MAN UTD 08 X1 2, MICHAEL CARRICK ALLSTARS 2
Manchester United’s class of 2008 – minus Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez – were reunited for Michael Carrick’s testimonial.
A crowd of 70,027 gathered at Old Trafford to honour the Reds’ midfielder who has been at the club for almost 11 years, making 458 appearances.
And charity will be the big winner with £1million expected to be raised for the Michael Carrick Foundation.
Nine years after the Champions League triumph in Moscow, the class of 2008 provided a nostalgic glimpse back into a successful chapter in the club’s history as Sir Alex Ferguson was again at the helm.
The waistlines may have thickened and the pace of the game was noticeably slower, but there was still the occasional flash of brilliance from yesteryear.
Paul Scholes pinged a perfect pass early in the game to release Wayne Rooney who was unable to convert.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were reunited at the heart of the Reds’ defence that also included Edwin van der Sar, Wes Brown and Patrice Evra.
Scholes was joined in midfield by Darren Fletcher, Carrick, Ji Sung Park and Ryan Giggs with Rooney up front.
The Allstars, managed by Harry Redknapp, were precisely that as their line up included Clarence Seedorf, Gaizka Mendieta, Michael Owen, Michel Salgado, Eric Abidal and John Terry, though Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were ruled out through injury.
Mendieta fired the Allstars ahead midway through the opening half only for Vidic to quickly equalise through a trademark header from a Giggs corner.
Robbie Keane put the Allstars back in front midway through the second period through an audacious chip over van der Sar from six yards.
And it fitting that Carrick ought to have the last word as he conjured an equaliser seven minutes from time, and it was not contrived.
Carrick, hardly renowned as a goalscorer after scoring only 23 times for the Reds, found the net with a terrific drive from 25 yards that flew in off the upright.
And that enabled Carrick, who had spoken so eloquently before kick off, to be substituted moments later to a standing ovation.