The Hindu : Sport / Football : Good wins for Chelsea, Manchester United

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 22, 2006

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Sport - Football

Good wins for Chelsea, Manchester United

LONDON: Chelsea began its title defence with a 3-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, and Wayne Rooney scored twice to lead Manchester United over Fulham 5-1 in the English Premier League.

Despite the absence of Michael Ballack and five others, Chelsea took a 2-0 lead after goals from captain John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard in the first 26 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Didier Drogba headed in the third in the 78th.

Terry, who scored the first in England's 4-0 victory over Greece on Wednesday, turned home a right-wing free kick from Arjen Robben in the 11th minute. Fourteen minutes later, Lampard collected a pass from Michael Essien and scored with a low 18-metre (yard) shot that took a deflection off City defender Richard Dunne.

City's chances of coming back were dented when striker Bernardo Corradi was sent off for his second yellow card in the 63rd minute.

The third Chelsea goal was a top quality strike with Robben feeding Wayne Bridge with an expertly timed pass down the left and the left-back aiming a cross toward Drogba. The lanky Ivory Coast striker was initially facing the wrong way but he headed the ball powerfully inside the near post.

Strong force

At Old Trafford, United showed it is still a strong attacking force even without Ruud van Nistelrooy, who moved to Real Madrid. The host scored four goals in the first 19 minutes, and Rooney added the fifth in the second half.

Former Fulham striker Louis Saha and Cristiano Ronaldo also scored for United, while Cottagers defender Ian Pearce deflected Saha's cross into his own net.

``It was a good start for us,'' Rooney said. ``Getting four goals in the first half an hour was good for us because we could afford to relax. But we know it's a long season and we have to continue like that.''

Like Paul Scholes, Rooney will miss United's next three games through suspension after being sent off in a pre-season warm-up.

— AP

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