Charity Shield: Liverpool triumph over United

Liverpool 2, Man Utd 1 (full-time)

Two first-half goals gave FA Cup winners Liverpool a win over league champions Manchester United in the Charity Shield at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The game got off to a sensational start with a Liverpool penalty after just 45 seconds.

Gary McAllister released Michael Owen down the left and the England striker slipped past Denis Irwin far too easily and layed the ball square into the box for Danny Murphy.

The Liverpool midfielder cut back across Roy Keane, and was tripped a yard inside the box. McAllister calmly placed the ball into Fabien Barthez’s bottom left-hand corner.

But after 16 minutes Liverpool made it 2-0, with that man Owen grabbing another fine goal.

Westerveld’s long clearance troubled United’s defence and when Jaap Stam slipped over, Owen took the ball past Gary Neville and coolly slotted it past Barthez.

But the champions were back in it after 50 minutes following a cleverly constructed goal which started with Beckham’s pass forward.

The ball was switched swiftly between Keane and Ryan Giggs and into the path of van Nistelrooy, who was clear in the box this time and able to go around Westerveld before sliding the ball home.

United continued to exert pressure on the Liverpool defence in the second half, but failed to convert their chances.