Times:
Michael Ballack and Patrice Evra clash as Chelsea win Community Shield
It has been the longest, laziest of summers for the sport that never sleeps, but, if the sight of Wayne Rooney charging after John Terry was not quite enough to convince you that the football season is now upon us, then the finger-jabbing recriminations that followed the Community Shield match at Wembley yesterday set the tone for another ding-dong between Chelsea and Manchester United over the next 9½ months.
So much of modern football revolves around propaganda that at times it can be difficult to discern where the phoney war ends and the real business begins. But this was an arresting spectacle to launch the new campaign, a match that was high on action, incident and intrigue, with Chelsea recovering from an uncertain start to prevail on a penalty shoot-out, picking up their first trophy under Carlo Ancelotti, however trivial it may prove to be, and perhaps gaining a little extra momentum as they prepare to kick off the Barclays Premier League season at home to Hull City at lunchtime on Saturday.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s appraisal that victory “won’t do Chelsea any harm” will be strengthened by their knowledge that they were stronger for all but the opening 20 minutes of the game. The Manchester United manager felt that United “should have put the game to bed” by then, but, by the time John Terry and Frank Lampard hoisted the oversized trophy aloft after a penalty shoot-out in which Petr Cech saved from Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra, Chelsea’s claim to victory was a compelling one.
For being made to wait, Chelsea can blame Rooney, who showed great composure to race clear and beat Cech with his left foot in the second minute of stoppage time. The ferocity of United’s celebrations at that point — on the pitch, certainly, but also on the terraces — owed much to the enmity that built up in the game, from the incident between Michael Ballack and Evra that led to Frank Lampard’s goal in the 71st minute. But it also illustrated how much winning means to both sets of players, particularly when it comes to a rivalry that dates back to the José Mourinho era at Stamford Bridge and, for all Ferguson’s characterisation of Chelsea as an old team, has plenty of life in it.
Drawing long-term conclusions from this fixture has become a fairly hazardous pursuit down the years, but Chelsea are entitled to draw encouragement from the manner in which they exerted their authority after falling behind to Nani’s goal. For those first 20 minutes, in which Dimitar Berbatov should have doubled United’s lead, it seemed all too easy to pick holes in the diamond formation on which Ancelotti has settled as the way to get the most out of the players at his disposal, but Chelsea were the stronger thereafter. And, while he did not score, perhaps the greatest beneficiary from the new line-up was Nicolas Anelka, who immediately caught the eye and clearly relished the opportunity to play alongside Didier Drogba in a two-man strike force, having spent much of his Chelsea career operating in wide positions.
It was United, though, who drew first blood, with the impressive Darren Fletcher spraying a 30-yard pass wide to Nani, who showed pleasing technique to bring the ball under control and, with a bit of trickery, elude the questionable attentions of Branislav Ivanovic. What came next, as Nani cut inside and struck a right-foot shot beyond Cech at the far post, will inevitably spark talk of him stepping into the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, but this manoeuvre has been his trademark in two largely erratic seasons at Old Trafford. The issue is whether Nani can perform consistently and, having dislocated his shoulder in a tackle with Terry in the second half yesterday, it may be some time before he has the opportunity to prove he can.
United were knocking the ball around well, as if keen to show that they can still flourish without Ronaldo, but Ferguson may be a little concerned by the way in which they lost control of the game thereafter. Ivanovic had a shot headed on to the crossbar by Evra, from Lampard’s corner, Florent Malouda sliced a volley wide when well-placed and Anelka peppered a series of shots at Ben Foster’s goal, the first fizzing narrowly wide, the second blocked and the third forcing the United goalkeeper into an awkward save.
Foster, eager to take advantage of Edwin van der Sar’s injury, had a miserable afternoon, twice seeing clearances charged down by Drogba in the first half before his performance took a turn for the worse in the 52nd minute. With Drogba steaming towards him, he may have had little choice but to punch Malouda’s cross, but, having elected to do so, he should have got more distance on his clearance. As it was, Ricardo Carvalho was left with the simple task of heading Chelsea’s equaliser.
Chelsea’s second goal, in the 71st minute, should not have stood. The problem was not with their decision to play on, with Evra lying prone after an ugly challenge from Michael Ballack, but in the failure of Chris Foy, the referee, to spot the challenge itself. Ferguson suggested the German could have been sent off, which was not totally unreasonable, but, in the event, Michael Carrick lost the ball and Chelsea counter-attacked decisively, with Drogba setting up Lampard for a well-struck shot that Foster, getting a firm hand to it, could only push onto the post and in. Again the goalkeeper will feel he should have done better.
