Hull City 0 Man United 1: Tigers escape by the skin of their teeth
Published on: 24th May, 2009
Hull City 0 Man United 1: Tigers escape by the skin of their teeth | Related News
Hull escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth despite slumping to defeat to an under-strength Manchester United this afternoon.
Darron Gibson fired the only goal of a tense Barclays Premier League encounter at the KC Stadium with a stunning strike midway through the first half. Yet with Newcastle losing at Aston Villa, the Tigers just managed to limp over the line to safety with 35 points.
United made 10 changes as Sir Alex Ferguson rested his biggest names ahead of the Champions League final on Wednesday but the final score meant there could be no complaints.
Their starting XI had an average age of just 23, a figure boosted by the return of veteran club captain Gary Neville, 34.
England defender Rio Ferdinand, hoping to prove his fitness to face Barcelona in Rome after a calf injury, failed to make the team.
Hull started brightly by winning two early corners and a long ball from Michael Turner put Craig Fagan in on goal but the forward could not control and Tomasz Kuszczak gathered.
Geovanni then broke clear down the left twice in quick succession but the Brazilian’s first cross just evaded Fagan and Kuszczak punched his second clear.
Nani had United’s first serious attempt from a free-kick 30 yards out but Boaz Myhill was not troubled. Hull were almost caught on the counter-attack when a vicious low cross from Rafael da Silva almost found the onrushing Lee Martin.
United then struggled to clear a corner from Andy Dawson and the ball broke to Marney but his shot was easily saved by Kuszczak.
United stunned Hull by taking the lead in the 24th minute with a ferocious strike from Gibson. The 21-year-old let fly from 25 yards with a powerful shot across goal that flew past Myhill into the top corner.
That goal put Hull into the bottom three, as things stood, and the Tigers needed to respond but Federico Macheda almost doubled their misery when he shot straight at Myhill.
Hearts in mouths: Darron Gibson (second left) silences the KC
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