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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
George Flood

Soccer Aid 2021: Kem Cetinay and Lee Mack lead World XI to win over England as record £13m raised for Unicef

England suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Rest of the World on a record-breaking night for Soccer Aid in Manchester.

TV personality Kem Cetinay netted a brace and comedian Lee Mack was also on the scoresheet in the annual charity football match that sees celebrities and football legends line up side-by-side to raise money for Unicef.

And the 10th edition of the event was an overwhelming success, with a record £13,014,769 donated.

In the 10th minute, World XI captain Usain Bolt was pulled back by former Manchester United defender Gary Neville on the edge of the box, conceding a free-kick which Dutchman Clarence Seedorf rattled against the crossbar.

England threatened with long-range efforts from freestyler Harriet Pavlou before reality television star Mark Wright, who had a spell with Crawley last season, fired over.

Bolt shot into the side netting after being played in one-on-one against England goalkeeper David James, while at the other end singer-songwriter James Bay was also off target after being picked out by Shaun Wright-Phillips.

(Getty Images)

The second half saw celebrities go in goal, with presenter Ore Oduba sent on for the World XI while Joel Dommett, host of The Masked Singer TV show, stood in for England, with Paddy McGuinness out injured and Roman Kemp unavailable after a positive Covid test

Presenter Stephen Mulhern was then introduced as England's 'Masked Winger', but - still in his bulky costume - was soon shown a yellow card for clattering into Darren Fletcher.

Dutchman Nigel de Jong saw his cross drop through the box and onto the far post before World XI took the lead in the 51st minute as Love Island's Cetinay sent a slow effort goalwards from 20 yards - which rolled past Dommett's miss kick and on into the net.

Mulhern was physically carried off as Sir Mo Farah came on, with 2020 Olympic champion Max Whitlock also another substitute. Farah, though, appeared to soon pull a muscle and limped off.

Oduba saved from Rooney and fellow former England international Joe Cole before Cetinay added a second goal with a low finish into the corner after being played onside by Bay with 15 minutes left.

Jamie Carragher sent Rooney clear late on, but England's all-time record scorer blazed over.

Mack missed two good chances before eventually tapping home a third for the World XI in the final minute.

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