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Manchester United 3 - 2 AC Milan

The dream continues...

[qbdp]

Manchester United 3 - 2 AC Milan

[qbdp]

Manchester United 3 - 2 AC Milan





MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Wayne Rooney scored twice including a stoppage-time winner to give Manchester United a thrilling 3-2 victory over AC Milan in their Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday.

Rooney pulled United back into the match when he levelled the score at 2-2 after 59 minutes and his winner gives United a narrow advantage to take into the second leg in Milan next Wednesday, although Milan will fancy their chances thanks to their two away goals.

Milan keeper Dida helped United get a dream start on his return from injury, palming a Cristiano Ronaldo header into his own net in the fifth minute, before the game swung dramatically Milan's way with two goals from fellow Brazilian Kaka.

With Kaka's goals in the bank, United looked to be out of the tie but Rooney's double has set up what should be a pulsating decider at the San Siro next Wednesday.

The winners will face either Liverpool or Chelsea in the final in Athens on May 23.

A beaming United manager Alex Ferguson told ITV Sport moments after the game: "I thought we played some fantastic football and dominated the game.

"The equaliser gave us the incentive to go on and win it and the late goal gives us a magnificent chance of winning the tie now."

Rooney's goals turned around a game in which Kaka had ruthlessly exposed the weaknesses of United's makeshift rearguard, with the hosts' defenders literally falling over each other as he scored his second.

United, out to avenge consecutive 1-0 defeats by Milan in the 2005 knockout round, had to field a patched-up defence after injuries to Rio Ferdinand, skipper Gary Neville, Mikael Silvestre, Nemanja Vidic and midfielder-turned-defender Kieran Richardson.

It mattered little in the opening exchanges, with United drawing first blood when Cristiano Ronaldo met a Ryan Giggs corner with a header that Dida parried upwards and then flapped into his own net under pressure from Gabriel Heinze.

United's Argentine defender was less lucky soon afterwards, though, when he failed to prevent Kaka from latching on to Clarence Seedorf's through-ball and rifling a low left-foot shot past Edwin van der Sar.

GETTING WORSE
Though United replied with plenty of pressure and a stinging shot from Ronaldo which Dida could only parry, their night went from bad to worse in the 37th minute.

Kaka surged forward on a solo run, outmanouevring Darren Fletcher and then dodged the luckless Heinze, who was promptly flattened by the inrushing Patrice Evra to leave both United men in a heap.

The fiasco left Kaka completely alone to sweep the ball past a helpless Van der Sar from close range.

Kaka, already the Champions League's top scorer this season, took his tally to nine and left United facing their first home defeat since a Premier League loss to Arsenal in September.

To complete a miserable half for United's back four, left-back Evra marked his return from injury with a yellow card for dissent that rules him out of the second leg at San Siro next Wednesday.

United needed to get back into the game quickly and a chance duly fell within minutes of the re-start, only for midfielder Michael Carrick to somehow fire wide at the far post following a corner.

Punishment could have been swift, with Kaka having two quick chances to reach his hat-trick.

CLEVER BALL
Instead, the pendulum swung back United's way when Paul Scholes lifted a clever ball over the top of Milan's defence and Rooney was able to chest it down before beating Dida from close range.

The goal galvanised a packed Old Trafford and United quickly moved up a gear, with only a fantastic save by Dida denying a Fletcher piledriver.

Ronaldo, fresh from winning two domestic Player of the Year awards, nearly won it for United in the closing stages with sizzling low shot that flew just wide of the post.

However, that distinction fell to Rooney as he collected a Giggs pass on the break and steered a low shot past Dida to send Old Trafford into ecstasy.

[Sayangku]

Michael Carrick and Wes Brown, totally non-existent in last night match. What's Evra thinking? Yesterday match was 6 Milan players (Dida, Nesta, Gattusso, Pirlo, Seedorf and Kaka) against the whole Man U team. It was a bad game by Man U standards, 3-2 results is not a good result for Man U, 1-0 or 2-1 win for AC are sufficient for them to go through.

