Dream debut for Manchester United teenager Macheda

Updated on: 06 April,2009 08:04 AM IST |
AFP |

Utd teenager Macheda ecstatic after scoring winner in injury time

Utd teenager Macheda ecstatic after scoring winner in injury time

Red hot! Man United's Federico Macheda celebrates after scoring an injury-time match-winner against Aston Villa in an English Premiership match at theOld Trafford Stadium in Manchester yesterday.

The 17-year-old Italian's majestic turn and strike deep into stoppage time at Old Trafford returned champions United to the top of the Premier League table by a point from Liverpool and with a game in hand.

"I think this is the day of my dreams to score a goal like that on my debut," Macheda told Sky Sports, having scored a hat-trick for the reserves against Newcastle on Monday.

United were without the suspended trio of Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney with Dimitar Berbatov injured. But Macheda more than made up for their absence and United's club captain Gary Neville, back in the side after two months out with a groin injury, was impressed. "I'm just grateful to him really. It's a massive win for us," said Neville, after seeing United score twice in the last 10 minutes with Cristiano Ronaldo making it 2-2 after he'd given the hosts an early lead. Villa scored through headers from John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

United manager Alex Ferguson also kept Macheda's goal in perspective. "I said 'well done'. It's important to keep his feet on the ground. He's going to get a lot of publicity over the next few days and he'll need to handle that," Ferguson said.

In the other EPL match of the night, Everton beat Wigan Athletic 4-0.

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