Kompany Testimonial: City legends vs PL All-Stars ends in draw

September 12, 2019 Contributing Editor European Leagues, Premier League
Vincent Kompany-Looking back during his testimonial match
Vincent Kompany-Looking back during his testimonial match
Kompany Testimonial: City legends vs PL All-Stars ends in draw European Leagues Premier League
Vincent Kompany-Looking back during his testimonial match

Manchester City legends faced a Premier League All-Stars XI made up of mostly Manchester United heroes for Vincent Kompany’s testimonial. Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Ashley Cole were among the stars to play in Vincent Kompany’s testimonial as a Manchester City legends XI drew 2-2 with a Premier League legends side.

Teams – City Legends vs PL All-Stars

​Benjani Mwaruwari could hardly be further removed from your typical Pep Guardiola-type player.

But long before Manchester City’s all-conquering manager made the Etihad his own, the Zimbabwe striker had already earned cult status in these parts.

Before Abu Dhabi riches, before silverware galore, Benjani had secured a place in the hearts of every City fan by silencing the red half of Manchester.

His derby goal in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in 2008 will forever remain his most notable contribution to the club. And even on a night when the Etihad came together to celebrate the career of a bona fide legend in Vincent Kompany, they showed their appreciation for their former striker, even before he entered the action.

The sight of the 41-year-old emerging from the dugout prompted chants of “Benjani oooooooh! He comes from Zimbabwe. And scored on derby day!”

Cult hero Benjani scored a late leveller, to the delight of more than 50,000 at the Etihad

Guardiola – managing the City Legends – waited until the 71st minute to introduce the hitman.

And how it paid off as he rose in the final minute to send a towering header past Shay Given and send the Etihad into raptures as he earned a 2-2 draw.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that Kompany had to sit out his own testimonial due to a hamstring injury, he looked like having to watch on as City succumbed to defeat.

Kompany Farewell

The 33-year-old won 10 major honours in 11 years at the club but he was dogged by muscular problems throughout the second half of his City career.

“It’s typical me,” he said of the hamstring injury before the game, but that did not stop him enjoying the friendly between a City side featuring a host of star names from throughout his career and a Premier League All Stars XI.

“I’m the proudest man in the world,” said the Belgian, who also gave game time to his brother Francois and a number of players from Anderlecht, where he is now player-manager.

“It’s been a special day. It’s been a perfect evening even though I didn’t play. I couldn’t have wished for more.”

The priority for Kompany was raising funds for his homelessness charity Tackle4MCR, which aims to eradicate rough sleeping in Manchester. It is an issue that has been close to his heart throughout his stay in the city he now considers home.

“The key thing is to raise as much funding as we can and use it to help the people who are helping those living on the streets,” he said.

Once a blue…

 

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