Manchester United put to bed a European jinx last night, beating German side Schalke and marching towards a third Champions League final in four years.
Ignore the 2-0 scoreline for it fails to describe the ease in which United claimed the advantage in this semi final tie.
Schalke were blitzed, unable to handle the continuous waves of red coming at them.
A hero did emerge from the carnage in the form of the German side's captain, goalkeeper Manuel Neur.
The 25 year-old, Public Enemy Number One having announced that he will leave his boyhood club at the end of the season, made a succession of terrific stops that kept the score line within the parameters of normality.
United could have been in cricket score territory were it not for the German international.
His first save set the tone for a stand out performance. Wayne Rooney, cutting in from the left, curled a shot which took a deflection towards to far top corner. Neur scrambled across his line and clawed the ball wide.
Javier Hernandez was next to try his luck. Finding space from an angle near the 6 yard box the Mexican could not then find the net, only Neur’s enlarged frame.
One, two, three more chances went a begging for the Little Pea, Neur equal to two and the final driven wide.
Fabio, making only his twelve start for the first team, got in on the act making a fifty yard run into the opposing box only to be shut out before he could get his shot in.
Bitten by the bug the Brazilian was again found in Neur’s vicinity, this time pulling a left footed shot over the bar when it should have rippled beneath it.
Finally the ball was put beyond Neur but Hernandez was adjudged to have been offside when he received the pass that he fired in. Leverkusen in 2002 must have weighed on Ferguson’s mind.
Two goals in 3 minutes banished any doubts.
The first came from Giggs, becoming the oldest player to score in the tournaments history. Put through on goal by Rooney the midfielder this time slid the ball between Neur’s legs into the net, atoning for a missed one on one in the opening forty five minutes.
He overtook Fillipo Inzaghi as the oldest goal scorer in Champions League history. That tally could increase by the time Giggs' boots are hung up.
Rooney then all but finished off Schalke’s fairytale run.
Receiving a squared ball from Hernandez, who was encroaching on goal, the England striker placed the ball out of Neur’s reach into the near post.
Ferguson was rewarded for his adventurous selection. So often he prefers a 4-5-1 away in Europe but the old master fancied the Germans were there for the taking.
Lead by Wayne Rooney and, once again, Giggs were tearing the side from Gelsenkerchen apart. Rooney particuarly revelled, playing in the No. 10 role he so loves.
The lone striker of last season has turned into creative conductor, notably when he played that disguised reverse ball to Giggs to enter another book. .
His instinct in front of goal seems not to have diminished either, scoring United's second and decisive goal.
Superlatives follow Giggs whenever he plays. Reinvented as a central midfielder he uses his supreme nouse to influence games tellingly and was central to United's finest moments.
The Welshman was once again partnered with Michael Carrick in central midfield, a combination that three weeks ago seemed pragmatic now oozes the propensity to protect the defence and propel forward in equal measure.
As irresistible as United were, Schalke contributed to their downfall with their pusillanimity.
Gone were the determination and exuberance showed against Inter Milan in the quarter finals. Carrick roamed free to receive and spread the ball uncontested. Antonio Valencia had the beating of Hans Serpei before the left back was hauled off.
Rooney was afforded Sunday league freedom and, despite one stern challenge from the masked Christoph Metzelder, utilised it with skimming passes and sharp turns.
Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand defended with their proverbial feet-up such was the inertness of Schalke's attacking trio Jefferson Farfan, Eduardo Goncalves Edu and Raul.
The Spanish striker has been instrumental in Schalke surpassing Inter to the semi finals but the three time winner of the tournament failed was stifled out.
Ferguson has stated he knows where the 2009 final was lost to Barcelona. Failing a disaster at Old Trafford next week he will get his opportunity lay the ghost of Rome to rest.
Cheers!
Monday, 9 May 2011
Ranting Rooney Settles Semi Final First Leg
He came, he scored, he celebrated. But gone was the irascible reproach, replaced by a exuberant smirk. Wayne Rooney let his feet do the talking last night and put Manchester United on the verge the Champions League semi final.
Chelsea for all their probing and prodding failed to nudge through United although they will once again feel aggrieved at a penalty. Ramires hurtled towards the United goal when Patrice Evra wrapped himself around the midfielder, felling him just inside the area.
It should have been a simple decision for Alberto Undiano Mallenco, the night's mediator, but John Terry should have also aimed his post-match criticism at the fifth official. UEFA's grand plan of placing officials on the goal line will prove vacuous if they fail to spot flashpoints within their vicinity.
Carlo Ancelotti will prove expendable also if he fails to overturn the 1 goal deficit at Old Trafford and provide Roman Abramovich the one thing money has not bought.
The Italian stuck Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba together from the start, so committed is he to afford the Spaniard a place within a double winning side, a decision he may later regret as the arranged marriage failed to spark into life once again.
How Nando needs a goal. This was the night when Torres was supposed to terrorise Nemanja Vidic like he had in 2007, firing his way into the hearts of the Shed..
In the end it belonged to United and in particular an energised Rooney and the evergreen Ryan Giggs.
Rooney was everywhere. Partnered by Javier Hernandez, the forward reverted to a role in front of the Chelsea midfield but out of touch from the defence.
