Chelsea – Manchester United

Join us at 1500 BST for live commentary.

Good afternoon everyone, Michael Da Silva here. Welcome to ESPN Gamecast for live coverage of the Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester United from Wembley.

Let's not waste any time - here are the starting line-ups:

<b>Chelsea XI:</b> Hilario; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Kalou, Malouda; Anelka.

<b>Manchester United XI:</b> Van Der Sar; O'Shea, Vidic, Evans, Fabio; Valencia, Scholes, Carrick, Park; Rooney, Owen

Big news for Manchester United is that Michael Carrick starts, despite Alex Ferguson saying just a few days ago that he would miss the first few games of the season.

Michael Owen is also handed a start for the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury in the Carling Cup final, blaming the poor Wembley pitch.

New signing Javier Hernandez is on the bench.

Chelsea are missing Cech and Drogba, who are both out injured. Hilario and Kalou come in to replace them, respectively.

The controversial Wembley pitch is looking green and lush but as we know the proof is in the pudding. Carlo Ancelotti inspected the surface before the game. He told <i>Sky</i>: "I think it's a fantastic pitch".

Diplomatic as ever, Carlo.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes the Community Shield remains an important fixture. He said: "I think it's important in terms of the prestige of both clubs and the pride of the players."

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley: <i>"A by-no-means full Wembley is ready for the teams and the infernal stadium announcer has done his bit. The big boys are back, and what's this? Some atmosphere. I did hear a lone vuvuzuela before."</i>

Nemanja Vidic captains Manchester United today, days after declaring his future to the Red Devils.

<b>We're off at Wembley.</b>

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley: <i> The loudest cheers/boos reserved for who else but Rooney and Terry. About equal in terms of popularity.</i>

These two rivals need no introduction and it's been a fairly even start so far. Ferreira just got forward down the Chelsea right but Fabio came across and covered weel.

Rooney comes very deep and picks out the charging Valencia with a beautiful pass but Valencia can't quite get enough height on his attempted lob of Hilario.

Great pass by Rooney, that.

Paul Scholes gets away with a terribly late challenge on Malouda. Old habits die hard.

Great pass from Scholes from his own half to Rooney, but Terry forces Rooney out of it.

Ashley Cole tries to fool the referee by running into the back of O'Shea but Cole was never going to fool the ref there.

<b>Big chance for Scholes!</b> Valencia picks him out on the penalty spot but Scholes blazes his volley over the bar. Had time to bring it down and pick his spot. Should be 1-0 United.

Open game at Wembley. Anelka fires a venomous shot at Van Der Sar, who spills it to Kalou who, after some neat footwork, can't direct his left foot shot on target.

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley:<i>Neither team looks particularly safe in defence and it's making for an end to end match. It's great fun.</i>

United knocking the ball around with slightly more confidence so far. Chelsea a little impatient in possession.

But Malouda does well to win a foul off Vidic in a dangerous position on the Chelsea left...

Lampard fires it in low and after a brief moment of indecision, United clear.

<b>Big chance for Chelsea!</b> Malouda whips in a cross from the right which finds the head of Ivanovic who beat Vidic in the air and the ball was turned round the post by Van Der Sar, who was in trouble there.

<b>Chance for United!</b> Rooney peels off the Chelsea defence very easily and collects Scholes' lofted pass but his first time shot flashes across the face of goal.

Park comes close for United this time. Valencia's ball into the box from the right is met by the South Korean whose first time shot ricochets off some Chelsea bodies. United asking the questions at the moment.

Rooney chases back 50 yards to rectify his mistake in losing the ball. He wins the ball deep in his own half to an almighty cheer from the United fans. If only he had played like that during the World Cup...

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley: <i>John Terry showed shades of Bloemfontein in that interlude. Meanwhile, Park has the haircut of an indie-loving fifth former.</i>

Chelsea seem to be slowly emerging as the greater force in this game. Essien and Mikel are controlling the pace of things.

Chelsea continue to enjoy a sustained period of possession, without actually doing much with it though.

Chelsea win a corner that they shouldn't have won, as Van Der Sar definitely kept it in play. Lampard whips it in from the right, Essien heads over the bar.

But Chelsea force another. More pressure on the United defence...

...But United clear their lines.

Ji-Sung Park is penalised for a late challenge on Ashley Cole who, to be fair, picks himself up quickly and gets on with it.

Ivanovic is up from the back again and sends another header goalbound but off target from Malouda's cross this time.

Nice interchange between Scholes and Rooney and Owen almost benfitted but was marginally offside. Chelsea cleared anyway but that was promising for United.

Valencia, a constant threat down the right for United, is the constant supply line. Park, on the left, has also been effective.

Lampard disguises a neat throughball well after shaping to shoot, but Ashley Cole couldn't get on the end of it ahead of the rushing Van Der Sar.

Fabio gets forward on the United left but bamboozles himself with about 20 stepovers.

Michael Owen does well to get a hooked lob-shot away under pressure from Terry but can't quite direct it on target or beyond Hilario.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL 1-0 Manchester United!</b> Lovely goal for United scored by Valencia. Scholes drops his shoulder and plays a perfect 60-yard pass to Rooney on the right who quickly fires the ball into the box and into the path of Valencia who calmly sidefoots it beyond Hilario.

<i>ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley:</i> You didn't get that against Algeria. Great vision from Rooney, head up rather than head down in a sulk and Valencia tapped in. Chelsea, again, very loose at the back.

