Blackburn 2 Manchester Utd 2
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| David Beckham celebrates his late equaliser with captain Roy Keane and the away support (© Allsport) |
A controversial quick free-kick by David Beckham earned Manchester United a point from a thrilling 2-2 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday as the sparks continued to fly in the first week of the premier league.
Ryan Giggs lashed a rampant United into a deserved first-half lead but a Beckham own goal and a great shot from former Old Trafford winger Keith Gillespie put Blackburn ahead after 70 minutes.
But after Blackburn defender Craig Short was sent off for his second booking eight minutes later, Beckham saved the champions by floating the subsequent kick over Brad Friedel as the big American keeper was off his line trying to organise the wall.
In the night's other match, Barry Hayles and Louis Saha gave Fulham a 2-0 home win over Sunderland in an action-packed encounter as the London club played their first home game in the top flight for 33 years.
United had leaked early goals in their previous three games, but although Jaap Stam and Gary Neville were dropped they looked shaky again on Wednesday.
Fabien Barthez had to save well from Gillespie after just 30 seconds, while Matt Jansen hit the bar with a header from the subsequent corner.
Blackburn threatened again in the 20th minute but paid a heavy price for Italian striker Corrado Grabbi's close range miss.
United quickly broke and after a perfect pass from Juan Veron, Giggs fired a fierce shot into the roof of the net.
United took total control for the rest of the half, passing crisply and mesmerising Blackburn with their movement, with Veron supreme in the middle.
Friedel touched a venomous Scholes shot on to a post five minutes before halftime, and a minute later the bar rattled from a Beckham free-kick.
But Blackburn came out firing after the break and equalised after three minutes when Alan Mahon's cross skimmed off Beckham's head and beyond Barthez.
And it could have been worse two minutes later as a thumping header from Henning Berg crashed into the United bar before Gillespie struck his first goal in 16 months with a great shot.
Short was then sent of for his second bookable offence, a late tackle on substitute Dwight Yorke, which led to the equaliser.
Blackburn were all over the place as Beckham took a quick free-kick from almost 40 metres out, lofting it over the wandering Friedel and into the unprotected net.
The American complained long and loud but, as with Ian Harte's similar effort for Leeds United against Arsenal on Tuesday, the goal stood.
It was all United from then on, but Blackburn defended well to earn their first point following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Derby County.
Gillespie, who spent three frustrating years at United in the early 90s had no complaints about Beckham's goal.
"We fought back well but shot ourselves in the foot giving away a daft equaliser," he said.
"I did hear a whistle so the ball's in play - it happened last night so we should have seen it, but we're still happy with a point.