Michael Essien's tracking of the number 10 was like that of lost boy scout although the freedom Rooney exerted was not the responsibility of the Ghanaian alone. How could it be with Rooney marauding such vast expanses of Stamford Bridge?
Giggs goes on to defy all logical expectations of a sportsman in his twilight years. Operating in tandem with Michael Carrick, Giggs uses his sublime reading and penetration of the game in spurts these days but chose precisely the correct moment to do so last night. He was deployed with devastating effect.
When Carrick swept a darting cross field ball over the head of Jose Bosingwa at right back Giggs, in one continuous, fluid movement, took the ball into his path and beyond the Portuguese international.
Cutting to the byline United's most capped player showed the experience he is imbued with. Looking up he picked out Rooney, moving centrally and away from the congestion caused by his Mexican strike partner, who slid the ball into the corner past Petr Cech.
Like in their heavyweight encounter in the Premier League last month, United were not impervious to Chelsea’s pressing. Only this time they proved impenetrable.
Reinforced by the return of Rio Ferdinand, United’s defence stood strong and guarded their lead ferociously. Ferdinand adds a sense of calmness and reassurance to a jittery back line when he partners Vidic. How Ferguson will be glad he came through the match injury free for the end of season run in.
Special mention should also go to Carrick who played like a number 16 of old. The midfielder is yet to reaffirm himself with United fans after that night in Rome when he looked infused with inertness.
Last night he looked a different player all together, guarding the ball defiantly, making tackles and tracking Essien and Lampard. Crucially afforded Giggs space to manoeveur.
Chelsea were not without their chances. Frank Lampard failed to bundle home a goal mouth scramble towards the end of the first half and Didier Drogba stung the fingers of Edwin Van Der Sar with a fierce near post drive.
Torres later brought an acrobatic stop out of the Dutchman from a header, the keeper displaying agility beyond what his age would suggest.
Chelsea must find a way of beating him and stopping the smiling assassin to stand a chance of progressing at Old Trafford.
Chelsea for all their probing and prodding failed to nudge through United although they will once again feel aggrieved at a penalty. Ramires hurtled towards the United goal when Patrice Evra wrapped himself around the midfielder, felling him just inside the area.
It should have been a simple decision for Alberto Undiano Mallenco, the night's mediator, but John Terry should have also aimed his post-match criticism at the fifth official. UEFA's grand plan of placing officials on the goal line will prove vacuous if they fail to spot flashpoints within their vicinity.
Carlo Ancelotti will prove expendable also if he fails to overturn the 1 goal deficit at Old Trafford and provide Roman Abramovich the one thing money has not bought.
The Italian stuck Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba together from the start, so committed is he to afford the Spaniard a place within a double winning side, a decision he may later regret as the arranged marriage failed to spark into life once again.
How Nando needs a goal. This was the night when Torres was supposed to terrorise Nemanja Vidic like he had in 2007, firing his way into the hearts of the Shed..
In the end it belonged to United and in particular an energised Rooney and the evergreen Ryan Giggs.
Rooney was everywhere. Partnered by Javier Hernandez, the forward reverted to a role in front of the Chelsea midfield but out of touch from the defence.
Michael Essien's tracking of the number 10 was like that of lost boy scout although the freedom Rooney exerted was not the responsibility of the Ghanaian alone. How could it be with Rooney marauding such vast expanses of Stamford Bridge?
Giggs goes on to defy all logical expectations of a sportsman in his twilight years. Operating in tandem with Michael Carrick, Giggs uses his sublime reading and penetration of the game in spurts these days but chose precisely the correct moment to do so last night. He was deployed with devastating effect.
When Carrick swept a darting cross field ball over the head of Jose Bosingwa at right back Giggs, in one continuous, fluid movement, took the ball into his path and beyond the Portuguese international.
Cutting to the byline United's most capped player showed the experience he is imbued with. Looking up he picked out Rooney, moving centrally and away from the congestion caused by his Mexican strike partner, who slid the ball into the corner past Petr Cech.
Like in their heavyweight encounter in the Premier League last month, United were not impervious to Chelsea’s pressing. Only this time they proved impenetrable.
Reinforced by the return of Rio Ferdinand, United’s defence stood strong and guarded their lead ferociously. Ferdinand adds a sense of calmness and reassurance to a jittery back line when he partners Vidic. How Ferguson will be glad he came through the match injury free for the end of season run in.
Special mention should also go to Carrick who played like a number 16 of old. The midfielder is yet to reaffirm himself with United fans after that night in Rome when he looked infused with inertness.
Last night he looked a different player all together, guarding the ball defiantly, making tackles and tracking Essien and Lampard. Crucially afforded Giggs space to manoeveur.
Chelsea were not without their chances. Frank Lampard failed to bundle home a goal mouth scramble towards the end of the first half and Didier Drogba stung the fingers of Edwin Van Der Sar with a fierce near post drive.
Torres later brought an acrobatic stop out of the Dutchman from a header, the keeper displaying agility beyond what his age would suggest.
Chelsea must find a way of beating him and stopping the smiling assassin to stand a chance of progressing at Old Trafford.
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