United give weakened Blackburn a top scoring lesson

A STUNNING overhead goal from Paul Ince and another Wembley penalty from Eric Cantona earned English double winners Manchester United a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers yesterday's Charity Shield.

Injury-weakened Blackburn, appearing in the Wembley pre-season opener as league runners-up, held United to a single goal from a first-half penalty until nine minutes from time.

Midfielder Ince doubled United's winning margin with a spectacular bicycle kick in front of goal after Cantona headed a bad clearance from a corner back into the box.

The French international, who will miss the start of the new season after receiving a three-match ban this week for a sending-off last weekend, put the champions ahead in the 23rd minute.

Defender Colin Hendry was adjudged to have pulled down Ince in the box and the self-assured Cantona casually stroked home another Wembley penalty.

In May, he became the first player to score two penalties in an FA Cup final in the 4-0 destruction of Chelsea.

Controversial new instructions to referees to clamp down on tackling from behind and dissent were evident, with World Cup referee Philip Don booking seven players in a reasonably well-tempered encounter.

Blackburn clearly missed the most expensive strikeforce in English football as they struggled to create goal-scoring chances.

England striker Alan Shearer is recovering from food poisoning and his new partner, GBP5 million Norwich recruit Chris Sutton has an ankle injury.

Meanwhile a television advertisement in which stormy United star Cantona makes a four-letter boast about his ''dirty tricks'' on the field has been banned.

News of the screen ban broke only hours after the announcement that Cantona had been given his three-match suspension by the Football Association after an incident during a friendly tournament match against Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox last weekend.

The GBP100,000 commercial, made in France, aimed to give a multi-million pound boost to top sports firm Nike.

But a spokesman for Britain's Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre was quoted in the Daily Mirror in London as saying: ''We just felt the contents of the film to be offensive.

''The fact that he was celebrating his misdemeanours on the field and suggesting that he was proud of them.'' The 30-second commercial was previewed by Channel 4 Television.

Nike have said they plan to show the advert in cinemas where broadcasting restrictions are less severe.

The volatile Frenchman apparently says: ''I have been suspended for striking a goalkeeper, for spitting at a supporter and for throwing my shirt at a referee.'' He adds: ''And for calling my manager a bag of s***.'' At this point, Cantona's words are drowned by the shrill blast of the referee's whistle.