What followed was fairly spiteful, with tensions rising between Ballack and Evra, but United, showing that familiar capacity to keep going until the end, forced a penalty shoot-out when Giggs set up Rooney to score. Unlike in Moscow in the 2008 Champions League final, it was Chelsea who held their nerve. This time Terry did not take one, but he did collect the trophy, along with Lampard, and, after a summer of uncertainty at Stamford Bridge, both he and Chelsea’s supporters were entitled to enjoy the moment.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): P Cech - 5 B Ivanovic 4 R Carvalho 7 J Terry 6 A Cole 7 - J O Mikel - 6 M Essien 6 F Lampard 6 F Malouda 7 - N Anelka 8 D Drogba 6. Substitutes: J Bosingwa 5 (for Ivanovic, 46min), M Ballack 4 (for Mikel, 65), Deco (for Malouda, 77). Not used: Hilário, Alex, J Belletti, S Kalou.
Manchester United (4-4-2): B Foster 4 - J O’Shea 6 R Ferdinand 7 J Evans 7 P Evra 7 - Park Ji Sung 6 D Fletcher 7 M Carrick 6 Nani 7 - D Berbatov 5 W Rooney 7. Substitutes: M Owen (for Berbatov, 75min), P Scholes (for Fletcher, 75), R Giggs (for Park, 75), F Da Silva (for O’Shea, 76). Not used: T Kuszczak, D Gibson.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 2; Chelsea win 4-1 on penalties: By Henry Winter at Wembley
No love lost. For those craving fireworks this season, Chelsea and Manchester United lit the fuse here. For those who enjoy their football spiked with bitter rivalry, tune in. For those who prefer love-ins, tune out. This Community Shield was all about good football and bad blood, stirring the pot vigorously as the Premier League hurtles back next weekend. Curtain-raising? Hair-raising more like.
Their hackles raised, United clearly view Chelsea as the main threat to their title, more than Liverpool, overly reliant on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, and certainly more than Arsenal, still vulnerable at centre-half. This defeat wounded the champions, who could sense Chelsea leaving Wembley a far more confident force then when they arrived.
Wembley captains urged to play nice United themselves stalked out of town smarting at an injustice, a sentiment that will smoulder within Patrice Evra, Wayne Rooney and company, an emotion that will ensure the champions’ fire is fully stoked for the conflict ahead.
The gloves were torn off in the 70th minute. The teams were level-pegging, Ricardo Carvalho having equalised Nani’s first-half strike. Suddenly United had the ball, Evra knocking it to Rooney and bursting forward in anticipation of the return. Instead, he was body-checked by Michael Ballack, in the chest, not the face as Sir Alex Ferguson claimed afterwards, but still a cynical offence, still cautionable.
Evra lay there, writhing on the floor, as footballers do, looking like he had run into the Reichstag. Dimitar Berbatov, meanwhile, was off the field, receiving treatment for a thigh problem, leaving United with nine men standing. Compassion was not in Chelsea thoughts. The goal was. Ricardo Carvalho hoisted the loose ball forward, Didier Drogba stormed to the edge of the box and Frank Lampard did the rest, shooting home, although Ben Foster should arguably have saved.
United were incensed, arguing that Ballack should have been booked by Chris Foy, that play should have been stopped. Chelsea were hardly impressed that Evra jumped up quickly, clearly uninjured. And so the temperature rose, setting the tone for the season. United’s feisty Frenchman retaliated with a tackle on Ballack that took man, ball and most of Germany.
Some sympathy must exist for United. Foy had halted play for similar situations before, but Ferguson must realise that this is a referee who shares the nation’s scepticism about players’ feigning injury, whose idea that physios be allowed to run on while the game proceeds around them gained even more credibility.
Such was United’s anger that they poured all their energy into finding an equaliser. Typical United. They never give up. Deep into stoppage time, Ryan Giggs flicked the ball through and Rooney, outpacing Jose Bosingwa, fired in left-footed. Rooney, his bearing containing all the diplomacy of a prize-fighter on enemy soil, stood in front of 40,000 Chelsea fans and celebrated wildly.
Chelsea had the last laugh, winning a penalty shoot-out, their first in seven attenpts, beginning with an emphatic kick from Lampard, who held the ball up towards the United fans. Wembley was hardly Woodstock on Sunday. Giggs, surprisingly, placed his penalty too close to Petr Cech. Advantage Chelsea.
