Cristiano Ronaldo Ronaldo plays HERO

Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo


MATCH REPORT

MATCH PHOTO'S


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH REPORT

Manchester United 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
Wednesday 19th March 2008
Old Trafford, Manchester

Manchester United brushed aside Bolton to move three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

It was United's game in hand on Arsenal and they did not waste it, while Chelsea drew 4-4 at Tottenham on what turned out to be an excellent night for Sir Alex Ferguson's team.

Ferguson left Wayne Rooney on the bench while Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs were rested completely as part of seven changes from the team that won at Derby.

But any hope Bolton had of a positive result dissolved when Ronaldo struck after eight minutes. Poor control from Abdoulaye Meite gifted possession to United and within seconds Carlos Tevez appeared to be clean through after controlling a cross from Louis Saha with his chest. It was a slightly heavy touch from the Argentine, allowing Ricardo Gardner to make a decent covering tackle, but after Bolton failed to clear the subsequent corner Ronaldo struck the ball into the floor and up into the opposition goal.

Bolton had set out with five across midfield - and a plan to frustrate their superior opponents, but within 20 minutes that hope lay in tatters.

A disappointing evening for Meite, which ended when he was withdrawn at the break, continued when his foul on Ronaldo was punished in brilliant fashion by the Portugal international. His strike from a central position 25 yards from goal swerved and dipped at the last moment, leaving Al Habsi helpless.

It was Ronaldo's 23rd Premier League goal of the season - taking him three clear of Fernando Torres at the top of the scoring table. It was also his 33rd goal of the campaign in all competitions - and takes him past the season record set by George Best in 1968 of 32 goals by a winger.

The match might have been different had Davies managed to convert an excellent cross from Danny Guthrie with the score at 1-0 but his cushioned volley was well saved.

Nemanja Vidic, Nani and Tevez all threatened before the break as United looked to exorcise the ghosts of the 1-0 defeat at the Reebok in December.

And Nani came close to a third seconds after the restart, only an excellent low save by Al Habsi stopping his free-kick.

To their credit, Bolton refused to be cowed and enjoyed an excellent period of play. Kuszczak made an excellent save to tip over a long-range strike from Nicky Hunt and the United keeper followed that with a low dive to thwart Gavin McCann. El-Hadji Diouf had the ball in the net from a free-kick but the goal was ruled out as the referee had not blown for him to take it.

United continued to pose a goal threat and Al Habsi did well to prevent Ronaldo completing his hat-trick.


Man Utd: Kuszczak, Hargreaves, Pique, Vidic (Brown 58), O'Shea, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Anderson (Scholes 70), Nani, Saha (Rooney 70), Tevez.

Subs Not Used: Foster, Evra.

Goals: Ronaldo 9, 19.

Bolton: Al Habsi, Steinsson, Meite (Hunt 46), Andrew O'Brien, Gardner, Diouf, McCann, Guthrie (Giannakopoulos 82), Joey O'Brien, Taylor, Davies.

Subs Not Used: Walker, Campo, Rasiak.

Booked: Andrew O'Brien, Steinsson.

Manchester United pipped rivals Chelsea

Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo

MATCH REPORT

Wigan Athletic 0-2 Manchester United
Sunday 11th May 2008
JJB Stadium, Wigan

Manchester United pipped rivals Chelsea to clinch their 17th title triumph with victory at Wigan. It sent manager Sir Alex Ferguson dancing down the touchline in the rain at the JJB Stadium in triumph as United were confirmed as champions, two points clear of runners-up Chelsea.

And for Giggs it was the perfect way to celebrate equalling United's appearance record of 758 games held by Sir Bobby Charlton, who was watching the game from the directors box. Charlton was equally elated and made his way to the tunnel to embrace Giggs after the final whistle.

There were ecstatic scenes as thousands of Manchester United supporters inside the JJB celebrated a second successive title as Giggs lifted the Premier League trophy.

Wigan were as good as their pre-match words, putting up fierce resistance before United made their superiority tell when it mattered. United were strengthened by the return of Rooney and Nemanja Vidic after injury, but Wigan proved more than a match in a closely-fought first half.

Paul Scholes was rightly booked by referee Steve Bennett for a wild challenge on Wilson Palacios as United fought to establish a foothold, although he also posed their best early threat with a 20-yard shot which he pulled wide.

Boyce then wasted a half-chance for Wigan before Steve Bruce's side were denied what looked to be a penalty after 22 minutes when Rio Ferdinand leaned to block Jason Koumas's shot with his upper arm. Wigan's frustration increased 11 minutes later when Bennett pointed to spot after Rooney tumbled under Boyce's challenge and Ronaldo sent Chris Kirkland the wrong way with the minimum of fuss.

Scholes was then the beneficiary of remarkable leniency from referee Bennett when, having already been booked, he blatantly blocked Palacios as he escaped down the right flank. As the whole stadium awaited the red card, Scholes and United were relieved when Bennett only delivered a stern lecture.

The second half began in a deluge, with the pitch becoming treacherous, and Ronaldo tested Kirkland with a rising 30-yard free-kick which the keeper turned over the top.

Wigan may have felt they were due a stroke of luck, and they got one after 52 minutes when Scholes was clearly fouled by Titus Bramble but referee Bennett and his assistants this time ignored United's claims.

United were more impressive after the break as they went in search of the second goal that would virtually seal the title, but Kirkland saved brilliantly low to his right from Rooney. Kirkland was Wigan's hero again after 58 minutes with a crucial block from Carlos Tevez's deflected shot.