Lets hope the 1st choice defenders will recover in time and get a draw at San Siro.

[notalk]

Man utd show tat they r no push over by coming from behind.... great match! Hope they can perform better the next league.

[imom]

Amazed that some station in Canada was actually showing the full match.... Saw some of it and sigh, gotta say Kaka's 2nd was really needless. Gave away a vital away goal. Now we gotta win or draw the away leg. Or lose 4-3. Haha.

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by Sayangku

Michael Carrick and Wes Brown, totally non-existent in last night match. What's Evra thinking? Yesterday match was 6 Milan players (Dida, Nesta, Gattusso, Pirlo, Seedorf and Kaka) against the whole Man U team. It was a bad game by Man U standards, 3-2 results is not a good result for Man U, 1-0 or 2-1 win for AC are sufficient for them to go through.

Lets hope the 1st choice defenders will recover in time and get a draw at San Siro.

I thought Carrick played ok last night but have to agree on Evra's case. Then again, Evra was rushed back from injury. The makeshift defence needs to have communication amongst them.

3-2 is anytime better than bringing a score draw to San Siro.

We are good enough to score an away goal at San Siro and personally feel we cant play for a draw but to bring the game to Milan.

Cheers! Anyways, I am gonna enjoy the win while it lasts as not everyone wants and expects us to win.

[no_faith]

but CR must not be big headed and try to take on the milan defence too much.
so much differ in his play between 1st and 2nd half.

congrats for the win

[Theme1]

Despite Ronaldo's awards, Rooney shows he's a winner
By ROB HARRIS
Associated Press Writer
25 April 2007
10:20
Associated Press Newswires
English

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - While Cristiano Ronaldo was collecting personal accolades this week, Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney was focusing on AC Milan's goal. It paid dividends.

Rooney tilted the balance of Tuesday's Champions League semifinal back in United's favor when he surged forward to grab an injury-time winner at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old striker's sublime shot from the top of the area ensured United will resume next week in the San Siro with a slender 3-2 advantage.

"He didn't take a touch on it, just hit it first time. It was a brilliant goal," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "On an occasion like tonight, we needed our big players to hit the heights."

Rooney rose to the occasion, masterminding the comeback from a 2-1 deficit.

"We knew it would be difficult to get the win," Rooney said. "The manager told us to keep pushing, keep going and we'll get the goals, and we did."

Operating as the lone striker, Rooney equalized on the hour after Paul Scholes chipped the ball over the Milan defense, hitting a right-footed shot that Dida was able to only partially block.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said Rooney's winner will force his side to battle for a result next Wednesday.

"We are completely confident, disappointed about how it finished but confident about the return leg," Ancelotti said. "We sat back a bit too much and left the initiative too open for them. Having conceded that goal obliges us to make the return leg all ours."

In less than a month, Rooney has reversed his fortunes -- and silenced the sniping for now.

Goals in both quarterfinal matches against AS Roma ended his European goal drought, which had endured since a hat trick on his debut against Fenerbahce in September 2004.

Tuesday's brace came against a side that had conceded just one away goal in the competition all season.

The exquisite finishing stole the limelight from Ronaldo, who commanded the pre-match headlines after scooping two awards from his fellow English Premier League professionals at a glitzy ceremony last weekend.

The Portugal winger was instrumental in United's leading score inside six minutes with a header bounced off Dida.

But Ronaldo was tamed for most of the night and eclipsed by Kaka, who eased the Rossineri's plight.

The Brazil midfielder scored in the 22nd and 37th minutes to put the more experienced Italians ahead by halftime, before Rooney turned the tie around.

"We have been very ingenuous, we gifted the victory," midfielder Massimo Ambrosini said. "A draw would have been the right result. We played very well for an hour. Manchester United never gave up but we knew that."

Milan's task will be aided by United's crisis in defense. Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic and Mikael Silvestre are injured, while fullback Patrice Evra will be serving a suspension.