Ballack, being German, drilled in his kick before Michael Carrick gave United a semblance of hope. Drogba, derided by United fans, scored. Evra, castigated by Chelsea supporters, then struck a penalty that was even worse than Giggs’s, the ball rolled down the middle allowing Cech to save. Salomon Kalou applied the coup de grace.
The look of thunder spreading across Rooney’s face said it all. United know they are in for a tough season. Chelsea were stronger than them, the Londoners inspired by the lung-breaking, box-to-box brilliance of Cole. Carvalho was voted man of the match but Cole, defending and creating relentlessly, held an equal claim. When Antonio Valencia came on, Cole simply smothered him.
What will also delight Chelsea’s typically ebullient fans is how the players eventually responded to Carlo Ancelotti’s diamond system. Initially, uncertainty reigned. Lampard, positioned at the tip, found his space and style cramped. Drogba and Nicolas Anelka looked less than the sum of their considerable parts in attack.
At right-back, Branislav Ivanovic was so exposed that Nani had the freedom of Wembley to work the ball wide of the Serb and shoot in after only 10 minutes. Ancelotti wore the aggrieved look of a gourmand in a Milanese restaurant learning that the last slice of Tiramisu had gone.
Chelsea reacted. Michael Essien dropped back to protect Ivanovic, who was hooked by Ancelotti at the break. Lampard began making runs from deeper. Drogba moved up a gear, closing down Foster so quickly that the United keeper, usually such a reliable kicker, fluffed a couple of clearances.
Back came United, Darren Fletcher denied by Cech and then Rooney thwarted by Cole’s superb block. Back came Chelsea again, Carvalho heading in and then Lampard seizing that controversial lead. Rooney ensured penalties but Chelsea took the Shield off United. Taking the Premier League off United will be far more difficult.
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Mail:
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 2:
Blues hold their nerve to clinch Community Shield on penalties By Matt Lawton
Until Patrice Evra passed his penalty meekly into the arms of Petr Cech, charity had been in rather short supply during this Community Shield encounter.
There was actually a surprising amount of needle and genuine joy among Chelsea’s ranks when Salomon Kalou converted the decisive spot-kick. Not least on the face of Carlo Ancelotti, who must have known that ‘His Specialty’, Jose Mourinho, had also kicked off his Chelsea career with a victory over Manchester United. In both sides there was an almost tangible desire to land the first psychological blow of what promises to be another fascinating title race. Never mind that the game will be fast dismissed as an irrelevance. They wanted to gain some kind of edge before the more serious business of the Barclays Premier League begins next weekend.
It manifested itself in the way Chelsea scored their second, somewhat controversial goal, in the way United communicated their displeasure to the referee and the way Wayne Rooney then struck a quite brilliant equaliser — 91 minutes and 43 seconds into a contest that most players would have given up as no big deal.
It also manifested itself in the way Sir Alex Ferguson then ranted at Chris Foy between the final whistle and the penalty shoot-out, and the way Evra simply refused to accept what looked like an apology from Michael Ballack.
Evra obviously has a bit of history with Chelsea, and their groundstaff in particular. But his response to Frank Lampard’s 70th-minute goal was understandable when the England midfielder had capitalised on the fact that Evra had been flattened by a Ballack elbow seconds earlier.
Chelsea simply ignored the sight of Evra writhing on the ground, and instead attacked a United side now down to nine men with Dimitar Berbatov already receiving treatment on the side of the pitch. Didier Drogba set off on a surging run before feeding the ball into the path of Lampard in the exact area of the pitch normally patrolled by a certain combustible French left-back.
Lampard shot, Ben Foster parried the ball against his righthand post but it bounced across the line before the young English goalkeeper — a little nervous all afternoon in front of Fabio Capello — cleared in vain.
Incensed, United reacted in a manner that probably amounts to a breach of new Football Association disciplinary regulation. If three or more players approach the referee in a ‘confrontational manner’, they face an FA charge and Rooney, Evra and Antonio Valencia, as well as one or two others, surrounded Foy to vent their anger.
Less than 10 minutes later and Evra collected a booking for a challenge on Ballack, even if he did take the ball before the man. But Rooney then delivered the best response, accelerating on to a super ball from Ryan Giggs before lifting a delightful left-footed shot over an advancing Cech.
