Did Macheda Mean It?

By: Daryl | April 13th, 2009

Kiko Macheda repeated his trick of coming off the bench and scoring a matchwinner for Man Utd on Saturday. After scoring Utd’s winner vs Villa last week, the 17 year old came off the bench vs Sunderland in the 75th minute with the score at 1-1, and by the 76th minute was celebrating making it 2-1. Question is: How much did he know about it?

I’ve watched the above video more than once and still can’t decide if Michael Carrick’s shot just happens to hit Macheda and bounce in, or if the young striker deliberately re-directs it past Craig Gordon. Answers on a postcard please. Or in the comments if you want to save time and postage costs.

In many many ways, it doesn’t matter. Whether Macheda meant it or not, the ball hit the net and Man Utd took three points. Sometimes being lucky is better than being good.

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Category: World Football

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martin

I can't tell thanks to the rubbish camera work...
HC

There is too much hype on this kid.. Though he is skillful, don't you think they're making it sound like he's the next CRon??
Mike

Ah, well after seeing it, I still can't really tell to be honest. It just happens too fast to really see how he moves and whatnot, which actually leads me to believe if you can't even really see him moving in the video he must not have known much about it anyhow.
Daryl

Seems to be a current issue with all Sapo.pt videos that they won't play for everyone. I have no idea what the problem is to be honest.

101GG have the same video of the Macheda goal, but they do have Match of the Day highlights of the whole game on Veoh:

http://www.101greatgoals.com/v...
eric

me neither, i'm dissapointed. i'll try 101greatgoals
Mike

I don't know if it's me but the video doesn't show up
elle

either way he's lucky in oh so many ways
Scouser

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson on Federico Macheda: "He has got something special about him, the boy. I haven't seen the goal, but one of the players said he actually tried it. He side-footed it as it came to him. It's that quick-thinking that goalscorers have got. He has just got that instinct."

If he actually tried it then he meant it?
Weston (@wpazzurri)

man, how come all of the new young italian strikers that we are hearing about are either Balotelli or they play for Man Utd? and for the sake of the Azzurri i hope he does turn out to be something special, but i really hope he leaves ManUre like rossi did.
FoleyIsGood

Drabik's right: he reacted quickly and deliberately deflected goalwards. Probably didn't expect it to nestle in the corner, but I don't think that matters - how often do good strikers say of great finishes: "I just tried to hit the target and luckily it went in"
Was good movement to get in that position unmarked too.
Drabik

Its not like it just hit him and it went in... He changed the positioning of his feet, I'm certain he meant it. Maybe because I'm a United fan and want to think that he is the next OGS?