Round Up: Kaizer Chiefs vs Manchester United

The pre-season friendly’s continued today as Manchester United took on Kaizer Chiefs in Cape Town, South Africa. The conditions were sunny with the temperature around 75° F during the match. The game was mostly uneventful and was all about fitness today. The game started with both teams taking a relaxed atmosphere but this soon changed. Kaizer Chiefs forward got into the area to be tripped up in the box by Gary Neville who started the match. The penalty was calmly finished by the Kaizer Chief center back, Jonathan Quartey, sending Thomas Kuszczak the wrong way in the 37th minute. Kuszczak didn’t have much else to do in the entire match besides pick the ball out of the net.

The second half brought United’s equalizer as Tevez broke free on the left, provided a beautiful cross, which Chris Eagles finished with his head at the far post. Good ball movement provided Tevez with the space he needed and two runs to the near post gave Eagles the room at the back post for the goal.

Substitutes began to come in with Simpson, Evans, Fraiser, and Gibson. Tevez, Giggs, Scholes, and Vidic got a full 90 minutes which sums up the whole reason for the lengthy pre-season schedule. No great performances on the day but two things did catch my attention.

The good thing I noticed was how important Tevez is to our team. He gives United a whole new aspect that we might not have had before. His commitment to winning and the amount of work he does on the field is incredible. No matter who the opponent is if it’s a small club like Kaizer Chiefs or Chelsea in the Champions League it always seems that he gives his full effort every game. His work takes over and he always looks the better player. His quality may not always be full view but his work always makes up for it. It is why he is able to score the late goals he does, and he has scored some importantly late goals for us since he came to United last summer.

The disappointing thing is watching Shrek. Wayne Rooney seems to live up to that nickname way too much. His over reactions always get him in trouble and his temper is one to write home about it. Today in a simple friendly game, where your touch is bound to let you down once or twice, he over reacted when he lost a ball and kicked the Kaizer Chief who had hassled him down. This temper is a good thing in a way, but has to be harnessed in a way that will help the team. When he does things like this it makes you wonder when Wayne is going to truly live up to his potential. I hope this may be an over reaction but is temper got him in trouble at the World Cup, got him in trouble countless times in the EPL, and today earned him a yellow in a pre-season friendly.

I am sure Fergie will have a talking with him and Rooney is probably just frustrated. The frustration most likely stems from a long break, in which a lot has happened to him. He got married, went on honeymoon, and most notable missed out on the Euro’s, which must have frustrated him even further. He wants things to click and they often don’t click as quickly as one would like. I am sure with this lengthy pre-season he will find his form.

The pre-season just kicked off and some good football has been played in small pieces through out the match. Things will continue to get better as the players catch back up to the speed of the game.