On as a late replacement for Berbatov, Michael Owen would have given his right arm to score that goal. It was straight from his repertoire after all. But for United it was probably more important that Rooney delivered, given the extra responsibility on his shoulders now that Cristiano Ronaldo has gone.
Life after Ronaldo could yet prove difficult for the English champions, and a goal from Nani after 10 minutes would have done little to ease the sense of loss. Too often a dilettante with an inflated opinion of himself, Nani has a long way to go before he can be considered anything other than a poor man's Ronaldo.
His goal actually owed much to the poor judgment of Cech, who would have cursed himself for failing to parry the Portuguese winger's long-range shot to safety. Chelsea’s goalkeeper did then make amends with two quite brilliant saves to first deny Ji-Sung Park and then Berbatov, but the Czech international is a perfectionist and he will wince when he sees the replays. He might also demand that he gets that bright orange kit back. Last season the orange must have dazzled strikers and made him look even bigger than he actually is. The new strip isn’t anything like as blinding.
Even if his side fought back, first with a headed 55th-minute equaliser from Ricardo Carvalho after Foster had palmed a chipped cross from Florent Malouda into his path, Ancelotti probably left Wembley with more pressing concerns. His team lacked width against United, which was a reason why Nani impressed against Branislav Ivanovic. Until, that is, Ivanovic was hooked and Nani retired with what appeared to be a nasty shoulder injury. That said, a point that Ancelotti made last week remains true. Unlike the rest of the top four, Chelsea have kept all their players and the return of summer addition Yuri Zhirkov from injury will only strengthen the Italian's hand, as well as provide the width they lacked on this occasion.
Only time will tell how much United miss Ronaldo. Valencia and Owen were signed to soften the blow of his departure and neither even made the starting line-up here.
On Sunday, United just missed penalties, allowing Chelsea to emerge victorious from such a spot-kick lottery for the first time in seven attempts. Not that it will do anything to make up for that crushing defeat in Moscow — a defeat, as this match demonstrated, that still hurts them deeply.
Chelsea (4-3-1-2): Cech 6; Ivanovic 4 (Bosingwa 46 mins 6), Carvalho 7, Terry 7, A Cole 6; Essien 6, Mikel 6 (Ballack 65 6), Malouda 6 (Deco 78 6); Lampard 7; Anelka 6 (Kalou 84 6), Drogba 7.
Booked: Ivanovic.
Manchester United (4-4-2): Foster 5; O'Shea 6 (F Da Silva 75 6), Ferdinand 7, Evans 7, Evra 6; Park 6 (Giggs 75 7), Fletcher 6 (Scholes 75 6), Carrick 6, Nani 7 (Valencia 63 6); Berbatov 6 (Owen 75 6), Rooney 7.
Booked: Berbatov, Evra, Owen.
Referee: Chris Foy.
Attendance: 85,896.
Man of the match: Wayne Rooney.
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Independent:
One game, one trophy for Ancelotti's Chelsea regime
Chelsea 2 Manchester Utd 2 (Chelsea win 4-1 on penalties)
By Sam Wallace at Wembley
It was not quite Billy Bremner's fight with Kevin Keegan, and no-one got sent off or left the pitch bare-chested, but when Michael Ballack floored Patrice Evra with a forearm to the chest you did get the feeling that this was the start of another gloriously truculent, spiky English football season.
The old bad blood was suddenly revisited: Wayne Rooney berated the referee Chris Foy and Sir Alex Ferguson, in a Homer Simpson-style short-sleeved shirt, did the same when the game finished for penalties. Chelsea counter-attacked for their second goal while Evra lay prostrate on the turf and the Manchester United left-back was still complaining about his treatment when the United players were waiting to take their penalties.
Granted, it was not the same feverish pitch as Bremner's and Keegan's punch-up in the 1974 Charity Shield but 25 years on, there was not much charity and very little community spirit. Nevertheless, Ferguson's analysis of the game's turning point – that Chelsea goal which was scored while Evra was on the ground – cut to the heart of a matter which has the potential to be one of the big issues of the season.
Ferguson was correct when he said that a referee must be consistent when a player goes to ground: he must stop the play on every occasion or not at all. Ferguson identified two occasions when Foy had called play to a halt for players on the ground and contrasted that to the moment in the 70th minute when Ballack floored Evra and Chelsea surged forward to score. It is a grey area that does the game no favours.
