As SportingKC.com continues to look ahead to the club's historic 2011 season, highlighted by the opening of a state-of-the-art new stadium in June, today we look back at one of the highlights from the 2010 season: the 2-1 victory over Manchester United on July 25th at Arrowhead Stadium. The momentous upset broke the all-time attendance record for a soccer match in Kansas City and it came amidst a remarkable run by a Manchester United squad that is now well on its way to securing its 19th English title as league leaders in the EPL.
Watch the highlights from the victory one more time below, then read further to hear how the unlikely upset -- and unprecedented attendance -- grows more and more impressive in hindsight.
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Since Manchester United’s last loss in the EPL, a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on April 3, 2010, the Red Devils have played 47 matches in all competition. They've played 28 straight EPL matches, including 23 to date in the 2010-11 Premier League, without a blemish. They’ve gone unbeaten in seven straight UEFA Champions League fixtures and won both FA Cup matches on their schedule. Their overall record? 32 wins, 12 draws, 3 losses.
In nearly 10 months -- 303 days to be exact -- Sir Alex Ferguson’s first team has lost just three times. And yes, their first loss in this stretch came right here in Kansas City on July 25th at Arrowhead Stadium with 52,424 in attendance. That marks the largest away crowd to see Manchester United play during the stretch. Indeed, more fans came to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City then any of Manchester United's other 22 away games since April 3, 2010. In addition to more than a dozen EPL stadia, that span includes trips to play at Guadalajara in Mexico, at Glasgow in Scotland and at Valencia in Spain.
Include neutral site matches and Kansas City’s attendance mark still ranks third-best behind the 2010 MLS All-Star Game at Reliant Stadium (70,728) and the 2010 FA Community Shield at Wembley (84,623). Well done, Kansas City. Many in attendance said it was something special to be part of the atmosphere for the best-attended soccer match in Kansas City history and this retrospective puts that into even more context.
Behind the home crowd, Kansas City asserted its style of play throughout the 2-1 victory despite playing a man down from the 39th minute on. The attacking threats of Teal Bunbury and Ryan Smith drew praise from Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson afterward, and Davy Arnaud and Kei Kamara each scored goals that won’t soon be forgotten in club lore. Lest we forget to mention goalkeepers Jimmy Nielsen and Eric Kronberg, who along with the Kansas City backline, combined to shut down three of the top performers in the EPL this season.
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov, who converted United’s lone goal in KC on a first half penalty kick, played 76 minutes and has gone on to lead the EPL with 19 goals this season, including a five-goal performance against Blackburn (one of three hat tricks on the year). Portuguese winger Nani was also kept off the scoresheet in 68 minutes of action ahead of an EPL campaign in which he has recorded 11 assists, most among all EPL players at this point. Iconic midfielder Paul Scholes was kept quiet as well for the full 90 minutes prior to being named the EPL’s Player of the Month for August.
United’s only other losses in their recent run came in a 3-2 loss at Chivas Guadalajara days later on their 2010 North American tour and then in a 4-0 defeat to West Ham United on November 30th in the 5th round of the League Cup. The Red Devils will look to continue their fantastic form tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. CT on ESPN2 against Aston Villa.
