Manchester United's goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar saves a penalty from Chelsea's Claudio Pizarro (left) during the FA Community Shield soccer match at Wembley Stadium, London, yesterday. United won 3-0 on penalties, following a 1-1 regulation time scoreline. - AP

LONDON (Reuters):

Champions Manchester United beat FA Cup holders Chelsea 3-0 onpenalties to lift the Community Shield yesterday following a 1-1 draw at the end of 90 minutes.

United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar was their hero after saving three penalties in the shootout, leaving England striker Wayne Rooney to score with the decisive spot kick at Wembley.

Ryan Giggs gave United a 35th- minute lead with a sweetly-struck shot, but Chelsea's new France winger Florent Malouda levelled with a fine solo goal just before half-time.

Neither side created a clear-cut chance after the break, leaving the traditional curtain-raiser to be settled by a shootout in front of a crowd of more than 80,000.

The win for United, which had lost that FA Cup final in May, gave them first blood in what is set to be another long battle between the two clubs for honours.

United manager Alex Ferguson told a news conference: "We've always used it as a stepping stone towards the first game of the season and I'm pleased with it.

"I don't think there was much between either side, particularly in terms of possession, but we did make the clear chances and for that reason we probably deserved to win."

UNUSUAL LINE-UP

Chelsea started with an unusual line-up because main striker Didier Drogba, captain John Terry and midfielder Claude Makelele were all sidelined, while forwards Andriy Shevchenko and Salomon Kalou were also missing.

Terry's place in central defence went to new Israeli signing Tal Ben Haim, while the gap up front was unconvincingly filled by winger Joe Cole in a strike role.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho was stoical about the line-up and outcome, saying:

"Losing is losing, but losing on penalties is different from losing on 90 minutes.

"It was the first time in life I've played without a striker. The formation depends on the players you have available ... You have to adapt."

It took over 20 minutes for the first chance to fall to Giggs, whose close-range effort was blocked.

Chelsea replied with a glancing header by Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, but the momentumwas clearly going the champions' way.

United's French defender Mikael Silvestre just failed to connect for a tap-in at the far post, after Cristiano Ronaldo slid the ball across the face of the goal and the breakthrough came only a few minutes later.

Left back Patrice Evra worked a neat one-two with Ronaldo before cutting the ball back in a crowded area and Giggs lashed home a rising first-time shot.

CHELSEA LEVEL

Chelsea levelled against the run of play when Malouda broke down the left and hooked the ball round Rio Ferdinand before steering it past Van der Sar.

Mourinho sent on recently arrived Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro, while Ferguson deployed new Portuguese winger Nani. Neither move made much impression.

It all went wrong for Chelsea in the shootout. Van der Sar saved from Pizarro, Frank Lampard and Shaun Wright-Phillips, setting up Rooney to add to strikes from Ferdinand and Michael Carrick and wrap up victory.