Yet this was a match that had plenty of life even before Chelsea's contentious second goal. It had a brilliant opening goal from Luis Nani who, in that brief moment looked a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, but did little else and later left the pitch with a dislocated shoulder. Then Chelsea came surging back, that old powerful machine looking just as daunting despite being shoehorned into Carlo Ancelotti's new formation.
Ancelotti: one game, one trophy. Even though after Rooney's 92nd-minute equaliser it did not look like this was to be Chelsea's day. Chelsea had muscled their way back into the match with an equaliser from Ricardo Carvalho and a goal from Frank Lampard but with time slipping away Rooney exchanged passes with Park Ji-sung and bulldozed past the challenge of Jose Bosingwa to score.
Welcome, Carlo, to a lifetime of trying to beat Manchester United. However, like Jose Mourinho in his first game in charge of Chelsea five years ago, the Italian coach won in the end courtesy of two very dodgy penalties from Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra.
The latter, evidently still nursing a sense of injustice from his tangle with Ballack, tapped a penalty so tame at Petr Cech that the Chelsea goalkeeper might have gathered it without diving.
Having dragged themselves back into the game in the dying moments, United tossed it away with two dreadful penalties – only Michael Carrick scored from their three. Over the course of a hot afternoon this game had actually started to mean something to the combatants, so when Salomon Kalou struck the winning penalty, the Chelsea players even began to sprint towards him until they remembered the nature of the prize at stake.
In his seat in the Wembley stand it looked like Fabio Capello was sporting another new pair of designer spectacles although it was tempting to think that not even rose-tinted lenses will have rescued Ben Foster's performance. The United goalkeeper came perilously close to gifting Didier Drogba possession in the first half and then, when Florent Malouda crossed for Drogba on 52 minutes, he flapped at the ball.
It was headed home by Carvalho and Chelsea were back in the game. They had gone behind to Nani's 10th-minute strike, one of his trademark runs from the left, he cut in on his right foot and buried the ball in the far corner of Cech's goal. There was a moment of misunderstanding between the Chelsea goalkeeper and his captain John Terry who both seemed to leave it to one another.
Terry had tested the water with the Chelsea fans by gingerly applauding them as he and his team-mates warmed up and the reception was so positive he must now believe that he has got away scot-free with his summer flirtation with Manchester City. The worry for Chelsea was Branislav Ivanovic at right-back who had a disastrous start to the game against Nani, was booked for a foul on Evra and replaced at half-time with Bosingwa.
It was telling that neither starting line-up included a single player acquired during the summer – both these clubs have, to a great extent, been forced to settle for what they have got in football's new financial world order. And for United and Chelsea, the reliance was on the same old characters: Rooney, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Drogba all looked like they will be dominant figures again this season.
Yet for United, the fear about the goalscoring threat which disappeared when Ronaldo left in June hung heavy. Dimitar Berbatov started strongly, denied a goal by Cech's save in the 17th minute but once again the United striker faded. Rooney only really got free of the Chelsea defence when Ryan Giggs opened up the Blues with seconds left. Michael Owen, a late substitute, got booked for a handball and did little else.
The real drama was in Evra's feud with Ballack, who entered the game on 65 minutes. The German offered the hand of peace in the aftermath of the game, but you get the impression this one will run and run. It seemed to have its roots in a feud that pre-dated yesterday's game and the two players were at it almost from the moment that Ballack came on to the pitch.
On 70 minutes, Ballack smashed Evra with his arm and from Carvalho's clearance, Drogba crossed for Lampard to score. A few minutes later, Evra caught Ballack lingering on the ball and dispossessed him brutally but fairly. "Ballack did not complain [about the tackle]," Ferguson said, "and that's unusual." Evra was booked. Fingers were pointed. If the season starts as red-blooded as this, Saturday can't come quickly enough.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech; Ivanovic (Bosingwa, h-t), Carvalho, Terry, A Cole; Mikel (Ballack, 65); Essien, Lampard, Malouda (Deco, 76); Drogba, Anelka (Kalou, 83). Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Bosingwa, Alex, Belletti.
Manchester United (4-4-2): Foster; O'Shea (F Da Silva, 75), Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Park (Giggs, 75), Fletcher (Scholes, 75), Carrick, Nani (Valencia, 63); Berbatov (Owen, 75), Rooney.
Substitutes not used: Gibson, Kuszczak (gk).
Booked: Chelsea Ivanovic; Manchester United Berbatov, Evra, Owen.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
Man of the match: Cech.
Attendance: 85,896.
