Eat your Heart Out America. You will Never Know the Pleasure it Gives You?
Patrick Lockyer
April 12, 2007
NOW that was Ultra, Ultra special!
Manchester United produced one of their greatest ever-European displays, the best of Manager Alex Ferguson’s reign according to the boss himself, to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Trailing 2-1 from the volatile first-leg in Italy, United got their revenge in spectacular style to set up a semi-final clash against either AC Milan or Bayern Munich later this month. And they sent the Serie A club’s notorious Ultra fans home with their tails wedged firmly between their legs. When Roma’s players emerge again into the light of the Italian capital, in their next game, they might find the Coliseum re-opening for the business of centuries gone by and a few lions licking their lips. But Roma’s ineptitude should take nothing away from United. This was a quite sensational effort from a team, which was humbled by Portsmouth in the Premiership on Saturday. To come back from that with a so unbelievably brilliant demonstration as this spoke volumes for United’s character. And it was epitomized by Alan Smith, a gritty street fighter making only his fourth start of the season who was built for nights like this. Smith was never out of Roma’s faces and his goal, United’s second, was the pick of the night. United had never before managed to overturn a first-leg deficit in the Champions League with Ferguson as boss. Five times they had tried and failed in the task. But this time there were heroes all over the field as United romped into a 4-0 first-half lead, which included three goals in the space of eight high-octane minutes. Fergie had demanded the supporters get Old Trafford rocking and they were at full throttle as Michael Carrick grabbed an 11th-minute lead. The Geordie collected the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo, took a quick look up to spot Doni off his line and bent a firm chip beyond the helpless Roma keeper. It was the start of a long night for the hapless man with the Goalie gloves. On 17 minutes it was two, after a move, which reflected United’s quick incisive movement throughout the game. They put together three passes before Gabriel Heinze played in Ryan Giggs and the United captain turned the ball on in one swift movement beyond Cristian Chivu. Smith was on the Romanian defender’s shirttail and could have been forgiven for forgetting what to do next. It had been 17 months since the injury-jinxed striker last scored for United. And you had to go back to December 2004 for his last goal at Old Trafford. But the striker was coolness personified as he swept a curving volley beyond Doni. Fergie’s men were simply unstoppable. Giggs and Ronaldo loved it, reveling in the space, which is usually at a premium against Italian sides. There was not a peep out of the Ultras Fans high up in the stands. And they were stunned again when Giggs crossed the ball from the right on 19 minutes and Wayne Rooney bundled a shot in off the post. This was ridiculous. It was supposed to be a night of nail- biting tension yet United were treating it like a Monday morning training romp at Man U Training Ground. Carrick had a header saved by Doni and fell over as he tried to force in the rebound. But Ronaldo bashed in the fourth before the break. The Portuguese trickster sped at the Roma defense, which just kept backing off, and Ronaldo picked his spot inside the right-hand post. If Roma got a rocket at half time, you would not have known it because they conceded another one within three minutes of the restart. Smith might have finished off Giggs’ cross, but it was too far ahead of him and Ronaldo converted from close range at the far post. By the hour it was 6-0 with United averaging a goal every 10 minutes. It was another special from Carrick as he took aim from 25 yards and the ball ripped into the top right-hand corner. What made the scoreline all the more remarkable was that Roma had the best defensive record of all the quarter-finalists, having conceded only four goals in their previous eight games in Europe. The Champions League record of 7-0 set by Juventus against Olym-piakos in November 2003 was now in serious danger. But out of nowhere, Roma went and spoiled it in the 69th minute. Francesco Totti crossed and Daniele De Rossi volleyed in. It was not a bad strike, but rarely can a European goal have provoked less celebration. United still had time for another when sub Patrice Evra, playing an unfamiliar right-back role, strode forward and found a gap beyond Doni with a low drive. It was United’s biggest European win since they beat Irish part- timers Waterford in 1968. And they sent a message to Milan and Bayern Munich that who whoever wins their quarterfinal tonight should be very afraid. They are not the only ones who should worry. Pity poor Watford who face United in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Patrick Comment:
Come on America in denial. What could be better than to see your own favorite sports club beat a top Italian team 7-1. When is going to happen New York? Chicago? Miami? Then, maybe to go on and beat the top German team Bayern Munich? It just does not get any better than that and there is NOTHING but nothing to match it here? I hear some idjit on Talk Radio, who does not rate the best game in the world, but isolation is isolation is isolation. One thing that really does detach America from the rest of the world is her not having any idea how to play or how to show the game. Not being able to advertise every few minutes simply destroys the commercial possibilities and the fans might actually have to watch intensely, instead of cooking the fattening burgers, in case something else happens. So Bigger Better Burgers won’t support Soccer anytime soon? Rome is in mourning today and Manchester is ecstatic. Production will be up. Munich will be worried about the next round. The World Cup was great but so is The Champions League and the European Cup. Sorry USA guys. Hope you do well against the Americas but I just know you are all going to hate it when the time comes around again for the next World Cup. One other interesting thing about the Man U match was that both Wayne Rooney and Christiano Ronaldo, who were at each others throats in the last World Cup scored for Manchester? Surprising that they are still teammates? England did not perform so well in the World Cup and it might be that the way the game is played at 90 miles an hour is more suited to April in Manchester than June in Germany or anywhere that hot? I have always advocated a Winter World Cup and see how Brazil do in that one? At least I had the pleasure in 1966 to be a soldier in Bielefeld Germany when my West Ham hero Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup for England against Germany at Wembley, London and Bielefeld was like the grave. I expect that Rome is like the grave today. Hurray Manchester. Hooray England. Eat your heart out America. Sorry??....
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