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Manchester United Legends Match 2024: A Review
Old Trafford hosted a star-studded charity match on the first weekend of September 2024. The friendly fixture, organized in aid of the MU Foundation, comes after the success of a prior Legends’ match that saw United raise an impressive 1.3 million pounds for charity against Liverpool.
The build-up to the event had some pundits predicting a high-scoring affair, after the typical norm of a similar all-legends affair. But the one-all charity event couldn’t close until a penalty shootout separated both sides to make Celtic the winner.
Match Line-up
Manchester United
- Goalkeepers: Anders Lindegaard, Kevin Pilkington, Raimond van der Gouw
- Defenders: Antonio Valencia, Danny Pugh, Danny Simpson, Mikael Silvestre, Phil Bardsley, Ronny Johnsen, Denis Irwin
- Midfielders: Chris Eagles, Darren Fletcher, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Luke Chadwick, Karel Poborsky, Michael Carrick, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes
- Forwards: Danny Webber, Dimitar, Berbatov, Fraizer Campbell, Wayne Rooney
Celtic
- Goalkeepers: Artur Boruc, Łukasz Załuska
- Defenders: Charlie Mulgrew, Darren O’Dea, Efe Ambrose, Kelvin Wilson, Mikael Lustig, Stephen McManus
- Midfielders: Barry Robson, Joe Ledley, Jonny Hayes, Simon Donnelly, Stiliyan Petrov
- Forwards: Gary Hooper, Georgios Samaras, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
Major Highlights
Wayne Rooney scored the game’s first goal (and Man United’s only goal) with a stellar free-kick in the 42nd minute. Rooney sent home a curling delight that beat Artur Boruc’s best heroics in the net. But his goal would remain the only difference in the game until just after the hour mark.
Celtic’s Gary Hooper tapped home from close range just over the 60th minute, reacting swiftly to Stiliyan Petrov’s long-ranger. The game finished level after 90 minutes and needed a penalty shootout to break the tie. Celtic’s Darren O’Dea slotted home the winner to crown Paul Lambert’s Legends the winners.
First Half Highlights
Having a reminiscent forward-three of Dimitar Berbatov, Antonio Valencia, and Wayne Rooney excited the home fans who couldn’t hold back their excitement as Rooney’s name was announced just before kick-off. 15 minutes into the match, Phil Bardsley got hauled down outside the box. Rooney stepped in to take the free-kick but failed to move past the Celtic wall.
Michael Carrick’s dazzling run shortly afterward showed United’s potential before he was stopped. But the home side kept advancing forcefully against Boruc’s hoops net. Thanks to a slick link-up between Berbatov, Fletcher, and Rooney, United got another chance at goal, only for Rooney’s goal-bound effort to deflect wide for a corner.
The resulting set-piece didn’t amount to much, like much of the remaining first-half minutes, until Joe Ledley hauled down Fletcher just outside the box. Rooney stepped up to the task and curled home an absolute peach of a free-kick into the top corner to hand United the lead.
Second Half and Penalties
The second half began with United’s Nicky Butt replacing Carrick. Shortly into the second half, Berbatov attempted to finish a through ball with a deft chip that narrowly missed the crossbar. A wry smile swept through the face of the former United forward.
Celtic soon showcased their lethal side on the hour mark, following a period of sustained pressure against the Red Devils. Petrov’s long-range drive crashed back off the crossbar and fell kindly to the feet of Hooper, who tapped into a free net.
Simpson attempted to restore United’s lead, but the former full-back’s shot was safely clawed away by 42-year-old Lukasz Zaluska. Soon, Mikael Lustig’s deep cross from the right flank then found the feet of Georgios Samaras, whose side-footed effort sped just off the post, just before a penalty shootout. Following Danny Webber’s miss from 12 yards, O’Dea had all to shoot for in the final penalty round. Rolling the ball past Kevin Pilkington, O’Dea goal set up Paul Lambert’s side for victory.
Following the match, Rooney reacted to his performance, saying, “Yeah, I’m alright with the ball at my feet. It’s just the running part! I was tempted to shoot more but wanted to keep the ball as well.”
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Final Thoughts
The yearly Manchester United legends match saw Wayne Rooney mark his return to Old Trafford with an amazing free-kick to open the scoring charts. But Gary Hooper provided the leveler in the second half to take the tie into penalties. Celtic emerged victorious with the shootout ending 5-4 in their favor, thanks to Danny Webber’s lone miss.
