Man Utd 1 Chelsea 1 A.E.T Man Utd Win 6-5 On Penalties
Posted on May 23, 2008
Filed Under Champions League
Manchester United won their third 3rd European cup after a dramatic match against Chelsea after 120 minutes of football couldn’t separate the premiership champions & runners up.It was a topsy turvy match were Man Utd dominated the first half & Chelsea the second & even in extra time it seemed to go one way & then the other.It just showed why these are the best 2 teams in the premiership & Europe & worthy of a European cup final & it was one to watch live.
The game kicked off at 10:45 Moscow time which is rather late for a football match but it was more like for live tele.Both team’s tried to get a foot hold on the game straight away & the first 20 Min’s was a hustle & bustle type of game with no really clear cut chances but for a big European final you would expect that.But after the 20 Min both teams had sort each other out & it came to life with a tackle & some blood.
It was a ball in the air & Paul Scholes & Claude Makelele both went for it & had a almighty collision & both players went down in a heap.It left Scholes with a bloody nose but both players got booked for that but Man Utd started to get the football down & play.For some reason Essen was playing right back & it must have lit Ronaldo’s eyes up & he was giving him a really bad time & it was Ronaldo who used that to give Man Utd the lead in this football match.
It was lovely play by United & the ball came out to Wes Brown & he had plenty of time to put in a cross with reached Ronaldo who had got away of Essen & found space to head it into the goal & out of the reach of Cech.But Chelsea nearly found there way back in really strange circumstance it was a Lampard’s cross into the box that Drogba happen to force it in & Rio Ferdinand headed it towards his own goal only for Van Der Sar to somehow dig it away from his goal.
But with 10 Min’s left of the first half United should have really bin 3 up when they had three great chances.The first 2 were Man United at there best Rooney got the ball after a Chelsea corner was cleared he delivered a fantastic cross pitch pass that found Ronaldo who beat Essen & put in a cross that Tevez headed towards goal but Cech made a brilliant save but the clearance went straight to Carrack who shot was on target But Cech made a one handed save .They should have scored moments later when Rooney got the ball down the right crossed along the floor into the box which was missed by Makelele & somehow Tevez missed sliding it into the box when he should of scored maybe.
But United were made to pay the price for missing there chances & Chelsea struck back to equalise it was fortunate but you have to take your chances.It was Essen who pick the ball up in midfield & ran towards the United defence & had a shot which didn’t really look much but it happen to deflect off Vidic then deflected off Ferdinand & fell right in Lampard’s path & he slotted it home into the net.He went off to celebrate raising his arms in the air & thanking his mum & dedicating his goal to her & that was the end of the first half. Alex Ferguson
After the break it was Chelsea who came out with a purpose & looked like they meant business & wanted this European cup.They out played Man United & had some good possession & played some great football but just couldn’t find a way through or get that touch to put them in front.After half way through the second half i started to see the play was getting a bit slower & with the rain the pitch which everyone was talking about before the game started to take it’s toll on the players.
Rio Ferdinand went down in the 76th minute with cramp followed by Lampard & the pitch looked like it was getting heavy.But it was Drogba who hadn’t really done much all match who light the game up again with a piece of magic which we all know he can do.he had the ball just out side the area & without thinking he swiveled on the ball & curled it towards the goal & it hit the outside of the post & left Van Der Sar stranded if only he could get his foot wrapped round it more & it would have bin in.
Even more history was being made in this game when Ryan Giggs came on as a substitute for his 759th appearance beating the great Bobby Charlton who was there at the game to see the event.Not much happened after that & the game ended in a draw both had played great football & made it a live spectacle but there wasn’t much between the football teams & it looked like a draw during the second half but now extra time was the way.
Extra time started but within 90 seconds Grant made a sub bringing off Malouda & replaced him with the unpredictable Kalou.It was then good play by Chelsea which they nearly scored from Ballack made a nice disguised pass to Lampard who got his foot round the ball but his shot hit the bar & bounced clear & Van Der Sar was nowhere.Then it was United who should have scored Evra picked the ball up & ran between two Chelsea defenders & crossed into the box & Giggs put his shot towards the goal & should have scored but somehow John Terry managed to get his head to it & deflect it wide what defending that was.
The ineffective Rooney was subbed for Nani but you could see he wasn’t happy but with penalty’s in mind it was a safe choice. But after a great football match & some fantastic football Drogba had a bad timing piece of madness with what could have lost Chelsea this match .After one of the United players got cramp Chelsea put the ball out When United took the throw it was expected Tevez to put the ball back to Cech but instead unsportingly but the ball into the corner to keep Chelsea pinned back.
The Chelsea players took exception & a tussle started to develop then everyone came running over & got involved.For some reason Drogba decided to slap Vidic round the face right in front of the ref!!. He had no choice to send him off & ruin Chelsea’s night & properly his career at Chelsea. Chelsea then made 2 subs as they were playing for the penalties with 10 men & they sent on Anelka & Belletti for Cole & Makelele So still after 120 Min’s still one-one & the horrid penalties loomed.
Man United went first to take a penalty which Tevez dispatched then it was Ballack to score for Chelsea.Then Carrack stepped up & scored & so did Belletti for Chelsea.But then the unthinkable happened when Ronaldo steeped up & had his penalty saved by Cech But Lampard was successful & put Chelsea in front in this match for the first time.Owen Hargreaves stepped up & scored his penalty knowing he had to But Ashley Cole put Chelsea in reach.United’s Nani stepped upto keep them in the match & did so it was the man of Chelsea John Terry to win it but the pitch or maybe it wasn’t to be as he took his penalty & his standing leg slipped & with Van Der Sar beaten the football hit the post the other side if only he didn’t slip Chelsea would have one it.
So it was down to the substitutes to sort it out.First it was Anderson to score only for Kalou to reply.Then up stepped Giggs to score & put all the pressure on the next Chelsea man who was going to be Anelka who didn’t look like he wanted it & with his short run up you knew he was going to miss or fluff it up.He took his shot & Van Der Sar guessed the right way & saved & made Manchester United European champions for the 3rd time The players then celebrated but thoughts were on John Terry who was in tears because he knew he could have won it but most will probably blame Drogba for his stupidity. Avran Grant
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