Manchester United`s Nani scores twice, Red Devils beat Manchester City in Community Shield at Wembley
Baku, August 8 (AZERTAC). Manchester United underlined their determination to hold off cross-city Barclays Premier League title rivals Manchester City as Nani`s last-gasp winner clinched a 3-2 victory in the Community Shield at Wembley.
Sir Alex Ferguson`s side trailed 2-0 at half-time after big-spending City took advantage of poor goalkeeping from new United goalkeeper David De Gea to score through Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko.
But United had been the better side for much of the first half, and the champions tore into City after the break.
The Red Devils scored through Chris Smalling and Nani before the Portuguese winger snatched the stoppage-time winner.
United have won the curtain-raiser to the English football season four times in the past five years, and the victory provided the perfect conclusion their pre-season program ahead of the start of the Barclays Premier League season next weekend.
Ferguson has always played down the significance of the Community Shield, but the bitter memories of their FA Cup semi-final by City last season provided United with more motivation than usual.
This may have been a friendly in name, but the derby factor and the feeling FA Cup winners City will be the main challengers for United`s title gave an added spice to the occasion.
Some of the tackles were laced with venom, and City defender Micah Richards was lucky to avoid becoming a rare Community Shield dismissal as he caught Ashley Young with a nasty studs-up lunge.
Ferguson`s side looked the more cohesive unit, yet City opened the scoring against the run of play when Lescott headed home a David Silva free-kick in the 38th minute.
Nani saw a free-kick deflected just wide as United tried to hit back, but City were transformed. The Sky Blues` previously disjointed attack buzzed with menace, and Dzeko increased their lead in first-half stoppage-time.
If De Gea were partly at fault for the first goal, the Spaniard will surely feel he should have done much better with the second after Dzeko tried his luck with a long-range effort.
Ferguson replaced Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Michael Carrick at half-time, and United were back in the game within seven minutes.
Dzeko undid his earlier good work after Young curled in a free-kick, allowing Smalling to run free and gifting the defender space to volley past City goalkeeper Joe Hart from close-range.
United rediscovered the verve that had swept through City for much of the first half, and they equalised when Nani capped a breathtaking move in the 58th minute.
With no extra time, it looked like penalties would be needed to settle the tie as the four minutes of stoppage-time wound down.
But there was a sting in the tail as United punted a clearance downfield from a City corner.
Nani was the only United player anywhere near the ball, and he evaded Vincent Kompany`s weak attempted tackle and sprinted clear to round Hart and slot home the winner with virtually the last kick of the game.
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