Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United

The FA Community Shield
The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Arsenal's young legs and old heads combined to help them lift The FA Community Shield in partnership with McDonald's, as three second half goals were too much for Manchester United.

Spanish youngster Jose Antonio Reyes collected the man-of-the-match award for a dazzling display leading Arsenal's line, which he capped with a well-taken goal.  But his captain for the day, Dennis Bergkamp, at 15 years his senior, was as equally important in an entertaining Cardiff curtain-raiser. 

Let's face it though, games between Arsenal and United are rarely dull and from the opening moments, both teams made their intentions clear; neither wanted to lose.

In a similar fashion to how last season ended, the new season begun. Arsenal were the more composed, using the ball extremely well to carve out a couple of good early chances. However, United were always a danger, and with the likes of Scholes, Giggs, Keane and Smith about, anything could have happened.

On the day though, United lacked the killer pass and the clinical marksman that Arsenal had in not only Reyes and Bergkamp, but Thierry Henry, too. 

However, it was United – through their skipper Roy Keane – who enjoyed the first attempt, but after receiving the ball from new team-mate Alan Smith, the Irishman drove high and wide from long-range.

Then Arsenal slipped into gear with the ball spending much of the time rolling from one blue-socked foot to another along the lush, green Millennium turf. The man largely responsible, Dennis Bergkamp, whose combination of skill and strength made him a good bet for first goal-scorer.

Those punters with the Dutchman’s name on their slips would have been preparing for their trips to the bookie's counter just before the half-hour mark. After forcing John O’Shea into an error just inside United territory, the 35-year old played a one-two with Henry setting himself free on goal. But, with just Howard to beat, he lost his footing and tumbled to the floor to the mocking cries of ‘Aahh’ from the United fans behind the net.

By that time, Bergkamp had already had his hand in three good Arsenal chances. On six minutes his powerful frame held off Silvestre on the right, before his pass to Jermaine Pennant left the Frenchman for dead. Pennant rolled nicely for Henry whose slide in almost prodded the ball beyond Tim Howard.

Bergkamp then had a 25-yard drive well saved by the American at full-stretch, before a Henry-inspired move ended with the Arsenal number 10 chipping over the goal from the edge of the area.

But the slip looked to put him off his game for the remainder of the first half, and from where one blond star started another continued.

Alan Smith, a summer signing from Leeds United, was his cavalier-self, mixing it, as he loves to do, with all and sundry in an Arsenal shirt, namely Lauren and Gilberto.

The 23-year old also had United’s best chance with five minutes of the first half left, but rather lashed at David Bellion’s cross from the right sending it into the Arsenal supporters in the North Stand.

He then tried his hand at delivery and this was far more accurate, picking out an un-marked Gary Neville with a left-foot cross, and the England full-back’s header was tipped over by Lehmann to keep the scores at half-time level.

No sooner had the teams returned after the break than Arsenal had broken the deadlock and we were in the goals.

Reyes sent the Manchester United fans into raptures when his silky run down the centre got the better of the United rear-guard, sent Howard to the grass and ended with a shot into the side-netting when it looked easier to score.

He couldn’t believe his luck as he held his face to cover any bright red cheeks. But his next action provided the first goal and this time it was the Gunners faithful cheering.

Bergkamp’s breakaway pass into the right-hand channel put Reyes clear, but with his recent miss still at the front of his mind, the support of Van Persie and Gilberto must have been a relief. The pass to the Brazilian handed him a mere tap-in to register his second Community Shield goal in three seasons.

United immediately made changes, taking off Quentin Fortune, Giggs and Keane, and it looked like Sir Alex’s thoughts had turned to the Champions League qualifier in midweek.

Not that he’d told his players this though. And after just five minutes behind Smith brought United level with a wonderful strike.

As Kolo Toure attempted a routine clearance, Smith’s trademark tenacity charged down his kick. Then, allowing just one bounce, the Yorkshireman smashed a swerving volley past Lehmann and inside the upright.

It was against the run of play, but it posed the question to Arsenal. ‘Let’s see what you’ve got now.’ Having been beaten to the Premiership title by Wenger’s rampant side last season, they should have known the answer.

If not, they do now, and Arsenal showed that, even without Vieira and a by-now-substituted Henry, they still have the ability to make teams chase with their quick-passing and counter-attacking football.

Reyes’ strike came three minutes later.  Bergkamp pulled the strings on the right as United looked exposed.  Gilberto made a target on the edge of the area and was able to knock down, across the 18-yard line, to the boy from Seville to slip in under Howard. 

Ashley Cole soon rounded off the afternoon thanks to the boot of Mikael Silvestre.

O’Shea and Bellion tangled on the United right, allowing Cole to carry the ball into the United box. One look up from the full-back and he knew that across the box is where he wanted to stroke the ball. That he tried, but Silvestre’s deflection sent it beyond Howard and handed Arsenal revenge for last year’s penalty defeat.

Attention now turns to next week’s Premiership opening, and Arsenal once again look the team to beat. But you can never rule out United.

The Teams:

Arsenal
Jens Lehmann, Ashley Cole, Jose Antonio Reyes (Hoyte, 79), Dennis Bergkamp (c) (Aliadiere, 62 (Clichy, 69)), Lauren, Thierry Henry (Van Persie, 46), Cese Fabregas (Svard, 87), Pascal Cygan, Gilberto, Jermaine Pennant, Kolo Toure.
Subs: Robin Van Persie, Phillippe Senderos, Gael Clichy, Manuel Almunia, Jeremie Aliadiere, Justin Hoyte, Sebastian Svard

Goals: Gilberto 50, Reyes 58, Silvestre (og) 79

Manchester United
Tim Howard, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs (Forlan, 51), David Bellion, Alan Smith (Richardson, 74), Roy Keane (c) (Fletcher, 51), Paul Scholes (Eagles, 74), Eric Djemba Djemba, John O'Shea (Spector, 82), Quinton Fortune (P Neville, 51), Mikael Silvestre.
Subs: Phil Neville, Roy Carroll, Diego Forlan, Kieran Richardson, Darren Fletcher, Jonathan Spector, Christopher Eagles.

Goals: Smith 55

Attendance: 63, 317