"It's going to be difficult, it always is going to the San Siro," winger Ryan Giggs said. "But we've seen enough in the second half to show that we can go there and get a good result. If we keep our character and nerve then hopefully we will."

Ferguson is used to winning the hard way.

"We have an outstanding chance now," the veteran manager said. "With the speed of our game, I believe we will score in Italy. Whether it will be enough I don't know. It will not be easy -- but it will not be easy for them either."

[epsilon]

Fergie: United have 'outstanding chance'

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed Manchester United have 'an outstanding chance' of reaching the Champions League final after Wayne Rooney inspired a sensational 3-2 win against semi-final opponents AC Milan at Old Trafford.


LaurenceGriffiths/GettyImages
Manchester United's PFA player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo fires off a shot.

Trailing and in trouble after his injury-decimated side had been ripped apart twice by Milan's brilliant Brazilian Kaka, Rooney came to the rescue.

First the England striker drove home an equaliser after Paul Scholes had supplied an audacious chipped pass, then, in injury-time, Rooney strode onto Ryan Giggs' through ball and beat Milan keeper Dida with a stunning first-time finish to seal a memorable victory.

It means United, who opened the scoring when Dida was unable to keep out Cristiano Ronaldo's header, must now avoid defeat in the San Siro next Wednesday to confirm an all-English final in Athens on May 23.

And, while Ferguson accepts it will not be easy, he believes his side are capable of delivering.

'We have an outstanding chance now,' said the Scot.

'With the speed of our game, I believe we will score in Italy. Whether it will be enough I don't know.

'It will not be easy - but it will not be easy for them either.'

Largely overlooked this season as team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo has grabbed all the headlines, Rooney muscled his way back onto centre-stage in magnificent fashion.

Scholes may earn most of the plaudits with his assist for Rooney's first but no-one could deny the sheer brilliance of the Merseysider's second.

'It was an incredible hit,' enthused Ferguson.

'He didn't take a touch on it, just hit it first time. It was a brilliant goal.

'On an occasion like tonight, we needed our big players to hit the heights.'

Aside from Rooney's monumental contribution, Ronaldo, who was credited with United's fourth-minute opener even though Dida touched it in after the winger's fierce header had looped up off his head, and Darren Fletcher were also superb.

'I don't think anyone expected us to fold when we fell behind but Kaka did have two chances to get a third for them, which he didn't take, and that gave us a lifeline,' said Ferguson.

'But you need a bit of luck on nights like this and I am delighted with the way we came back.

'The second goal gave us the incentive to push forward again and once we started to do that, there was only going to be one winner.'

Ferguson was critical of his side's defending for both Milan goals.

Gabriel Heinze was caught napping by Kaka's surging run for the equaliser but the second involved a catastrophic penalty box collision between the Argentina star and Patrice Evra that allowed the Milan star a free run on goal before he beat Edwin van der Sar in clinical fashion.

It was part of a bad night for Evra, whose booking rules him out of the second leg, leaving Ferguson facing another patch-up job unless Rio Ferdinand can somehow manage to overcome the groin injury he aggravated against Middlesbrough at the weekend.

'If Rio doesn't make it, I do have the option of playing Darren Fletcher at right-back, although given the way he played tonight, I would prefer not to do that.'

Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti accepted United were marginal favourites to get through. But he is still confident about his side's chances of completing a European Cup semi-final hat-trick over the Red Devils after previous wins in 1958 and 1969.

'Manchester United probably do have a slight advantage,' he said.

'We are disappointed about their winning goal because I felt we had the match pretty much in hand.

'It seemed we were going to get a good result but that goal has complicated matters.'

Ancelotti confirmed Gennaro Gattuso, whom Ferguson claimed got involved in a row with a steward after the final whistle, would be fit for next week despite suffering a bang on the foot.

However, Paolo Maldini, who was substituted at half-time with a knee problem, is more of a doubt.

'It is difficult to say whether the result would have been the same if those two had stayed on the pitch but quite clearly, you are going to miss players of that experience,' he said.

