Macheda Again Gives ManU Victory, 2-1

"Once lucky, twice good."

The 18-year-old Italian Federico Macheda (photo) has emerged as a rising striker at Manchester United after scoring the winning goal for two games in a row.

In an English Premier League match against host Sunderland Sunday, Macheda artistically steered home Michael Carrick’s mid shot from the outer arch circle in the 76th minute, helping his team clinch a 2-1 victory off the bench.

Against Aston Villa Monday last week, Macheda also had a late winner off the bench to give United a 3-2 win.

United leads the league with 71 points, just one point ahead of Liverpool (20 wins, 10 draws, two losses), which crushed Blackburn 4-0. By adding three points, United has a record of 22 wins, five draws and four losses.

A repeat of United`s 1999 treble is still within reach.

The Italian national youth team was scheduled to recruit Macheda, who had eight goals in as many games in the secondary division.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, however, put him on the field as a replacement for his strikers, who were unable to run due to either injury or accumulated yellow cards.

Surprisingly Macheda has risen as a star in just two games. He joined United in March 2007 for 73,000 pounds (107,000 U.S. dollars) a year, signaling a departure from his poverty-stricken life back in Rome.

“There is something extraordinary about Macheda. I see him as an intuitive striker,” said Ferguson.

Sky Sports praised Macheda as “the decider of victory” and gave him the highest player rating of eight among United members along with Paul Scholes, who had the opening goal.

Park Ji-sung was in the starting line-up and played for the first 69 minutes.

yjongk@donga.com