From the spot
Frank Lampard confidently steps up to score the first penalty for Chelsea.Manchester United's first penalty taker, Ryan Giggs sees his penalty saved by Petr Cech handing the Blues the early advantage.
*Michael Ballack scores for Chelsea,
* Michael Carrick replies for the Reds to make it 2-1.
*Didier Drogba scores the third penalty while Patrice Evra's tame kick is saved with ease by Cech, Chelsea lead the shoot-out 3-1.
*Salomon Kalou scores the deciding spot-kick to give Chelsea a resounding 4-1 victory in the shoot-out.
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Guardian:
Chelsea strike first blow against Manchester United in Community Shield
Chelsea 2-2 Manchester United; Chelsea win 4-1 on penalties
Kevin McCarra at Wembley
This Community Shield occasion cannot be dismissed as a bogus match. It had the hallmark of authenticity in the rancour that so often comes to the fore when rivals meet. Manchester United's reaction to the second Chelsea goal was certainly not a rueful shrug. There was rage over the substitute Michael Ballack's unpunished bodycheck on Patrice Evra moments before Frank Lampard put his side 2-1 ahead.
The United left-back, 10 minutes later, conducted a reprisal on the German that brought him a yellow card. Still, an afternoon that closed with Chelsea's victory in a shoot-out had more to do with laudable enterprise than feuds. United, who had been 1-0 ahead, were galvanised by the manner in which they had fallen behind, and Wayne Rooney equalised in the second minute of stoppage time after being sent clear by the substitute Ryan Giggs.
The indignation in United's ranks was warranted. After Evra was floored, his side was still in possession and that must have persuaded the referee Chris Foy to play the advantage, but it was of no benefit when their left-back lay on the ground. Chelsea recovered possession and the sporadically effective Didier Drogba cut inside John O'Shea before picking out Lampard. Ben Foster got his hands to the ensuing drive but merely helped the ball on its way over the line via the post.
The goalkeeper's shaky performance may have been the most significant factor. Foster hopes to establish himself with his country. With the incumbent, David James, left out of the England squad because of a knee problem, there was a prospect of Foster featuring against Holland in Wednesday's friendly. Fabio Capello, at the least, will have reservations.
Sir Alex Ferguson had pronounced that Foster would be between the posts at the 2010 World Cup and declared the 26-year-old to be "streets ahead" of any other English goalkeeper. That may well be true but there was a reminder that reputations can only be established in competitive matches. Foster will have to do much better if Edwin van der Sar is not to be reinstated next month when he makes his comeback after a hand operation.
Foster was blameless in the shoot-out as the victors converted all four of the penalties they needed, with Salomon Kalou slotting the last. Michael Carrick was the sole United player to succeed from his side's three efforts. This outcome, of course, is no salve for Chelsea's loss to United on penalties in the 2008 Champions League final but Petr Cech, normally outstanding at everything other than stopping spot-kicks, fared well here.
Foster was still the goalkeeper who had the greater impact on the result. He was tentative when Chelsea scored in the 52nd minute. Lampard linked with Florent Malouda, who flighted a cross with which Foster, under pressure from Drogba, barely connected. Ricardo Carvalho headed home the loose ball. The defender deserved to be the beneficiary as the most impressive performer.
The Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, may feel he is carrying good fortune if Carvalho, the Portugal centre-back, is to be his true self once more. He was bedevilled by injuries and dwindled as an influence last season but he illustrated at Wembley that he can be a key factor in the season ahead. With the new signing Yuri Zhirkov absent because of a knee injury there was a sense Ancelotti was simply developing a deeper knowledge of his inheritance.
He will have found this game more instructive than any of the friendlies to date. United initially nullified the diamond midfield system that the Italian wishes to employ. With Darren Fletcher particularly effective in front of the defence, Lampard, before his goal, had limited scope. If the result here does not count for very much, then Ferguson can generally be happy.
Nani had often been lamentable in the last campaign but he was full of conviction here, at least until he was withdrawn after dislocating his shoulder when toppled by John Terry. He is not a replica of Cristiano Ronaldo but he accomplished enough here to make United rueful about his injury. In the 10th minute, he veered in from the left, cut across the hapless Branislav Ivanovic and fired low into the far corner, with Cech conceivably unsighted.
Cech recovered to make saves from Park Ji-sung and Dimitar Berbatov. Yet Chelsea posed a threat throughout; as early as the sixth minute, Evra had knocked the ball against his own bar to deny Ivanovic. It was an afternoon of small margins. That could be the case throughout the season as these clubs are in the thick of the battle for the Premier League title.
