As Manchester United fans twirled their scarves above
their heads, as Porto’s fortress finally fell to British
opposition, Ronaldo’s majestic early strike will live long in the
memory.
The advantage gained, United played with great discipline,
rarely risking possession, and restricting Porto to few attempts on
goal as they progressed to a semi-final with Arsenal, conquerors of
Villarreal. Throughout the season, Sir Alex Ferguson has made
polite noises about Arsene Wenger, the suspicion being that the
United manager did not consider Arsenal a real threat. Real
friendship or phoney war? We shall shortly find out.
United will certainly relish the challenge, having responded
superbly to the task of gaining the result they required, and
ending Porto’s 22-game unbeaten run at home against British
opposition. If Ronaldo will claim the headlines, United’s victory
was rooted in the will to win of men like Ryan Giggs and Wayne
Rooney, attackers who helped out defensively all the time. Rooney,
all deft feet and the heart of a lion, continues to mature
marvellously on the grand stages.
Even the delights of a day spent in the port-houses that cascade
down the hill to the inky Douro could not compete with the joy that
had intoxicated the United supporters after eight minutes here.
Ferguson’s side had started brightly enough, Wayne Rooney looking
lively down the right, Dimitar Berbatov showing some neat touches
upfront and Anderson snapping into tackles in midfield, but there
had been little indication of the thunderbolt to come.
Only the weather had hinted at such a stunning development: hail
lashed against the roof of this magnificent stadium while United
fans clung to their scarves as the wind and the rain buffeted them.
Then came Ronaldo, unleashing that lightning strike, conjuring up
the type of exceptional goal that saw him crowned European
Footballer of the Year.
Picking up possession 35 yards out, Ronaldo was afforded far too
much room. Maybe Porto did not expect him to let fly from such a
distance. Maybe their centre-halves, Rolando and Bruno Alves, had
not anticipated one of the world’s most accomplished wingers being
deployed through the middle.
Yet this was a tactic Ferguson used to good effect in winning
the Champions League last year, against Roma en route to Moscow and
against Chelsea in the final itself. Ronaldo’s aerial strength
always makes him a menace in the central acres yet here he was deep
and with the ball at his feet. Neither Rolando nor Bruno Alves
stepped out to tackle the problem. Nor was Porto’s anchorman,
Fernando, alive to the danger.
Ronaldo was hardly waiting for an ambush party to gather.
Catching the ball powerfully with his right, United’s No 7 sent his
shot flying from right to left past the startled Helton. Porto’s
keeper had constantly denied United at Old Trafford but was
helpless here. Hardly surprising: Ronaldo’s shot hit 64mph as it
sped into the net.
As befits a player proud of his Sporting Lisbon heritage,
Ronaldo relished the sight of Porto’s net almost being ripped from
the stanchions. Every one of his touches had drawn derision from
the Dragao terraces so the moment was all the sweeter. Once again,
Ferguson’s strategy had been vindicated, particularly with Rooney
delivering a prodigious shift on the right, tracking back to make
tackles by United’s corner-flag as well as charging forward.
Porto rallied. Lisandro tested Edwin van der Sar with an
overhead kick but little was seen in the first half of the slick
Porto movement that had so alarmed United at Old Trafford. Unlike
last week, the champions of Europe were playing with steel as well
as élan. Michael Carrick made some important challenges. Even
Berbatov put in a tackle.
Here was the performance that Ferguson had demanded, brimming
with organisation, adventure and an appreciation of the need not to
concede possession. Ahead on aggregate, United remained acutely
aware of the reality that a Porto goal swung the tie back in the
hosts’ favour.
So they hunted stealthily for a second. When the elusive
Berbatov crossed from the right, Ryan Giggs met the ball
first-time, bringing a scrambled save from Helton.
At times operating as 4-2-4, their width keeping Porto’s
full-backs pinned back, United also displayed real character to go
with their attacking zeal. When Rooney tried to race away from
Fernando, the England striker took a nasty chop to the ankle from
the Porto ball-winner. Refusing to leave his team, United hobbled
on, eventually running the knock off.
United finished the half toying with Porto. First, John O’Shea
flicked on a Giggs corner and Nemanja Vidic missed a
straightforward chance from close in. Then a wonderful passing
move, including a sublime flick from Rooney, was ended only by
Helton speeding from his line to spoil the United fun.
At the break, Ferguson told TV that "we have to go for that
second goal’’, pointing out Porto’s quality. Yet as the clock
ticked down, nerves rose within local hearts. Ball-boys threw balls
back more quickly, passes went astray such was Porto’s haste and
occasional spiteful tackles flew in on Ronaldo. United, though,
faced a real challenge.
One slip spelled oblivion. Mariano escaped Rio Ferdinand to send
a header floating wide. Hulk drilled in a free-kick that Van der
Sar held comfortably. United seemed to be soaking up the
intermittent pressure, with Berbatov parading their committed
nature with another tackle.
The Bulgarian was tiring so Ferguson withdrew him halfway
through the second period, introducing Nani. United were now
4-2-3-1 and a real variety act: their attack was formed by three
players more associated with wing-play and a centre-forward,
Rooney, stationed wide.
Semi-final dates
Tues Apr 28 Barcelona v Chelsea
Wed Apr 29 Manchester United v Arsenal
Tues May 5 Arsenal v Manchester United
Wed May 6 Chelsea v Barcelona
Final
Sat May 27 Stadio Olimpico, Rome.
