UNITED FIVE FROM FIVE, DONS DREAM DYING

 

United started their Champions League Group F campaign with a win in Lisbon. Since then, we've both gone on to secure a spot in the knockout stages and preserve a 100% record. Now with Sporting Lisbon coming to Old Trafford the only thing that was up for grabs for Fergie's crew was top spot in the group and an easier time in the first knockout round. United tried out a 4-5-1 on this occassion with Kusczak in goal, O Shea right back, Rio and Vidic in central defence, Carrick, Anderson and Fletcher centre mid, Nani left mid and Saha up front.

Well United certainly had the first attacking opportunity with a freekick and we kept the pressure on for a bit but Sporting had much more to play for and on a do or die mission of their own they gradually forced us on to the back foot, resulting in an insane 21st minute shot from Abel on the edge of the pitch that somehow went in! The goal seemed to shock us into retreat though and for the second game in a row it we were looking ugly. We had chances, we just couldn't take them.

After half time it was enter the subs(including Tevez)and we found ourselves back on the attack again and Sporting were soon under siege. With no room to breathe they gave way in the 61st minute when an Evra cross caused chaos in the Sporting box and Ronaldo fed Tevez for a tap in. THe match evened out for a while afterwards with both sides looking set for a draw, though it would have satisfied neither team. Still even Fergie appeared to be settling for that come injury time only for Ronaldo to be given a free kick. You just knew it was going it and the look on the Portuguese star's face said it all!

Elsewhere, Dynamo Kiev faced Roma in the Olympic Stadium. Christian Panuucci opened the scoring for the Serie A side early on and Ludovic Giluly and Mirko Vucinic put them three up before half time. Ismael Bangoura pulled one back for Kiev but Vucinic finished the game off, another embarrassment for the big Ukranian name in this campaign. Despite Roma's win though, United are still five points ahead of Roma and even with a game to spare that is enough to secure top spot and a relativly easy ride in the first knockout round.

In other Groups, well in Group A Chelsea faced Rosenborg at the Lerkendal Stadium. Didier Drogba quickly opened the scoring for the Blues, and then got a second with the game still in it's early stages. Alex made it three before half time and Joe Cole got Chelsea's fourth in a performance that made up for the Blues' opening match at Stamford Bridge. That stretched Chelsea's lead to six points over Schalke 04 in third place, securing their progress into the knockout stages but also to four points over second placed Rosenborg(who they actually led after game 4), securing top spot in the group with a game to spare!

In Group B, Liverpool faced Porto at Anfield. Fernando Torres opened the scoring for the Scousers but then Lisandro Lopez equalised for the visitors and the Reds looked like they were going to crumble. Liverpool eventually found their edge though and when they did, Torres, Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch all hit the net. The allows Liverpool to remain in thirds place in the group, level on points with Marseille but the French club are 1-0 up in the virtual playoff. They are a point ahead of Besiktas at the bottom of the group though which puts them on course for the parachute into the UEFA Cup.

In Group H, Arsenal faced Seville in the Estadio Ramon Sanchez. Eduardo opened the scoring for the Gunners but that was as good as it got. Seydou Keita and Clemente Luis Fabiano turned the game round before half time and what was at least partly a second string Arsenal side had a penalty claim turned down before Frederic Kanoute finished them off. That forced the Gunners down to second in the group, two points behind new leaders Seville.

In Group D, Celtic faced Shatkar Donetsk at Celtic Park. The Ukranian side looked to continue their nightmare from their first meeting with Brandao opening the scoring for them. However Jiri Jarosik equalised just before half time and Massimo Donati hit a last minute winner to complete the turnaround. That moves the Celts up to second in the group, three points ahead of third placed Shatkar and just a point behind group leaders AC Milan but on course for the knockout stages anyway.

