Matchday Pictures Of Kiko Macheda Big Day Against Villa

Kiko Macheda Italian Job On Villa

Full Name	Federico Macheda
Birth Date	August 22, 1991
Birth Place	Italy

Age	17
Position	Forward
Squad #	41

"Kiko" Fedrico Macheda injury time goal moved Manchester United a step closer to their 18th league title and signal the possible emergence of a new star at The Theatre Of Dreams.

With most of the home supporters at Old Trafford watching on, Kiko Macheda stunned everyone with when he latched onto Ryan Gigg's pass and cleverly turned a Villa defender with a slick flick of the ball before killing the move with a clinical curler past Briad Fridel.

Seventeen-year-old striker Federico Macheda, making his first-team debut, became an instant Old Trafford hero when he scored a sensational injury-time winner to send United back to the top of the table.

Macheda, thrown on for the final 30 minutes, capped a superb performance with the sort of goal usually scored by the likes of Rooney or Ronaldo. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, the young Italian's first touch took the ball between his legs, wrong-footing his marker and allowing him space to curl a superb shot past Brad Friedel and into the far corner.

Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo had put the Reds in front on 14 minutes before goals from John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor turned the tide. Ronaldo equalised with 11 minutes to play but Macheda stole the headlines with what could prove a title-winning strike.

After the match, Kiko Macheda received the Man Of The Match award from Skysport Broadcast. He also revealed during the interview that he had run to his family who were in attendance to celebrate his debut senior goal in United colors. Defintely one player to keep an eye on. ;)

http://secure.hostgator.com/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=f5combo

Kiko Macheda Bio

Kiko Macheda

Birthdate:	22 Aug 1991
Birthplace:	Rome
Position:	Striker
Appearances:	0
Goals:	0
Joined United:	01 Sep 2007
United Debut:	05 April 2009

Formerly a member of Lazio's youth system, Federico Macheda joined United in September 2007, signing professional forms nearly a year later on 22 August 2008.

A powerful forward with a natural goalscorer's eye for goal, 'Kiko', as he is known to his team-mates, was born in Rome and was regarded as one of the most promising prospects of a generation in his homeland.

Having relocated to England to further his career, Macheda has quickly moved up the ranks at United. He started out in Paul McGuinness' Under-18s side, but has become a regular in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Reserves.

Macheda started the 2008/09 campaign with a fine goalscoring run in the youth team and quickly translated that to Reserve team football.

His strength on the ball, positional sense in the box and clinical finishing haven't gone unnoticed at the very top of the ladder, as Sir Alex Ferguson handed him a Champions League squad number midway through the 2008/09 campaign.

Kiko Macheda made his debut on 5th of April 2009 against Aston Villa as a second half sub and scored the winning goal in injury turn with a smart turn and finish to ensure the Red Devils emerge 3-2 winners in a tense match.

Kiko Macheda's Hat-Trick Earned United A Point

Reserves: Newcastle 3 Utd 3

Kiko Macheda's clinical hat-trick earned United a point as the Reds twice came from behind at St James' Park.

A draw was the very least United deserved from a see-saw encounter which ebbed and flowed until the final minute of stoppage time, when Lee Martin could have taken all three points for the Reds.

The result ends a run of three straight victories for United, but the pluck and guts on show in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team - plus an hour of action for club captain Gary Neville - provided a gleaming silver lining on Tyneside.

The first half was a relatively tight affair in which both sides converted penalties. Macheda slotted in for United after Claudio Cacapa had been penalised - perhaps a touch harshly - for handling the Italian's cross.

If that decision was soft, the award of Newcastle's own spot-kick was bewildering. Xisco's attempt to head a cross was slightly impeded by a combination of Neville and Ritchie De Laet, and the Spaniard's half-hearted appeals incredibly met with reward.

Xisco duly stroked the kick past substitute goalkeeper Conor Devlin, who had made a stunning reaction save from Cacapa's shot inside the six-yard box just moments earlier. The Irishman had earlier replaced Ron-Robert Zieler, who had injured his right arm.

The Reds could have retaken the lead almost immediately. Cameron Stewart fired Matty James' pass against a post, via a fine save from Fraser Forster, and then stabbed a subsequent cross over the bar.

Reserves: Newcastle 3 Utd 3

Within three minutes of the restart, however, United were behind as Jonny Godsmark pulled a cross into the six-yard box for Mark Doninger to slide home.

The game lulled briefly as both teams drew breath, and Macheda superbly hauled United level again with 15 minutes remaining. Latching onto James' through-ball, the ice-cool striker rounded Forster and slotted between two Newcastle defenders for his second.

Danny Guthrie fired home what looked to be a late winner for the hosts, lashing in from 25 yards after James had been dispossessed, but the United midfielder made amends with a superb assist; a raking 50-yard pass which Macheda sublimely killed and converted in the final minute.

United continued to rampage forward in search of a winner, and Martin was agonisingly close to turning in Magnus Eikrem's cross in the final minute of stoppage time.

By that point Neville was long since showered, having been replaced by Reece Brown just before the hour-mark. Having dished out and received a few sturdy challenges, this was a worthwhile examination for the club captain, whose attentions now switch to Aston Villa's visit on Sunday.

United: Zieler (Devlin 30); Neville (Brown 57), De Laet, Eckersley, Dudgeon; Stewart (Norwood 69), Possebon, James, Eikrem; Martin; Macheda.
Subs not used: Galbraith, Wootton.

Credit: Manutd.com