Review: Manchester United 2 Sporting 1
Manchester United 2 (Tevez 61, Ronaldo 90+2) Sporting 1 (Abel 22)
Christiano Ronaldo scored a late freekick to win the game for United and give them 5 wins out of 5 and win their group in the Champions League.
However at half time with Sporting leading 1-0 it looked anything like another comfortable home night in Europe. Sporting had dominated United’s midfield and Saha, up front on his own, had done very little to suggest United don’t need to spend in the January transfer window. The fact that Sporting’s goal was something of a fluke (a cross that swerved into the net but should have been saved) was offset by Sporting’s claim that a 2nd goal was wrongly disallowed for offside.
Fergie wasted little time in making changes, removing the ineffective Fletcher and Nani with Tevez and Giggs. United looked a much better team. Those fans who think Ryan’s time is up should watch this 2nd half performance closely. One moment stood out. Giggs played a clever ball in field to Evra but it was intercepted. Rather than hold his head in his hands, or look annoyed, he simply worked back and won the ball back. Then he showed some incredible skill to beat two players and setup another attack. Fantastic.
United’s equaliser was more fortuitous than Sporting’s goal. After good work in the box from Saha, Ronaldo had a shot that was going wide before it hit the back of Had’s legs and (possibly) coming off Tevez’s legs and into the net. The replays didn’t show conclusive proof of who got the last touch, but I’ll let the Argentine have the goal.
Without Fletcher getting in their way, Anderson and Carrick were having a better game, but Louis Saha’s poor form continued and he was replaced by Owen Hargreaves. Hargreaves nearly scored with his first touch but the keeper was having a good game.
United’s winner came in injury time when we were awarded a rather soft freekick. Ronaldo stepped up and it was one of those that went towards the goal. There was so much swerve on it, that even on the third replay I thought it was going to go towards the other corner. When he gets them right, Ronaldo’s freekicks are special.
Special mentions to two of the defenders. Nemanja Vidic for taking a full blown body charge without blinking, just getting up and running back into position. I swear the guy is not human. And Patrice Evra for having another great game. Strong tackling and fast in attack. A perfect modern fullback. Do you even think about that Argentine bloke that we used to have? However, I can do without the dive that got him booked.
Popularity: 23% [?]
November 29th, 2007 at 12:46 am
How can Ferguson have any complaints about his players picking up bookings for dissent - as Ronaldo was against Sporting last night - when he acts like he did on Saturday. How did he expect his rant against Clattenberg to be received - with some decisions for United in the second half ? As Ste Gerrard showed in the Merseyside derby, the way to get decisions from Clattenberg is to have a quiet word in his ear as you wander past - sneaky, sneaky like.
November 29th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Has Ferguson complained about Ronaldo’s booking? I haven’t seen that in the news. I expect Fergie knew exactly what he was doing with Clattenberg, who appears to be a ventriloquist’s perfect client, so easy to influence.