Old Trafford 11 Mar 2009
Jose Mourinho hugged Sir Alex Ferguson at the final
whistle but it was really the only time that Inter Milan got to
grips with Manchester United. Mourinho’s team went out of Europe
with a whimper, not a bang, and Old Trafford serenaded them on
their way with chants of "bye, bye Mourinho’’ and "you’re not
special any more’’.
As an audition for any future vacancy here, Mourinho
disappointed. Headers from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo
guaranteed the champions’ progression to the quarter-finals. Serie
A’s reputation for tough, organised defending took a real knock
here as United’s goals, particularly Vidic’s, were avoidable.
When the Serb scored, United had the initiative and Wayne
Rooney, particularly, was superb, whether charging through the
middle or keeping the excellent Maicon occupied on the flank in the
second half. Rooney was sought out for an embrace by Mourinho, a
picture of frustration by the end.
As well as moaning about the amount of time added on at the end
(only two minutes which seemed about right), Mourinho also
complained about the ball, a special one dedicated to United as
European champions. Uefa politely reminded the Inter coach that he
could choose the ball when his team won the competition.
Although more enterprising than in the San Siro, Inter still
failed to impress and only Javier Zanetti and Maicon deserved any
praise. Arguably, the most convincing performance from someone with
Inter connections was when Mourinho had entered this famous
arena.
The show had begun even before kick-off with Mourinho, breaking
off from embracing Carlos Tevez in the tunnel, marching on his own
down the touchline, milking the mix of applause and many jeers
tumbling forth from the United faithful. It was a piece of pure
theatre from the Special One, who will have particularly enjoyed
the song accompanying his every step towards the dug-out - "This Is
The One’’. His smile soon disappeared.
Within five minutes, United were ahead, exploiting a major
tactical weakness Mourinho had inexplicably saddled his team with.
Inter’s inexperienced left-back, David Santon, was forced to face
Ronaldo, the European Footballer of the Year, with no shielding
midfielder. Mario Balotelli, the teenaged striker, started on the
left tucked in behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic but rarely tracked back.
Poor Santon.
Mourinho rejigged at the break, inserting Sulley Muntari in
front of Santon and pushing Balotelli up but United had the lead by
then and were swiftly to add another. Santon, a hugely promising
defender, was desperately exposed in the first period. Ronaldo,
sensing vulnerability, began running at the full-back, soon winning
a fifth-minute corner that bring such substantial reward.
Ryan Giggs jogged across to the flag as his team-mates began
moving into position. As United’s captain curled the ball across,
men in red shirts sought to escape those in black-and-blue. Vidic’s
move was the most decisive, the Serb twice checking his run to
throw Patrick Vieira off the scent. A yard of space gained, Vidic
flicked his header imperiously into the goal. Once again, the
modern tendency to position defenders on only one post was
punished.
The Stretford End loved it, taunting Mourinho and particularly
Vieira, the midfielder who enjoyed a scrap or three here during his
Arsenal days. United’s players were determined to ram their message
home, grabbing a second but Giggs promptly wasted a glorious
chance.
Inter briefly took confidence. Javier Zanetti, usually an
influence on the major occasions, began to control midfield.
Maicon, the Brazilian full-back, started to raid down the right.
Ibrahimovic, the spearhead of Inter’s 4-1-2-2-1 formation, at last
hinted at some substance to all the hype, troubling Rio Ferdinand
and Vidic. From one Maicon free-kick, the tall Swedish
international headed goalwards, the ball bouncing down and up
before hitting the bar and flying over.
Before Ronaldo’s header relaxed United’s supporters, Inter
enjoyed a period of hope. Ibrahimovic set up Dejan Stankovic, whose
right-foot shot was pushed away by Edwin van der Sar at full
stretch.
United needed another goal to settle them. Giggs and Rooney
combined brilliantly to send O’Shea through, the Irishman having
only Julio Cesar to beat. Inter’s keeper seemed to have made
O’Shea’s task easier by diving early, inviting the Irishman to dink
the ball over him. Instead, O’Shea elected to side-foot the ball
low and the Brazilian saved.
Reprieved, Inter went on the attack again. Stankovic threatened.
Then Ibrahimovic, unrecognisable from his first-leg anonymity, shot
wide. Van der Sar denied Maicon. United weathered the storm and
Ferguson’s inspired tactical tweak at the interval helped them move
further clear.
To stifle Maicon, Ferguson pulled Rooney back to left midfield,
pushing Giggs through the middle in support of Dimitar Berbatov,
who had hurt himself in the warm-up but continued. Within four
minutes, Ferguson’s switch had paid off. When Giggs dribbled across
the box, Rooney cleverly made himself available on the left.
Possession received, Rooney wrongfooted Maicon and chipped the
ball into area. Berbatov was offside but Ronaldo had timed his run
perfectly, meeting Rooney’s delivery and heading irresistibly past
Julio Cesar.
Facing the exit, Mourinho threw on another striker, Adriano, who
immediately hit the post with a volley.
Luis Figo then appeared but Inter’s attack lacked focus. The
shooting was poor, Ibrahimovic back to his profligate worst.
Ferguson’s Maicon plan was working, the full-back largely pegged
back by the supreme work-rate of Rooney. Under the approving gaze
of Fabio Capello, the England international was tireless up and
down the left, although one challenge on Maicon brought a deserved
caution.
The life really began to drain from Inter, the visitors going
down without a struggle. Only Maicon and Zanetti fought against the
fading of the light for the Italian champions. Ibrahimovic
disappeared. Adriano lacked the real athleticism to alarm Ferdinand
or Vidic. Figo was playing from memory, albeit magnificent
ones.
As United headed towards the quarter-final draw a week tomorrow,
Inter return to securing Serie A and intensifying speculation about
the future of Mourinho.
Team details
Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea,
Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs; Rooney,
Berbatov.
Subs: Foster (g), Anderson, Park, Evans, Fletcher,
Gibson, Tevez.
Inter Milan (4-1-2-2-1): Julio Cesar; Maicon,
Cordoba, Samuel, Santon; Cambiasso; Vieira, Zanetti; Stankovic,
Balotelli; Ibrahimovic.
Subs: Toldo (g), Maxwell, Figo, Cruz, Adriano,
Muntari, Rivas.
Referee: W Stark (Germany).
