24 September 2007

Manchester United 2 - 0 Chelsea

I was not intending to miss this match and in the aftermath of Jose Mourinho's and Roman Abramovich' decision to 'mutually part ways', the match became must see tv so much so that I was willing to haul my behind out of bed early on a Sunday morning get dressed and all that and drive all the way to Santa Monica to watch the match at an English pub at the invitation a friend. Princess called just as I was leaving the house and I didn't have the heart to tell her I was not on my way to church so I lied! (Father forgive me but You sef sabi) So we arrive, we pay the gate fee and shared a very, very greasy breakfast of Heinz baked beans, runny eggs, tomatoes, sausage and toast washed down with a not nearly large enough cup of hot cocoa yum! (one can only wonder why I am not losing the last 10 pounds abi?) We sat next to a group of proxy ManU supporters (I am guessing) who had something to say at every turn, nothing like alcohol fueled soccer commentary I tell you. I did agree with then on one thing though, ManU had a duty to win the match one time for JM and the Premiership as a whole ans to teach AM an important lesson, you don't sack the most successful coach your team has ever had, you leave him in peace to do his work. My friend was really excited at the fact that Mikel Obi was starting and he had a very very brief wavering of allegience I am happy to report ManU won out. Mikel played all of 30mins (?) before getting sent off on a very strange call. I am thinking the referee should have awarded the ManU penalty earlier and not compensated by sending Mikel off, the boy's studs hardly left the ground and he was going for the ball ... Anyway, after many saves Tevez finally got the better of Cech in the dying minutes of the first half and I could just see it coming too; ManU corner by Giggs to Brown back to Giggs low cross across Chelsea and unmarked Tevez heads it in. The Blues go into half time a man and a goal down. They returned in the second half and it seemed to me like they were content to just play it safe and not concede anymore goals while taking extra care on their part not to score any. Could the boys be trying to send RA a not so subtle message? In the dying minutes of the 2nd half, Saha scored from a penalty awarded for a challenge on him by Tal Ben Haim. Jose must have been somewhere, cigar in hand, terrier in lap laughing his head off.

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