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Sun:
Chelsea 2 Man Utd 2
From IAN McGARRY at Wembley
CARLO ANCELOTTI grabbed his first piece of English silverware yesterday - and now the nation is hoping the season will end with another Italian leading the country to glory.
The season kicked off with Ancelotti's Chelsea proving they can win a penalty shootout - even against Manchester United.
And on Wednesday Fabio Capello begins serious preparations for England's assault on the World Cup with a friendly against Holland.
What odds an Italian double with both former AC Milan managers writing their names large in the history of the English game?
Ancelotti could not have got a better start to his reign as Blues boss at Wembley with a spot-kick victory over the Premier League kings.
Wayne Rooney's injury-time equaliser forced the Community Shield to penalties but Chelsea held their nerve having failed to win a shootout for 11 years.
In fact, four Chelsea managers have lost the club's last six spot-kick crunchers - including the 2008 Champions League Final against United in Moscow - so Ancelotti did not have history on his side.
When you are Italian, however, penalties are as much a part of the culture as pizza and Pavarotti. United boss Alex Ferguson will remember Ancelotti's Milan side winning a shootout at Old Trafford to beat Juventus in the 2003 Champions League final.
Ancelotti has had his players practising from 12 yards in training over the past two weeks and it clearly paid off.
Ben Foster, the hero for United in their Carling Cup shootout victory against Spurs last season, looked supremely confident as he stood to face Frank Lampard.
With Capello watching from the Royal Box, Foster clearly fancied a repeat of that afternoon but was soon made to look the court jester.
First Lamps, then Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba all beat him easily to the keeper's right. Petr Cech fared much better, saving with his feet from Ryan Giggs before Patrice Evra completed his clown-like performance with a comedy kick which rolled into the keeper's arms.
Salomon Kalou struck the winning kick and Ancelotti raised his arms to salute his first silverware in his new job.
Not that winning the shield, which marks the opening of the season, will be enough to see him succeed where two of his last three predecessors failed.
Ancelotti is no fool and knows only lifting the Premier League title and/or the Champions League this season will see him stay for a second.
This win though, was more significant for Chelsea than just breaking their penalty hoodoo.
For five weeks the new boss has been preaching on his preferred diamond formation but for 30 minutes against United, it looked less than polished. Fergie played four across the middle with Evra and John O'Shea overlapping from full-back.
And in a torrid period for Chelsea, they were almost swept away as tide after tide of red shirts broke their defensive barrier.
Wayne Rooney, Darren Fletcher and even the limp Dimitar Berbatov peppered Cech's goal.
But it was Portuguese winger Nani who broke the deadlock after just 10 minutes. He scooped up a perfect crossfield pass from Fletcher before selling Branislav Ivanovic a clever dummy.
Michael Essien was slow to close the space and Nani bent a shot which flew between Cech and John Terry.
Ancelotti clenched his fists in frustration. Fergie just sat back in his seat and smiled.
And if United's possession had been converted into goals in the first 45 minutes then this contest would have been over at half time.
Chelsea, though, have yet to lose under their new Italian coach and have shown a stubborn tenacity on the pitch matched by Ancelotti's shrewd tactical brain.
He removed the hapless Ivanovic and asked Lampard to drop deeper and take responsibility on the ball.The England star set up Ricardo Carvalho's equaliser after 52 minutes which Foster placed on his head with an unconvincing clearance.
Lamps then fired the Blues ahead with 19 minutes left after a great set-up from Drogba.
Showing classic Italian caution, Ancelotti pulled Drogba and Lampard back to help defend the flanks in the closing minutes.
With nine men behind the ball and only Kalou up front, Chelsea had the perfect system to foil Fergie's men.
But it was a case of almost but not quite as Giggs nudged a perfect ball past Jose Bosingwa for Rooney to run on and beat Cech with just a minute of added time left.
In recent years, Chelsea hearts have burst and heads dropped at the prospect of winning a shootout.
That does not appear the case under Ancelotti. He selected his list of penalty takers and gave them specific instructions on what to do.
Ferguson was already stewing over Ballack's body check on Evra in the build-up to Chelsea's second goal. So the comedy of errors in the shootout must have left him fuming at the start of a season where United are chasing an record fourth consecutive League title.
