swivel and shot, though was expertly saved by Foster.
There was still time for Owen to stamp his mark on the match but despite the freedom of Birmingham's final third, he fluffed his lines and offered of a simple save for Hart. If United are to make it four titles in a row, performances will have to improve and such profligacy will have to be wiped from the slate.