CL: United 3 - 2 AC Milan (1st Leg)
A stoppage time goal from Wayne Rooney earned United a stirring victory over AC Milan in this pulsating Champions League semi-final first leg.
Sir Alex will send his team to the San Siro with some optimism after United outfought and outplayed a well-organised Italian outfit in a second half display that will echo down the years.
United were good value for their win but Sir Alex may well reflect on how much better the result might have been but for the home side’s comic first half defensive display. Two soft goals were conceded to give Milan hope for the return next week. A momentous Italian evening is in prospect for the manager and his team once again.
United began as if scripted with a goal after just four minutes. Ronaldo met a left-wing corner with a committed goal-bound header. Keeper Dida, under challenge from Heinze and a Milanese defender, flapped at the ball, inadvertently helping its movement towards his own goal. The result made for the untidiest of openers.
United hardly cared but instead of being the perfect tonic, the goal encouraged the home players to concede space, inviting Milan into their Red half. Carlo Ancelloti’s team may indeed be the ‘Dad’s Army’ of Europe but they showed just how well old legs can let the ball do the work. Milan took the measure of United with increasing ease as Sir Alex’s side retreated, with Carrick and Scholes disappearing in the face of tigerish tackling from the general Gattuso.
As the first half ebbed and flowed, the visitors crowned their growing dominance with a sweetly worked goal in the 21st minute. Seedorf fed dangerman Kaka as he ghosted past Carrick towards the left of United’s box. The Brazilian then motored past Heinze too, before burying a neat shot past Van Der Sar at the far post.
United were crestfallen but bravely tried to take the game back to Milan. Ronaldo gave United hope of a fightback in the 34th minute with a fierce shot, which was pushed around the post by the increasingly redeemed Dida.
However, United then shot themselves in the foot in the most absurd manner. A long punt from Milan’s keeper two minutes later, should have been dealt with comfortably by either Heinze or Fletcher. But the Scottish midfielder running back towards his own goal, allowed the ball to bounce, giving the quicksilver Kaka the faint glimmer of an opportunity. Heinze, rushing over to clear, was already troubled by the direct running and pace of the Brazilian, until he was needlessly pole-axed by Evra, enjoying a rare poor evening in this season of growth. Kaka was thus free to pick his spot and did so with deadly expertise.
United returned for the second half with determination but continued to make little headway against the canniest of opposition. Milan had grown in authority as a defensive unit since United’s opener and put such a lock on midfield that United had few opportunities for Rooney and Ronaldo to test the heavy legs of a team with an average age of more than 30 years.
The game changed decisively in United’s favour however, when Gattuso was felled, forcing the visitors into a substitution in the 52nd minute. Milan’s midfield grip loosened and United’s game moved progressively onto the attack.
As Terry Sheringham said so memorably, there is no finer sight in football than a United side chasing victory. Sir Alex’s decision to play with three central midfielders was vindicated as Fletcher and Carrick began to offer the excellent Scholes more frequent support higher up the field and closer to United’s attackers.
But the home side were not spared their share of heart-stopping moments and it was that man Kaka again who was tormentor-in-chief. The Brazilian talisman should have made the game safe for Milan on 55 minutes when having left United’s defence trailing like callow youths, he cut his shot wide of Van Der Sar but beyond the far post.
United learned nothing from the let-off and Kaka was disappointed to sky his shot over the bar two minutes later, after another slick move involving Seedorf on United’s increasingly open right flank.
Sir Alex’s men continued to press forward, scrambling the lines of communication between Milan’s midfield and Kaka and the ineffectual Gilardino. They were rewarded for their endeavour in the 59th minute, courtesy of a goal which fit perfectly with the general excellence of the game.
United looked to have run into a Milanese wall when Scholes received the ball in the box. With magical impudence, the veteran flicked a chip pass over the heads of the defenders and into the path of Rooney, who converted the chance with gusto.
United were now level and dreaming of a winner. Fletcher seemed to have obliged on 62 minutes, when another fluent United move allowed the midfielder to unleash a fierce shot which Dida did well to push around the post.
The crowd were settling for a draw when in stoppage time, Giggs recovered the ball from near the right touchline and ran 60 yards towards Milan’s goal. No visiting defender was able to get close enough to the flying Welshman, nor deviate his cute blindside pass to Rooney. The striker received the ball and struck for goal almost in one movement. Cue pandemonium.
TEAM
United: Van Der Sar; Heinze; Evra; Fletcher; Brown; O’Shea; Scholes; Giggs; Ronaldo; Carrick; Rooney.
Subs: Kuszczak; Smith; Solskjaer; Dong Fangzhou; Richardson ; Eagles; Lee.
Post Script
Sir Alex: “We persevered, we kept playing our football, some of which was fantastic and we dominated the second half. We got hold of the game and the equaliser gave us the impetus to go on and win it.
“I thought it was a terrific performance by us. Both teams played some great football, as we expected from Milan, although it was strange in a 3-2 game that there were some poor goals given away on both sides. The first goal came from a corner, then we lost two terrible goals.
“Wayne’s goal gives us a magnificent chance. Milan know they have a really difficult game ahead of them now. We are in a fantastic position because I think we will score again over there because of the speed of our team. It’s going to be a really difficult game for us but I’m looking forward to it.
“We don’t know at this moment if we can get any of our injured defenders back but we will do our best. It’s too early for Nemanja Vidic but hopefully Rio Ferdinand will be OK. He is crucial to us now.
“We were the better team. To come back from 2-1 down against a team of that standard is difficult but I told the players at half-time to persevere with their football and keep playing at that speed because that would be the difference. There were some mistakes and some bad decision-making but we also played some great football and we showed that we can go on and win this competition.
“There was some bad defending from us in the first half, but we got a great second goal and that gave us the incentive to go on and win the match. After that, there was only going to be one winner, albeit it needed the last kick of the game.”
Carlo Ancelotti: “I feel disappointed because we gifted them the victory and a draw would have been the right result. We tired towards the end and didn’t keep possession well. It’s hard to take because I thought we were the better team for 60 minutes.
“Gattuso picked up a knock to his foot and we obviously hope he can recover. It would be a massive blow if we lost him because he is such an important player for us.
“The game was over. It was a good result for us but now it is going to be more difficult. This result suits Manchester United.”