United made a double change with 25 minutes left, sending on Owen Hargreaves for Scholes and Giggs for Ji-Sung Park in quick succession.The title was on its way to Old Trafford after 80 minutes, and fittingly it was veteran Giggs who scored the clincher, taking Rooney's clever pass in his stride to slide home a composed finish from 12 yards.

United's second, plus a late equaliser for Bolton at Chelsea, sparked scenes of wild celebrations among the visiting fans who will now focus on the European Cup final in Moscow.


Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios, Brown (King 81), Koumas, Bent (Sibierski 70), Heskey.

Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Taylor, Skoko.

Booked: Palacios, Heskey, Valencia.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Hargreaves 67), Park (Giggs 68), Tevez, Rooney.

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Saha, Silvestre.

Booked: Scholes, Rooney.

Goals: Ronaldo 33 pen, Giggs 80.

Att: 25,133

Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League Photo
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
United win on penalties
Wednesday 21st May 2008
Luzniki Stadium, Moscow

Manchester United won the Champions League by beating Chelsea 6-5 on penalties after a dramatic 1-1 draw. It sparked wild celebrations for Sir Alex Ferguson and his players in the Moscow rain as United won Europe's elite trophy for the third time, a triumph made more poignant as it came 50 years on from the Munich air crash.

Ferguson had made it his mission to take the trophy back to Manchester this year in memory of those who died, and those who survived, in the tragedy in Munich in February 1958. And it gave the 66-year-old Scot his second Champions League triumph, repeating the success against Bayern Munich in Barcelona in 1999.

The opening exchanges amounted to little more than sparring, but the game burst into life after 20 minutes following an aerial collision between Paul Scholes and Claude Makelele that left both players with a yellow card and the Manchester United veteran with a bloody nose.

Ronaldo had been giving Michael Essien a torrid time, and his threat was transformed into tangible results after 26 minutes when he soared above the Chelsea defender to meet Wes Brown's cross and head his 42nd goal of the season.

Chelsea were almost gifted an equaliser in bizarre circumstances seven minutes later when Van der Sar was forced to claw away a header from his own defender, Rio Ferdinand, after Drogba forced Lampard's cross into the six-yard box.

Petr Cech somehow denied Manchester United a second in the 34th minute after a stunning move that swept from one end of the field to the other in an instant and left Chelsea exposed. Wayne Rooney found Ronaldo with a raking pass, and his cross was delivered to perfection for Tevez, whose header was blocked by Cech - who then recovered to make a magnificent one-handed save from Michael Carrick's follow-up effort.

Tevez was denied again four minutes before the interval when he escaped the attentions of Makelele but could not slide in Rooney's low cross. United were left to regret their missed chances when Chelsea took advantage of several slices of good fortune to equalise on the stroke of half-time.

Essien's shot was speculative at best, but two crucial deflections off Vidic and Ferdinand saw the ball fall kindly for Lampard, who slotted in a neat finish - and his celebration demonstrated that the goal was dedicated to the memory of his late mother Pat, who died in April. Chelsea were transformed by the equaliser, passing with purpose and looking the more likely side.

And the much-debated Luzhniki Stadium pitch was suddenly starting to exert an influence, with both Ferdinand and Lampard suffering from cramp. Drogba had been a peripheral figure for much of the game, but he produced a moment of brilliance with 13 minutes left when he curled a right-foot shot against the post from 25 yards.

There was a moment of history three minutes from the end of normal time when Ryan Giggs replaced Scholes to make his 759th appearance for United, beating the previous club record held by United legend Charlton, who was watching from the stands.

United were left cursing 10 minutes into extra time when Chelsea captain Terry headed off the line miraculously from Giggs after Patrice Evra had shown pace and strength to fashion the opening. Rooney had suffered a frustrating evening, and he looked less than satisfied when he was hauled off as United introduced the pace and unpredictability of Nani.

Drogba was sent off four minutes from the end of extra time by Slovakian referee Lubos Michel for slapping Vidic after an ugly melee developed when Chelsea felt Tevez had been unsporting in returning the ball after a break for players to be treated for cramp.

The penalty shoot-out capped a thrilling game with passages of play of the highest calibre, with United dominating the first half but Chelsea showing huge reserves of character, resilience and ability to dominate after the break. Tevez and Carrick were on target for United as the shoot-out started, with Ballack and Juliano Belletti following suit for Chelsea.

Ronaldo then made a hash of his effort, stopping in his run-up before seeing his kick saved by Cech.

Lampard was successful from the spot and Owen Hargreaves scored under pressure before Ashley Cole's penalty took Chelsea to the brink of victory.

Nani scored to prolong the tension, but with defeat staring United in the face, Terry threw them a lifeline with his miss.

Substitutes Anderson and Kalou traded successful kicks before Giggs threw all the responsibility on Anelka as the shoot-out reached sudden death - and it proved too much for the striker, who saw his penalty palmed away by Van der Sar to crown United as kings of European football once again.


Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown (Anderson 120), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Hargreaves, Scholes (Giggs 87), Carrick, Ronaldo, Tevez, Rooney (Nani 101).

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, O'Shea, Fletcher, Silvestre.

Booked: Scholes, Ferdinand, Vidic, Tevez.

Goals: Ronaldo 26.

Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Makelele (Belletti 120), Lampard, Joe Cole (Anelka 99), Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 92).

Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Shevchenko, Obi, Alex.

Sent Off: Drogba (116).

Booked: Makelele, Carvalho, Ballack, Essien.

Goals: Lampard 45.

Man Utd win 6-5 on penalties