Chelsea respond with the pressure you'd expect but a period of pressure for them ends with Essien firing a long-range effort weel wide.

In the closing moments of the first half, United are on top. Chelsea look disjointed and somewhat rusty.

<b>And that is half-time. A beautiful Manchester United goal crafted by Scholes and Rooney and scored by Valencia separates the teams.</b>

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley: <i>It's almost good to be back. Good football match, and plenty of chances. Rooney seems to have responded to the United crowd's love for him and the swagger is back. JT and Lamps look less sure of themselves.</i>

Manchester United have been marginally the better team throughout the first half and, for the chances they've created, deserve their lead.

Join me in 10 minutes for the second half. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mjdasilva

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has been warming up on the Wembley pitch at half time, so we might see the Mexican after the break.

Infact we do...

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>ON for United: Nani, Hernandez and Berbatov</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>OFF: Park, Rooney and Owen.</b>

<b>The second half is underway at Wembley...</b>

Nani and Hernandez almost combine to great effect already, but Nani couldn't get on the end of Hernandez's return pass.

Ashley Cole almost gets behind the United defence again, but is dealt with.

Malouda tries his luck with an early left-footed shot from 20 yards or so, but drags it wide. Decent effort though.

Hernandez does very well to drag Ivanovic out of position and play in Berbatov, who is wrongly flagged offside.

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley: <i>Chicarito and Berbatov. Sublime to ridiculous. United may have a folk hero on their hands. And he is not Bulagrian.</i>

Paul Scholes, who has been pulling the strings all afternoon, looks long for Berbatov but Ferreira gets a head on it.

United look very dangerous on the break, especially with Hernandez's pace against Terry, Ferreira, et al.

United stretch the Chelsea defence again with a quick free-kick from Scholes to Carrick. Carrick finds Valencia on the right but his low cross was poor. Valencia should have done much better there.

Ashley Cole, despite being continually booed for his England performances, gets forward again but his cross evades everyone.

It's Drogba time...

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Drogba for Mikel (Chelsea)</b> Didier Drogba, who was expected to miss the start of the season, makes an early return here. He replaces Mikel as Ancelotti goes attacking as he looks to grab an equaliser.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Sturridge on for Anelka (Chelsea)</b>

Malouda claims he is shoved in the back by Vidic, but the Serbian gets away with it. Chelsea supporters are enraged.

Kalou lets the ball run onto his right foot on the edge of the box before striking it straight at Van Der Sar. Decent effort but too close to the 'keeper.

Michael Essien drills a beautiful shot which was seemingly curling into the bottom corner but flew just wide. Van Der Sar was beaten.

The game is opening up again as Chelsea go for it with 20 minutes to go. United are happy to counter attack as Ashley Cole prods a shot with the outside of his left foot. It was just 5 yards out but United had players back with Van Der Sar out of position.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Smalling for Fabio (Manchester United)</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Benayoun on for Malouda (Chelsea)</b>

Berbatov finds himself galloping free past Cole down the right and pulls it back to Hernandez who mishits his shot. To be fair to him, the ball from Berbatov came in at real speed and the Mexican couldn't quite re-adjust his feet in time.

Sturridge tries his luck from distance but it flies wide.

Chelsea running out of time here...

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL 2-0 Manchester United!</b> New-boy Hernandez converts Valencia's cross in what can only be described as "unorthodox" fashion. He kicked the ball into his own face before it bounced over the Chelsea goal-line. Not sure how he can celebrate that with a straight face.

It's all United now who smell a third...

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Zhirkov for Cole (Chelsea)</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Bruma for Ferreira (Chelsea)</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Giggs for Carrick (United)</b>

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> <b>Fletcher for Scholes</b>

Paul Scholes rightly gets a fantastic ovation as he leaves the field. Superb performance by the veteran today.

Sturridge gets behind the United defence for the first time but can't guide his shot beyond Van Der Sar.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL! 2-1</b> Sturridge dribbles a very long way before unleashing a shot from 25 yards, which Van Der Sar parries into the path of <b>Kalou</b> who strokes it home. Game on again.

Chelsea have renewed hope here, just one goal for Chelsea will force penalties. They have a corner...

The ball finds its way to Sturridge again on the edge of the box who clips it over to Drogba at the far post but he can only find the side-netting from a tight angle.

Zhirkov forces a corner for Chelsea after skipping through a few challenges on the left and sees his cross deflected out of play.

United clear the corner but they are still under pressure...

Chelsea causing havoc in the United defence in the closing moments. Smalling and Vidic will be happy to see this one out...

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL 3-1 United!</b> Berbatov seals it for United with a lovely lob over Hilario. Nani put Berbatov through with the 20th pass of a fluid United move. Berbatov finished with style and United have it won.

<b>That's it, United have won 3-1.</b>

ESPN soccernet editor John Brewin, at Wembley: <I>A fine win for Manchester United and some heartening stuff for Sir Alex Ferguson. Chelsea were rusty but could easily have been back in the game before Berbatov's clincher. A fine game to lift the veil and wash away the tears of South Africa. That is, until England v Hungary on Wednesday.</I>

Indeed, that's it from me today. Manchester United have deservedly won the Community Shield with a 3-1 win over Chelsea, who didn't start strongly enough and only looked interested late in the second half.

Paul Scholes was simply superb for United today.

Join us for live coverage of England vs Hungary on ESPN Gamecast on Wednesday. But until then, goodbye!