MILAN CONQUERED

 

 

Last time around, United found themselves up against Inter in the Champions League 1st knockout round. Well in the first leg at the San Siro, Jose Mourinho's team could do nothing but go all-out defense and that resulted in a goalless draw. Having shot their load, Inter went on to succumb in the 2nd leg at Old Trafford. While the Serie A side had their uses in the match, the Reds certainly proved to be the better team on the night and our 2-0 win was well deserved. When the draw was made, well it looked like Inter was our worst case scenario and maybe if they had given us more of a battle in the 1st leg, we could have gone out early. We didn't though and it proved to be a bullet dodged.

This time around we're up against AC Milan. Well the last time we faced them was in the Champions League semi finals of 06/07. Well things started pretty smoothly with a 3-2 win at Old Trafford in the 1st leg only for the Serie A giants to sink us with a 1-0 win at the San Siro in the 2nd leg. Fact is United never have beaten the "rossenari" in a two legged European tie before and pretty much every generation of United players has tried - going back to the recovering-from-Munich Busby side of 1958. What can I say? That '07 team went on to win their 7th Champions League trophy. Prior to that, their early 90s team gaffered by Fabio Capello seemed invincible. Losing to them again would be no disgrace.

Except that Fergie and crew had plenty of reasons not to lose. The first of which is that this was only a Champions League 1st round 1st leg match at the San Siro - no matter what the opposition we still don't want to go out this early. Secondly, a certain United legend is currently on loan to the Serie A giants from the LA Galaxy. Seven years after he left OT, United were facing Becks for the first time and that encounter always was going to be a wierd one. United wound up going 4-3-3 with Ferdinand(captain) and Evans in central defence, Carrick, Scholes and Fletcher in midfield and Park, Rooney and Nani up front. The toughest match of the season so far was ahead of us.

And things didn't go to plan. A 3rd minute David Beckham freekick only got cleared as far as Ronaldinho who left the goalie floundering. After that, the home side just battered us and we were lucky not to be buried before half time. Our attacking forces were certainly looking stifled but still, we came through before half time, even if it was the messiest United goal I've seen for ages. Scholesy originally missed the 36th minute Fletcher cross only for it to bounce into the net off his leg. It was still the first ever MUFC goal scored against AC Milan at the San Siro so I was in no mood to complain. Suddenly, the game was back on, we just had to hold on.

Well in the early stages of the second half the home side looked intend on getting a second goal which to be fair, they needed if they were to have a chance of winning the tie. United replied with fresh legs though and in the 66th minute, sub Valencia fired over a cross on to Rooney's head. 2-1 United. England's deadliest assasin then benefitted from a 74th minute Fletcher cross to get his second against the Italian giants on their turf. All those facing him in South Africa, be afraid, be very afraid. Milan still had the last word when a 86th minute Ronaldinho cross found Clarence Seedorf who slotted home before we found ourselves down to ten men. Still, while that goal would have made me worried for the 2nd leg had it come at our place, the fact that we still have Old Trafford to come means that this will surely go down as one of the great MUFC European nights.

Elsewhere, Arsenal faced Porto at the Estadio de Dragao. Well Porto opened the scoring through Varela only for Sol Campbell to equalisse, having returned to Arsene Wenger's crew. After that the match went end to end and was still level at half time. Then came a very strange incident and Radamel Falcao scored from a too-quickly-taken Porto free kick. Arsenal tried to turn the game around but ultimately were unable to do so. That's certainly not an ideal result for the Gunners but on the other hand this tie isn't over yet. One goal for the Premiership side at the Emirates Stadium will be all it takes and Arsene Wenger's crew should be capable of finding it.

Going down a level, the 1st knockout round 1st leg matches of the Europa League took place. Liverpool beat Unirea Urziceni 1-0 at Anfield(good, but not enough to finish the tie). Everton beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 at Goodison Park(again, good but there's still work to do). Fulham beat Shatkar Donetsk 2-1 at Craven Cottage though Roy Hodgson's team came into the match level at half time(again, a good result but they still need to survive the away legs). Overall, solid performances from the Premiership sides in the competition against credible opponents but none of them have secured a spot in the next round yet. They could potentially get wiped out.

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