Man Utd are Euro
kings
Wednesday, 21 May
2008
Manchester United
(1) 1
Chelsea (1) 1
Aet: 1-1; Manchester
United win 6-5 on pens
Manchester United painted the Russian capital
red, sending their fans partying into Red Square, after an
absorbing, draining collision between English heavyweights here.
The red theme intensified with a vengeance with Didier Drogba's
dismissal for slapping Nemanja Vidic before United prevailed on
penalties.
Cristiano Ronaldo and John Terry both missed in the
penalty shoot-out, forcing sudden death, and Nicolas Anelka saw
Chelsea's seventh penalty saved.
United's victory was awash with history. No more
fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of Munich could be imagined
than the sight of Ferguson's adventurous young team shining on the
European stage. No more appropriate celebration of the 40 years
since United first lifted the trophy could be scripted than this
triumph for the new holy trinity of Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and
Carlos Tevez.
For the vanquished Avram Grant, Chelsea's coach now
faces an awkward meeting with the club's benefactor, Roman
Abramovich, who so craved lifting the trophy on Russian soil. For
the defeated dressing-room, questions will inevitably intensify
over the future of Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho.
The 30,000 United fans who flocked to the
Luzhniki, fathers and sons, groups of friends, revelled in a night
they will never, ever forget. Whatever happens in the future, they
will always have Moscow, always have that image of Rio Ferdinand
lifting the European Cup. Ferguson had been bold, unleashing his
most attacking players, Tevez joining Ronaldo and Rooney in a 4-4-2
formation with Owen Hargreaves starting on the right.
Wary of Chelsea's central strength, Hargreaves often
tucked inside to assist Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.
And so the duels began, Ronaldo running at Michael
Essien, so quickly and cleverly in the 15th minute that the
Ghanaian right-back was left tackling thin air. On Ronaldo sped,
whipping in a cross that cleared Rooney and the onrushing
Hargreaves. Then came Patrice Evra, also making good ground down
United's left before lifting in a cross that Terry just reached
ahead of Rooney.
The England striker briefly lost his temper with Ashley
Cole, who had objected to Scholes' involvement in an aerial
collision with Claude Makelele that ended with bookings for the two
midfielders and urgent medical attention to Scholes' bloodied
nose.
Scholes soon returned to the fray, immediately making a
telling contribution. When Ashley Cole conceded a throw-in deep in
Chelsea territory, Scholes combined with Wes Brown three times to
engineer a magnificent opening. Brown suddenly proved inspired,
working the ball on to his left foot as United's attackers made
their moves.
Rooney darted towards the near post, Tevez ventured
towards the centre, dragging Chelsea's centre-backs with them,
isolating Essien against Ronaldo. As Brown's cross dropped, Ronaldo
outjumped Essien, showing power and timing as he met the ball
firmly with his head, sending it flying past Cech from 10
yards.
Chelsea had to come out and attack now, and they
stormed forward, blue waves rolling towards Edwin van der Sar's
goal as a sensational game moved up a gear. When Drogba headed back
Lampard's cross, Michael Ballack pressured Ferdinand into a
goalbound header that Van der Sar instinctively clawed away.
Both keepers excelled. Now it was Cech's turn
to show his prowess, following a United surge of breathtaking
brilliance. When Rooney acquired the ball in his own half, he
immediately spotted Ronaldo's lung-breaking burst down the left.
Rooney found him, triggering a remarkable sequence of
events.
Ronaldo's hard cross was met by the stooping Tevez,
whose header drew an unbelievable save from Cech. Terry completed
the clearance but only to the edge of the area where Carrick was
arriving like the Trans-Siberian Express. The midfielder met the
ball sweetly enough, but too close to Cech, who stretched out his
right hand and palmed the ball away. "Come on" screamed Cech.
What a game. Tight? Cagey? No chance. These two Premier
League heavyweights kept tearing into each other, a sliding Tevez
almost converting a fabulous cross from Rooney. Back came Chelsea,
Ballack firing a free-kick over and then came that emotional
equaliser for Lampard. The England midfielder began and ended the
move, re-directing a Ferdinand clearance to Essien, who charged
forward, unleashing a shot that caused havoc in United's area. The
ball caught Vidic, and then Ferdinand before falling invitingly for
Lampard.
All that training in the back garden with his father
Frank senior, all that developing of technique down the years were
made for moments like this. As Ferdinand slid in with a vain
attempt to rescue the situation, Lampard's left foot made perfect
contact, placing it over the diving Van der Sar.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown (Anderson 120),
Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Hargreaves, Scholes (Giggs 87), Carrick,
Ronaldo, Tevez, Rooney (Nani 101).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, O'Shea, Fletcher, Silvestre.
Booked: Scholes, Ferdinand, Vidic, Tevez.
Goals: Ronaldo 26.
Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley
Cole, Ballack, Makelele (Belletti 120), Lampard, Joe Cole (Anelka
99), Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 92).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Shevchenko, Obi, Alex.
Sent Off: Drogba (116).
Booked: Makelele, Carvalho, Ballack,
Essien.
Goals: Lampard 45.
Man Utd win 6-5 on penalties
Att: 69,552
Ref: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).
Player Rater man of the match: Manchester
United's Cristiano Ronaldo 7.80 (on 90 minutes).