The omens for Ancelotti are much better. Jose Mourinho was the last Chelsea boss to win the Community Shield which he followed with a second Premier League win.
If Ancelotti's side can sustain this level of performance, it could yet be a vintage year for England's Italians.
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Star:
FIRST BLOOD TO BLUES AS FEUD RAGES ON
Chelsea 2 Man Utd 2 (Chelsea win 4-1 on penalties)
THIS used to be called the Charity Shield. Well, Chelsea certainly did not show any charity yesterday as they scored the most controversial of goals.
Frank Lampard’s 70th-minute strike, which looked set to win this showdown until Wayne Rooney equalised at the death, was claimed while Patrice Evra lay flat out near the other end of the pitch.
If it had been anyone else, the Blues might have kicked the ball out.
But not Evra, the Frenchman who was banned for four matches last season after a fracas with Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell at Stamford Bridge.
United were so furious, they lined up to protest to ref Chris Foy, delaying the restart for a couple of minutes – and boss Sir Alex Ferguson had his say to the Merseyside official before the penalty shootout, won by the Blues 4-1.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Premier League title rivalry, Carlo Ancelotti!
Nani deservedly gave United the lead in the 10th minute before Ricardo Carvalho responded in the 52nd. Then came that Lampard goal and Rooney’s dramatic late equaliser.
So what will Ancelotti and Fergie have learned from this Community Shield clash?
Italian Ancelotti must have been pleased at how his 4-1-2-1-2 system, which looked hopeless in the first half, improved markedly after the break, following the withdrawal of right-back Branislav Ivanovic – and no doubt a few harsh words.
Lampard also needs time to get used to his advanced role, with Chelsea’s best player marginalised before the break, and Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka’s strike partnership is a long way off being a natural pairing.
For Fergie there was the promise of Nani, who was superb in the first half and unlucky to suffer what looked like a collarbone injury around the hour. He may not be Cristiano Ronaldo II, but he is definitely exciting.
Dimitar Berbatov promises to continue to frustrate and impress in equal measures
And Rooney, back in a striking role, showed with that late goal what a threat he will be, even when not at his riveting best. Michael Owen was not on long enough to judge.
This certainly was not a dull encounter, with plenty of intensity from the start as the two teams who have dominated the Premier League for four seasons attempting to bag an early psychological advantage.
In the sixth minute, Ivanovic was unlucky to see Evra graze his close-range sidefoot from a Lampard corner on to the bar. Ivanovic’s fortune was even worse for Nani’s opener. The Portuguese winger collected an excellent Darren Fletcher crossfield pass on the left and used the decoy run of fullback Evra to shape as if to pass to his team-mate.
Ivanovic and Michael Essien were fooled as, instead, Nani cut in and burst towards goal before firing a right-foot shot which arched to the left of Petr Cech, with the keeper getting a weak hand on the ball.
Just before the break, Cech showed his class. Fletcher collected a quick Nani corner and shook off Anelka before forcing Cech to tip over his fine shot.
Chelsea equalised through that most unlikely of sources, Carvalho.
Lampard and Florent Malouda worked an opening out on the left and the Frenchman lofted a cross which Drogba, Evra and keeper Ben Foster all went for.
Foster’s push clear was poor, going straight to the centre-back, who sent his diving ™header from eight yards into the net.
Then came that Lampard goal, which followed a blatant bodycheck on Evra by Michael Ballack.
Carvalho thumped a clearance to Drogba, who surged forward past Jonny Evans, before squaring to Lampard on the edge of box. He fired home off Foster’s body and the inside of a post.
Nine minutes after the goal Evra exacted some revenge on Ballack, flying in and taking a massive swipe which luckily saw him connect with the ball.
Foy, though, saw the intent and booked the Frenchman.
In stoppage time Rooney, who had been fairly restricted on his return to a central attacking role, proved he is always dangerous.
Michael Carrick chipped a ball to Ryan Giggs, who sent Rooney scurrying through on goal. He held off Jose Bosingwa to clip past Cech with his left foot.
Ballack and Evra spent a fair bit of time mulling over their two incidents as the two sides prepared for spot-kicks and Fergie let Foy know what he thought about Chelsea’s second goal.
Carrick netted his penalty but either side of his, Ryan Giggs and poor Evra missed. But the Blues were four from four through Lampard, Ballack, Drogba and Salomon Kalou.
First blood to Ancelotti and if this passionate display yesterday is anything to go by there could be plenty of the red stuff spilled as these two battle it out at the top.
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