Manchester United XI conceded a league goal for the first time in over three months as they walked through familiar rivals RACK F.C. with a 1-4 scoreline. United. RACK F.C. finished third in Division 7:64 last season and were beaten 0-6 by United in the same fixture last season. The reverse fixture at Old Trafford also ended in a 4-0 win for United.
Going into the match billed as one of Sir Brown Knight's fittest squads ever, United needed only 47 seconds to open the scoring as the hosts were left stunned by defender Alípio Abrantes' bullet of a goal from 30 yards out. By the half hour mark, United were 0-3 up and in cruise control.
Sir Brown made three changes at half time, allowing game time for his substitutes while allowing key players some rest. Summer signings Johnnie Rogers and Andres Jubera both found the net, the former bagging a brace to take his tally to 7 goals in 3 starts so far, while the latter has chalked up 6 goals in 4 starts so far.
If United's attacking prowess was dependant on John-Erik Wall last season, the manager seems to have found two players capable of sharing the goal-scoring duties equally this season. Jubera, who also replaced Wall as the main freekick taker, also has three assists to his name, while five other players have two assists each, including summer signing Szilárd Lengyel, who set up United's first two goals tonight.
Roger's second, and United's fourth came in the 66th minute, and the visitors started to ease the pressure. It often happens when a team is leading comfortably that complacency creeps in, and the game took a turn in the 75th minute when the United defense failed to clear a routine corner, and the ball fell at Frans Timander's feet just outside the box. The defender kept his cool as Ricardo Peixeiro charged at him, and laid a through pass for Carl-Evert Modin to tap in the consolation goal.
Marked man Daniel Salas was then substituted and the hosts upped the ante, forcing more red shirts to fall back and defend, something they have grown unaccustomed to over the last season. Defender Jöran Wahlman went in too hard for a tackle and looked to have pulled a muscle, limping off to the touchline to receive treatment as the remaining 7 minutes were played, United's first red cross injury this season, the defender will be sidelined for at least two games.
With fellow Malaysian side Rexshock FC chalking up their fifth win in a row without conceding any goals, the pressure will be on United to keep their position at the top of the league when both sides meet managerless clubs next week, before the top of the table clash that will pretty much decide the Division 6:64 title, the following week. Until that day arrives, one thing will be etched in the players' and fans' minds alike - United Are No Longer Invincible.
|