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Mourinho starts ManU era with Ibra late header, win Community Shield

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Mourinho starts ManU era with Ibra late header, win Community Shield

New Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho on Sunday announced his reign at Old Trafford with late Zlatan Ibrahimovic header to win the Community Shield in a 2-1 thriller against Leicester City at Wembley.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker, Ibrahimovic had had a quiet game, but he out-jumped Wes Morgan to head home Antonio Valencia’s cross to earn Mourinho his first piece of silverware as United manager.

Leicester talisman Jamie Vardy had earlier punished an error by Marouane Fellaini to cancel out FA Cup match-winner Jesse Lingard’s first-half solo goal for United, who claimed a record-extending 21st Community Shield.

United, who have confirmed they are close to re-signing former player Paul Pogba from Juventus, open their Premier League campaign at Bournemouth next Sunday.

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri handed official debuts to close-season signings Ahmed Musa, Luis Hernandez and Nampalys Mendy.

While his side came up short, he will have been encouraged by the brightness of their display, three months on from their 5 000-1 Premier League triumph.

They launch their league title defence at Hull City on Saturday.

Mourinho deployed his new-look strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Ibrahimovic and both players made their presence felt in Leicester’s penalty area early on.

Rooney headed straight at Kasper Schmeichel from Luke Shaw’s cross and the Leicester goalkeeper was also obliged to field a hooked Fellaini shot after Ibrahimovic had leapt to win a high ball.

 

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Leicester attacked the game with the intensity that characterised last season’s title triumph and procured several chances of their own.

Vardy drew last-ditch tackles from Daley Blind and impressive United new boy Eric Bailly with trademark darting runs, while Shinji Okazaki glanced a header against the bar from a Marc Albrighton corner.

Biodun Abimbola

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