England 2
Redknapp 45, Sheringham 60
Rest of the World 2
Calzaghe 63, Hyypia 78
Rest of the World win 7–6 on penalties
On Sunday, 65,493 fans travelled to Old Trafford to see Soccer Aid 2010. The Rest of the World, playing in blue shirts, looked strong on paper, but there were plenty of football legends in the England side too. There was a party atmosphere inside the stadium and both teams were given a warm welcome by the fans. After the aria Nessun dorma was sung, and with digiboards encouraging donations to UNICEF, referee Pierluigi Collina got the game underway. The match kicked off to a roar equal to that of any Premier League game.
The game started brightly with both sides, celebrities included, looking like they could play. Damian Lewis hit the bar after 9 minutes with an ambitious chip which was followed, almost immediately, with a foul in the England box, by Robbie Williams, and a penalty kick for the Rest of the World. Nicky Byrne stepped up to take the spot kick, but slipped, and his effort was saved by David Seaman. Zinedine Zidane stalked around menacingly, looking comfortable on the ball and playing it to feet – demonstrating how the game should be played. Alan Shearer came close to scoring with a clean strike on the half hour, forcing a diving save from Rest of the World goalkeeper Jens Lehman. But with good build up play from both sides throughout the first half, eventually, a breakthrough came for England on the stroke of half time. Sheringham, collecting the ball on the left wing, cut inside and squared the ball to Redknapp, who exchanged a neat one-two with Shearer, and then blasted the ball into the back of the net.
A second goal for England
Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg took over for the second half.
There were several substitutions, including Luis Figo for Ryan Giggs,
and both goalkeepers: celebrities for legends. The Rest of the World
played the best football at the restart, given extra impetus by ex-Real
Madrid team mates Figo and Zidane, who immediately re-discovered their
old understanding. But it was England’s strikers who struck next, with
Sheringham hitting the bar after 58 minutes, and then scoring with a
header, on the hour, off of an Alan Shearer cross. The Rest of the World hit back instantly. Henrik Larsson had a goal
disallowed for off-side, but there was no argument with Joe Calzaghe’s
goal, after 63 minutes, to put the Rest of the World right back in the
game. Jamie Redknapp was the next to come close for England with a lob
that beat the keeper, but hit the bar; however, it was Sami Hyypia who
scored next for the Rest of the World with a header to bring the scores
level again. The score remained at 2–2 for the remainder of the 90
minutes.
Rest of the World captain, Martin Sheen, applauds the fans
The game finished with the excitement of a penalty shoot-out and sudden
death; Woody Harrelson scored the decisive spot-kick to give the Rest of
the World their first ever Soccer Aid victory.