Manchester City edge Chelsea to win Community Shield in 40 years

LONDON                      

 Manchester City signalled their intent for the new season as they held off 10-man Chelsea to lift the Community Shield at Villa Park.

Three goals in 12 second-half minutes by Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri ensured the Premier League champions came from a goal down to win the season’s traditional curtain-raiser in a thrilling game.

Fernando Torres had given Chelsea the lead shortly before half-time only for Roberto Di Matteo’s side to lose the imitative when Branislav Ivanovic was sent off for a rash tackle on Aleksandar Kolarov moments later.

Ryan Bertand gave Chelsea hope with 10 minutes remaining but City clung on to lift their second trophy of 2012.

Better team

This was a game packed with dash and panache and proved an exciting introduction to the 10 months of football to come. Cities were the better team throughout and although the dismissal of Ivanovic ultimately shaped the outcome of the game, the champions had dictated for long periods even before Torres scored the opening goal.

 For a 10-minute period in the second half, City’s attacking play was sharp, their finishing ruthless. Roberto Mancini’s men performed with unshakeable belief and eventually found a finishing touch to inflict defeat on a Chelsea team bolstered again by Roman Abramovich’s millions.

 Growing togetherness

It was not all bad news for Chelsea. Throughout there were signs that Torres was coming to the boil just in time for the new season.

Eden Hazard endured an afternoon to forget, tripping over the ball as he attempted a backheel much to the delight of the City fans, but Ramires and Mata provided flair and boundless energy in chasing what had appeared a lost cause.

But the force was with City, as Mancini’s men demonstrated a growing togetherness and maturity.

The swathes of empty seats in all four stands were a reminder that football is, at least for another 24 hours, very much taking second-billing in the national sporting consciousness to the London Olympics.

But there was no questioning the commitment of the players.

 From the off the challenges were robust and full-blooded, as if a summer of pent-up frustration had been released in 20 thunderous opening minutes.

City settled the quicker, with Mancini’s decision to experiment with three at the back giving the champions a measure of control in the midfield battle.

Victory sealed City’s first victory in this fixture for 40 years, having won the FA Charity Shield in 1972.                

BBC