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.
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