In Group E, Rangers faced Stuttgart at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion. Charlie Adam opened the scoring for the Gers but Jeronimo Maria Barretto Claudmir da Silva(flaming hell!) equalised for the Bundesliga side just before halftime and Pavel Pardo completed the turnaround before Barry Ferguson levelled the match once more. Ciprian Marica hit the winner for Stuttgart though. That leaves the Gers still in second in the group, level on points with third place Lyon and leading the virtual playoff 3-0 but still four points behind group winners Barcelona.

Going down a level, Athletico Madrid were another team that Aberdeen had never had any competitive dealings with before.Like the Dons they were formed in 1903 and they also have one of the old Cup Winners Cups to their name. In theory, the Dons have no reason to fear Spanish opposition, the last time they did so resulted in the greatest moment in Aberdeen FC history! The 1983 Cup Winners Cup final in the Nya Ullevi. A certain Alex Ferguson was the manager and his players included Jim Leighton, Willie Miller, a young Alex McLeish as well as Gordon Strachen and Mark McGhee. The Dons beat Athletico's traditionally superior rivals 2-1 in extra time that night.

In practice, things weren't going to be so easy. Athletico splashed the cash in the summer and as a result they have a side with faces that are all too familiar to anyone supporting the Dons. The Reds had yet to get a win in this UEFA Cup Group B campaign and no one was seriously expecting them to get three points out of the Estadio Vicente Calderon. The ones that tried were in a 4-4-4-1. McNamara right back, Karin Touzani as link man, Foster right mid, Young left mid, Miller up front.

Athletico though were happy to turn on the class from the start with Dons ball posession looking dodgy at this level in what was arguably the biggest game in most of these players' lives! The Reds survived the early pressure though and managed to build up an attacking spell with a Severin freekick the best chance they had. It was the Dons defence though that looked to come away at half time with the most credibility, until Hart brought down Sergi Agurro in the box and Diego Forlan sent the Dons goalie the wrong way from the spot.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first with the La Liga side against forcing the underdogs against the wall but the Dons back four again held firm but just as the classy names looked to be running out of fuel, a 61st minute Sebrosa Simao freekick came off both both and goalie before going in. It was the Dons turn to attack after that but though the Aberdonian invasion of Madrid may have earned a goal, the Dons failed to take what chances came their way.

Elsewhere, Lokomotiv Moscow faced FC Copenhagen at the Lokomotiv Stadium. It was the home side the ran the show in the first half, battering the Copenhagen goal but to no effect. Then completely against the run of play, the Danish side took the lead through a Morten Nordstrand penalty and though The Russian side had the edge in every other category, the Danes took home the three points. That left the Dons fifth in the table, still only two points behind FC Copenhagen in third but the Danes do have a game in hand.

In other groups, well in Group G Spurs beat Aab 3-2 at White Hart Lane(allowing them to rise to the top of the group) though they still are no where near securing a spot in the knockout stages. In Group F, Bolton drew 1-1 with Aris Salonika at the Reebok Stadium(Wanderers remain in third in the group). In Group A, it was Everton's turn to take a night off but David Moyes' crew still top the group and are the closest of the UK clubs to securing a spot in the knockout stages.

Down a few more levels and Brentford were facing Luton in an FA Cup 1st round replay at Griffin Park. The Cup glory days looked to be over for the Bees though despite the home side having the bulk of posession. Chris Coyne opened the scoring for Luton and after that the struggling Bees, coming off the back of a 7-0 L2 defeat, conceded a second goal scored by Jaroslaw Fujit. It anything Luton could have made it three, the Bees fans wanted the board sacked!

So that leaves the only team worth keeping an eye on in the 2nd round to be my current local team Exeter and they're facing L2 side Bury at Gigg Lane. City come into the match with no injuries and no expectations as the underdogs. Their League form is certainly hit and miss though, they're in the top half of the BSP but haven't won a game since their 1st round match vs Stevanage. I wouldn't want to count chickens so it's probably safer to say that the Grecians won't be in Round 3.

The Euro 2008 draw's the main event of the weekend.

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