[shuaige84]

congrats to man utd win.... its quite a dangerous scoreline to bring to san siro.. but then i believe man utd can score away goals at san siro to reach the final

[TaiTaiZhong]

Originally Posted by shuaige84

congrats to man utd win.... its quite a dangerous scoreline to bring to san siro.. but then i believe man utd can score away goals at san siro to reach the final

I agree that the result is abit dangerous consider that AC has 2 away go.. but man utd will WIN when they visit them!

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by no_faith

but CR must not be big headed and try to take on the milan defence too much.
so much differ in his play between 1st and 2nd half.

congrats for the win

Ahh...that young Ronaldo! Dribble dribble dribble and shoot but the ball usually end in the fans' hands! But everytime he dribbles there are 2-3 Milan players are out of the game so it's ok. heh.

Tonight your team face the most successful English club. Good luck to your club - Essien will be missed.

Originally Posted by shuaige84

congrats to man utd win.... its quite a dangerous scoreline to bring to san siro.. but then i believe man utd can score away goals at san siro to reach the final

If Utd are destined to lose in San Siro with a makeshift defence then I prefer we go down fighting and grab 1-2 goals.

[qbdp]

Liverpool just play in the cups

JOSE MOURINHO last night taunted Liverpool: You are living in the past.

The Chelsea boss st0ked up the rivalry with Rafa Benitez before tonight’s Champions League semi-final showdown by reminding Liverpool of their title drought.

The Reds last won the title in 1989 and Mourinho claimed they are living on their glorious history.

He also claimed that from the four teams in the semi-finals only Chelsea and Manchester United can be considered “big” clubs as they are fighting to win three big competitions.

When asked where that left Liverpool, the Blues boss was forthright in putting the Anfield club in their place.

He said: “Liverpool are a big club, their history speaks for itself. A club is not a moment, a club is about history. Historically they are not a big club, they are a monster.

“But in the last few years they only play in one competition and only succeed in knockout competitions.

“But they won the Champions League five times and we have never won it.

“If any team could be in our position, or Manchester United’s position, they would be.

"If you are a small club you only fight for one competition and forget the others.

“The big clubs try the maximum they can. The risk is to win everything or win nothing. The Carling Cup is not enough, we want more.”

Chelsea lost to the Reds in the Champions League semi-final defeat two years ago with a disputed goal by Luis Garcia at Anfield. Mourinho claims tiredness among his players is the biggest threat to their hopes of making the final.

He also pointed to the massive difference in points total gained in the league between Chelsea and Liverpool in the three years since he took charge.

He said: “I am not a statistic man but if I tell you in the last three seasons including this one, in the Premiership, Chelsea can have 60 (it’s actually 58) points more than Liverpool. That is a lot.

“So they are a great team in knockout competitions — they won the Champions League two years ago, they won the FA Cup last season and are in the Champions League semi-final now — so we praise them.

“But if you play only one competition for half the season, you have great conditions.

“Since January they have only played in the Champions League.

“This calendar year we played 27 competitive matches and Liverpool played three or four.

“Tiredness is telling. There are no miracles. We have to concentrate on every game, not just legs, but our mentality as well.

“Steven Gerrard did not play the last game. Do you think Frank Lampard and Steven are in the same condition? The game before Barcelona, Liverpool prepared for a week. In that time we played three matches.

“Can we win? Yes. But they are in better condition to win.”

Mourinho also claimed Chelsea are not better off now than when they lost to Liverpool two years ago despite the arrival of new players like Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack.

He said: “I don’t think we are better equipped now.

"We are in a very similar situation as two years ago when Liverpool were just playing for the Champions League. This season we are fighting to be champions again.”

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by qbdp

..JOSE MOURINHO last night taunted Liverpool: You are living in the past. The Chelsea boss st0ked up the rivalry with Rafa Benitez before tonight’s Champions League semi-final showdown by reminding Liverpool of their title drought.

A boring draw possible on the cards? Scenario of going out on penalties in return leg? Maybe not in MIA?