Cl: Fc Copenhagen 1 -0 United
PREVIEW
A return match with Copenhagen puts United within a point of the next round of the Champions League.
Sir Alex has lost three important players in Neville, Giggs and Saha and will be grateful that his team’s earlier good performances have given him room for manoeuvre.
The manager is already looking ahead and is confident about his team’s chances in the tournament’s knock-out stages.
“The encouraging thing for me is that the squad as a whole has done well,” Ferguson said. “No matter how many changes we have made in games, they have still given us the right answers.
“During my time at the club we should have won this competition at least another twice but this is a new team, full of promise. What we have to do is maintain our form and find a level of consistency. I am quite positive we will be able to do that.”
The home side were well beaten at Old Trafford last month. A tighter game is in store this evening but Sir Alex should be able to end the evening on a satisfactory note as his 20 year anniversary as United’s boss looms.
MATCH REPORT…
Copenhagen 1 - 0 United
Allback (72)
A disappointing result to accompany a careless performance, leaves United still searching for the point that will secure entry into the knock-out stage of the Champions League.
“I thought we controlled the game for most of the night and didn’t look like losing a goal,” Sir Alex complained. “But we defended badly at one corner and lost the game. We should not concern ourselves about the team we picked. It was capable of winning the match. I am more concerned about losing a bad goal.”
United players paid the price for taking their foot off the gas against the group’s whipping boys. A soft goal, caused by sloppy marking in the penalty area, gifted Copenhagen victory in the biggest match of their history.
Sir Alex signalled his intent by benching Ferdinand and Scholes, when the team was already deprived of Giggs, Saha and Neville. With Rooney looking for all the world like a player unable to buy a goal In Europe, United lacked a cutting edge, made worse by the team’s inability to get out of first gear. The pairing of Carrick and O’Shea in midfield is one that Sir Alex would do well not to repeat.
The first half passed uneventfully with United effortlessly taking the measure of the home side, who made up in spirit what it lacked in class and technical accomplishment. United seemed content to contain, in what looked an unnecessarily respectful approach to a team swatted with ease last month.
Clearly, Sir Alex had words with his players during the interval because United seemed more inventive in the second half. Ronaldo flickered into life, orchestrating two swift counter attacks which threatened Copenhagen’s defensive composure. In the best move of the match on 55 minutes, O’Shea ran on to a through ball in the penalty area after a crisp United inter-change but blew his moment of glory when his shot went wide of the post.
Eight minutes later, United might have taken the lead when Rooney met a well-guided Heinze centre, only to place his header wide of the post. It was that kind of evening for the 21-year-old striker.
Recognising that United needed better possession of the ball and more guile in attack, Ferguson released Scholes from the bench in place of the ineffectual Fletcher. United were a goal down before he midfielder had chance to find his rhythm. There seemed little danger as the ball flashed across United’s penalty area on 72 minutes but when Heinze allowed the Danish striker Allback to attack a ricochet centre just two yards from goal, Edwin van Der Sar was exposed for the first time in the match.
United brought more urgency to their work thereafter but saw Scholes and Ronaldo thwarted by goal-keeping bravery and the linesman’s flag respectively.
Suddenly, United have it all to do in Scotland later this month.
TEAM
United: Van Der Sar; Heinze (Evra 79); Vidic (Ferdinand 45); Brown; O’Shea;
Fletcher (Scholes 70) ; Carrick; Rooney ; Solskjaer
Subs: Kuszczak; Smith; Richardson; Jones;
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “I think we controlled the whole match and it just shows you with football, one corner kick and you can lose a goal.They had a big side, obviously we knew that before the game and we hoped we would handle all their set pieces. We had good chances, in the second half we started to open them up and I thought it was just a matter of time to be honest. I brought in Scholes on just to try and finish the game off for us, but we’ve really thrown it away. I’ve got no complaints.”
Stale Solbakken : “It’s maybe the biggest achievement in the history of the club, when you see the opposition today. We were a little bit lucky in the second half, but you always need that to beat a team like Man United so I’m very proud. We play three games every week and have a small squad with some bad injuries, so I’m very, very proud. “
