Matt Le Tissier returned to the St Mary’s pitch today, as a Southampton legends side lost 5-3 against a Manchester United Legends side.
Players such as Le Tissier, Dimitar Berbatov, Rickie Lambert and Antonio Valencia were part of two squads coming together for a great cause.
A squad of 18 Southampton legends faced a group of 15 Manchester United legends today in front of an excellent 13 thousand supporters.
The first chance of the game came through two of the biggest names in the United lineup. Antonio Valencia burst down the right-hand side just like he used to do, and found Dimitar Berbatov, who dragged his shot off the post.
United came again just after the 10-minute mark, as Valencia crept into the box, and pulled it back to Louis Saha, who saw his first effort saved, and the second cleared off the line.
Saints then went straight up the other end, and Andrew Surman crossed into Lee Bernard, who managed to find the net with a great finish!
Louis Saha was replaced after an injury, with attacker Fraizer Campbell being subbed on.
In the 25th minute, right-back Phil Bardsley got down the right-hand-side and from the byeline, he attempted an audacious chip, but despite lobbing Saints keeper Tommy Forecast, the ball bounced off the post and was cleared.
Five minutes from the break, and after a battling first half, Saints nearly went two up. Pele found himself with acres of space, but he placed his shot straight into Raimond Van Der Gouw’s hands.
Victor Wanyama, who had been controlling the first half, saw himself swiped out by Eric Djemba-Djemba, showing the competitiveness of this battle of legends.
From the free-kick, Lambert struck the ball with power, but Van Der Gouw held onto it well.
With 20 seconds left to play in the first half, Valencia found himself with the ball on the edge of the area. He coolly played it to Bardsley, who fired a low strike into the Saints’ net to send the teams into the break, level.
Saints switched personnel at the break, as Sam McQueen came on for Michael Svensson.
United also made a change as Van Der Gouw was replaced by Kevin Pilkington.
Four minutes into the second half and Forecast spilt a cross, straight into substitute Campbell’s path, who fired the ball home from a yard out to turn the game on its head.
In the 52nd minute, Danny Pugh replaced Danny Simpson.
Moments later, a fan-favourite Wanyama struck a shot, which deflected and nearly looped over Pilkington, but he made a good stop.
Just before the hour mark, Pele was replaced by David Hughes.
Lambert then rolled back the years and caused an eruption at St Mary’s again after he tapped the ball home from a few yards out. “Rickie Lambert, Southampton Goal Machine” then echoed around the stadium!
The celebrations were short-lived, though, as a combination of Valencia and Berbatov led to Campbell placing his strike into the net to make it 3-2 to United!
United were in the mood now, and a delicate chip into the area, with Campbell towering above Benali, but his header smashed off the crossbar.
Pugh kept the United pressure on, as he squared the ball to Berbatov, who coolly cut back and was taken out, which resulted in a United penalty.
Berbatov then took the penalty himself, but his weak effort was saved brilliantly by Forecast!
Valencia then powered down the flank and unleashed an effort which Forecast had to parry behind for a corner.
Despite the constant United pressure, the Saints battled back and found themselves level with 20 minutes to play.
A smart move ended with Barnard tapping his second into an empty United net.
Benali was then replaced with an excellent ovation, and Ken Monkou replaced him.
Frazer Richardson was then replaced with 15 to go; Mark Blake took his place.
An excellently executed Saints counter-attack saw Lambert charge down on goal, he played it to his left and found Wanyama. He curled the ball, and the stadium patiently waited for the net to bulge, but unfortunately, it never did! The ball just went wide of the target.
In the 79th minute, Djemba-Djemba came off for Bojan Djordjic.
With 10 minutes to play, the moment everyone was waiting for happened. He was back, the king was back on the pitch playing for Southampton. Le Tissier came on to brilliant applause, and Jo Tessem was replaced.
United then spoiled the party, with Campbell timing his run perfectly and teeing up Danny Webber to tap United into a 4-3 lead!
United then squandered a huge chance to kill the game off. Campbell stepped into intercept a pass, and it was all of a sudden a two-on-one. He squared to Danny Webber, who must’ve had Déjà vu, but he somehow had his shot saved.
Glen Cockerill and kitman Mark Forbes came on with two minutes to play; they replaced Lambert and Barnard.
Bardsley then sealed the win for United, passing the ball home into the corner.
