CL: United 3 - 1 Benfica
PREVIEW: UNITED v BENFICA
A moment of truth awaits United this evening. A draw against Benfica will be enough for the players to stumble like drunken lords into the lucrative knock-out stages of the Champions League. United had the measure of their opponents last September in the away leg. Surely, this should not be too taxing a task for a team which sits proudly at the top of the Premiership.
But this is United! Nothing comes easy. Carelessness in Denmark was followed by a lack of ruthlessness in Scotland and six points were thrown away after nine had been collected with something of a swagger.
Sir Alex now has to coax his team to a disciplined but not inhibited performance, if his side is to progress. The manager, at least, is confident. “I know we will do it,” he confessed. “But why do my players take us all right to the edge so often? It is as if the make-up of the club has a built-in requirement to take the difficult route. When you look at the history of our club, we tend to keep our supporters on a knife-edge. It seems like there is a certain enjoyment in it.”
This “enjoyment” will be forgotten in a heartbeat if United prevail this evening. As last year, defeat will envelope United’s season with the stench of rotten failure. Sir Alex is right to believe that positives emerged from the debacle of 12 months ago against the same team but like the fans, he is in no mood for a repeat prescription.
“Our pride was terribly hurt because our form in European football in previous seasons had been fantastic,” he admitted. “There was a question mark over how we would get over it and what our next step would be because the great test for any footballer is to recover from the devastation of defeat.
“In fairness to the team they did respond positively and went on a run to the end of the season that was more consistent than any team in the country and we have managed to continue that. Sometimes out of bad comes good.”
The game will mark United’s season. Euro riches, player pride and a managerial legacy hang in the balance. Benfica arrive with nothing to lose. Cue a night of high drama.
MATCH REPORT…
United 3 - 1 Benfica
Vidic (45); Giggs (60) Saha (74) / Nelson (26)
At last, United produced a performance rich in urgency and tempo to despatch a dangerous Benfica side and register their presence in the next stage of the Champions League.
But being United, the team suffered an early scare when the visitors took the lead on 26 minutes thanks to a stunning strike from Nelson. United were forced to up their game and did so with a power and venom which augurs well for the next round.
Sir Alex was understandably pleased. He said: “Once we get into our rhythm and our own speed of play, we are a good team. We’re looking for steps of progress. We made a big step after we conceded the goal tonight. We proved that we can play at a high level.”
United began the game knowing that a draw would be sufficient. Unable by reason of instinct to play for a draw, United set about the away team with menace, moving the ball well in the hope of finding an opening.
Benfica weathered the early storm and hit back in stupendous fashion. There seemed little danger when Simao cut past Evra and fed the on rushing Nelson. United had men behind the ball but did not reckon with a sweetly struck shot of such fierceness that Van Der Sar in goal stood little chance.
United and their fans were shocked. But this is not the meekly endowed United of 12 months ago, which suffered the ignominy of going out to the Portuguese side at a similar stage. Now United are made of sterner stuff and possess a range of gears which they moved through in quick succession to hit back at Benfica.
The midfield worked with greater speed as United’s players upped the tempo of the game, jumping on their opponents to demand submission. In the 29th minute, a trademark Ronaldo free kick tested the keeper Quim. From the resulting corner, United were denied a penalty when the goal scorer Nelson appeared to handle Saha’s header on the line.
United continued to take the game to Benfica with pace and passion and were rewarded for their endeavour when from a free kick, Vidic, a rock all night at centre back, headed in powerfully on the stroke of half time, to give Sir Alex and his players a deserved equaliser.
If United could maintain their performance level, they would be in no danger of losing the match against a quick and inventive away team which nevertheless had no answer to the speed and athleticism of the United attacking trident. Benfica survived a scare in the 58th minute when Saha skied his shot when well placed. But they could do nothing to resist a sweet attacking move two minutes later which had Giggs ghosting into the box to meet Ronaldo’s cross with a cushioned header. United were ahead and in the driving seat.
The home side’s supremacy was confirmed in the 78th minute when Saha completed a hatrick of headed goals, rare indeed for a United side, by rising majestically to convert a corner.
The game petered out with United easy winners. On this form, they will be dangerous opponents in the next round.
TEAM
United: Van Der Sar; Evra (Heinze 66); Vidic; Ferdinand; Neville; Ronaldo
Carrick; Scholes (Solskjaer 77); Giggs (Fletcher 73); Saha, Rooney
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “When we play in a cut-throat way it’s a good team.I thought the game was too slow to begin with. I don’t think we play our best when we play with too much patience. There’s a difference between being patient with speed and being patient with no speed and we were the latter. I think we can thank Mr Nelson for the goal because it wakened everyone up, the supporters and the players, and we saw the real Manchester United: speed, tenacity and determination.”
“We got a break right on half-time with Vidic’s goal. In the second half we controlled the game, it was a very good performance from us bearing in mind we had gone a goal down. I think this team are confident of their ability now. I think they know they can win games and they can play.”
Fernando Santos: “I believe that Manchester United where just too strong for Benfica. We controlled the game in the first half but Manchester United came back in the last four or five minutes of the first half and we never recovered. In the second half Manchester United where too strong and controlled the game.”
