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Played
July 25, 2010 6:00 PM EDT
July 25, 2010 6:00 PM EDT
Top of the Match
To Be Announced Shortly
Kei Kamara
Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City
Flop of the Match
To Be Announced Shortly
Darron Gibson
Manchester United
Manchester United
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Kansas City Wizards 2-1 Manchester United: MLS Club Stun English Giants
10-men Kansas City were able to down the mighty Red Devils.
By Andrea Canales
The Kansas City Wizards did their fans proud in an international friendly versus Manchester United, defeating the English squad 2-1, despite being a man down for most of the game. Over 50,000 attended the match, which was played under sunny skies.
First Half
Despite the match being an exhibition, there was great energy in the game right from the start.
United were obviously without quite a few of their top players, mostly those who had participated in the World Cup, as these players were granted an extended rest period. Still, the quality of the starters versus Kansas City was high, featuring Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Nani, and Paul Scholes.
The Kansas City Wizards are currently in a difficult season in Major League Soccer and in danger of not making the playoffs, but their midseason form showed in their speed and hustle. That fitness led directly to the opening goal in the 11th minute, when veteran Davey Arnaud latched on to a through-ball, just beating the offside trap. Arnaud took a perfect touch past Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos and scored with a low shot to the far post.
Manchester United tried to respond, but although a few individual players showed off their skill, the connection between the squad as a whole was lacking.
It was actually Kansas City with the next quality chance when Ryan Smith had the ball on his foot in the box, but his soft shot toward goal allowed Amos to dive and collect the attempt.
A yellow card to Ryan Giggs in the 30th, as he and Kansas City defender Michael Harrington tussled in the box before a corner, set the tone for feisty play between the teams. Giggs was obviously set on doing all he could to pull his team back into the game.
Wizards goalkeeper Neilson was doing his best to maintain the lead. He stopped a close shot from Nani, and then pushed a quality distance attempt from Scholes wide.
However, United did find the equalizer they sought in minute 40. Berbatov slipped behind the defenders to collect a ball in the box and Kansas City captain Jimmy Conrad, trying to tackle the ball away from behind, upended the forward.
Not only was the penalty granted, but Conrad, as the last defender besides the goalkeeper, was shown a red card.
Berbatov put the penalty past Neilson with confidence.
The lead, though, only lasted seconds for United. The Wizards marched up the field and earned a corner. As the excellent service spun into the box, Kei Kamara flew to meet it with a header that hit the crossbar before entering the goal.
United seemed stunned at giving up a goal so soon after gaining a considerable advantage, and they weren’t really able to respond for the rest of the half.
Second Half
Intent on capitalizing on having an extra player on the field, Manchester United pressed hard for the equalizer immediately. Backup goalkeeper Eric Krongberg had to push a ball out in his area in the 46th minute as scrambling forwards and defenders fell over each other trying to reach it.
After that, though, the game settled into a pattern of attacks by Manchester United that were stifled time and again by the Wizards. Since they were more fit than the United players, the Wizards were not so terribly disadvantaged by the more closed style of play than one would imagine. Manchester United would have to earn their goal, as the Wizards were not giving anything away.
On the counter, the Wizards still managed to look dangerous. In the 70th minute, Kamara slid a probing square pass into the run of Jack Jewsbury, who cracked a nice shot toward the far post that forced a full-stretch diving save from Amos to prevent the goal.
Both teams made a number of substitutions under the liberal rules for exhibitions. Sir Alex Ferguson seemed eager to see which of his young players, like Frederico Macheda or Tom Cleverly, would impress even under adverse conditions.
Though Manchester United’s new additions to the field of play tried to bring energy to their attack, they were stymied repeatedly by the Wizards’ defense and Kronberg. Late in the game, Kronberg even picked the ball up off the head of United player who had fallen in the box. Kronberg successfully secured the rebound from the attempted shot, preventing any possible damage.
At that point, it seemed as if all the Wizards players, save substitute Sunil Chhetri, who was still playing up front, were defenders.
The tactic was necessary, though, to give Kansas City the best chance at holding on to the result. Coach Peter Vermes kept exhorting his players to stay strong and keep battling for every ball. Their efforts were rewarded and ultimately justified when the final whistle blew on an improbable and surprising win for the MLS team.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
First Half
Despite the match being an exhibition, there was great energy in the game right from the start.
United were obviously without quite a few of their top players, mostly those who had participated in the World Cup, as these players were granted an extended rest period. Still, the quality of the starters versus Kansas City was high, featuring Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Nani, and Paul Scholes.
The Kansas City Wizards are currently in a difficult season in Major League Soccer and in danger of not making the playoffs, but their midseason form showed in their speed and hustle. That fitness led directly to the opening goal in the 11th minute, when veteran Davey Arnaud latched on to a through-ball, just beating the offside trap. Arnaud took a perfect touch past Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos and scored with a low shot to the far post.
Manchester United tried to respond, but although a few individual players showed off their skill, the connection between the squad as a whole was lacking.
It was actually Kansas City with the next quality chance when Ryan Smith had the ball on his foot in the box, but his soft shot toward goal allowed Amos to dive and collect the attempt.
A yellow card to Ryan Giggs in the 30th, as he and Kansas City defender Michael Harrington tussled in the box before a corner, set the tone for feisty play between the teams. Giggs was obviously set on doing all he could to pull his team back into the game.
Wizards goalkeeper Neilson was doing his best to maintain the lead. He stopped a close shot from Nani, and then pushed a quality distance attempt from Scholes wide.
However, United did find the equalizer they sought in minute 40. Berbatov slipped behind the defenders to collect a ball in the box and Kansas City captain Jimmy Conrad, trying to tackle the ball away from behind, upended the forward.
Not only was the penalty granted, but Conrad, as the last defender besides the goalkeeper, was shown a red card.
Berbatov put the penalty past Neilson with confidence.
The lead, though, only lasted seconds for United. The Wizards marched up the field and earned a corner. As the excellent service spun into the box, Kei Kamara flew to meet it with a header that hit the crossbar before entering the goal.
United seemed stunned at giving up a goal so soon after gaining a considerable advantage, and they weren’t really able to respond for the rest of the half.
Second Half
Intent on capitalizing on having an extra player on the field, Manchester United pressed hard for the equalizer immediately. Backup goalkeeper Eric Krongberg had to push a ball out in his area in the 46th minute as scrambling forwards and defenders fell over each other trying to reach it.
After that, though, the game settled into a pattern of attacks by Manchester United that were stifled time and again by the Wizards. Since they were more fit than the United players, the Wizards were not so terribly disadvantaged by the more closed style of play than one would imagine. Manchester United would have to earn their goal, as the Wizards were not giving anything away.
On the counter, the Wizards still managed to look dangerous. In the 70th minute, Kamara slid a probing square pass into the run of Jack Jewsbury, who cracked a nice shot toward the far post that forced a full-stretch diving save from Amos to prevent the goal.
Both teams made a number of substitutions under the liberal rules for exhibitions. Sir Alex Ferguson seemed eager to see which of his young players, like Frederico Macheda or Tom Cleverly, would impress even under adverse conditions.
Though Manchester United’s new additions to the field of play tried to bring energy to their attack, they were stymied repeatedly by the Wizards’ defense and Kronberg. Late in the game, Kronberg even picked the ball up off the head of United player who had fallen in the box. Kronberg successfully secured the rebound from the attempted shot, preventing any possible damage.
At that point, it seemed as if all the Wizards players, save substitute Sunil Chhetri, who was still playing up front, were defenders.
The tactic was necessary, though, to give Kansas City the best chance at holding on to the result. Coach Peter Vermes kept exhorting his players to stay strong and keep battling for every ball. Their efforts were rewarded and ultimately justified when the final whistle blew on an improbable and surprising win for the MLS team.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking- Fans' Man of the Match
- Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In EDT
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker Real Madrid |
5 | 1 |
|
Karim Benzema
Striker Real Madrid |
5 | 0 |
|
Heiðar Helguson
Striker QPR |
5 | 0 |
|
Jason Roberts
Striker Blackburn Rovers |
4 | 1 |
|
Wayne Rooney
Striker Man United |
4 | 0 |