Champions League - Ferguson regrets late lapse

Eurosport - Wed, 08 Apr 12:07:00 2009

Alex Ferguson slammed Manchester United's lack of concentration after Porto claimed a 2-2 Champions League quarter-final first-leg draw.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Manchester United Alex Ferguson - 0

Mariano grabbed a crucial equaliser for the visitors to Old Trafford with 90 seconds left on the clock, after Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez had responded to Cristian Rodriguez's fine early opener.

"(The result) was about right - first half they were the better side but second half we improved and got more possession," the Scot told ITV1.

"But getting the (second) goal the way they did - we should really have defended that. It was a bad goal to lose.

"It's been a hard two days for them (after playing Aston Villa on Sunday), but they were lacking in concentration."

Ferguson - who revealed centre-half Jonny Evans had limped out with a groin injury - added: "You get a 2-1 lead with four or five minutes left, you really should see it out.

"We've got a game on Saturday (at Sunderland), there's still a lot going for us, but it's a difficult game now in Porto, no question of that."

United now travel to Portugal on April 15 probably needing to win, something no English team has managed in 11 previous attempts, though a high-scoring draw would also be enough to send them through.

"You have to think the last goal was one we could not afford to lose," said Ferguson. It was a terrible goal to give away when you are 2-1 up and seeing the game out."

United, who have looked rocky at the back in recent weeks as they lost successive league games to Liverpool and Fulham and needed a stoppage-time goal to beat Aston Villa 3-2, were again all at sea in the absence of the injured Rio Ferdinand.

Jonny Evans, who has generally been an impressive stand-in at centre back for much of the season, had a night to forget and will be relieved that his catalogue of errors did not lead to more Porto goals.

United's midfield were ineffective for long spells, producing little in attack and looking ragged in preventing

Porto's counter-attacks from ripping through the home side's deep-lying defence.

It was all the more surprising coming only a few weeks after they were breaking records for consecutive clean sheets with Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic being compared favourably with the great Old Trafford centre-back partnerships.

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar certainly earned his money on Tuesday, especially in the fiery opening half-hour when Porto scored through Cristian Rodriguez and could easily have had three more.

For all the problems, however, Ferguson will take heart from the steel shown by the likes of substitute Tevez and Wayne Rooney, whose 15th-minute equaliser came after he showed a striker's instinct to gamble on Bruno Alves's back-pass, then great technique to turn the gift into a goal.

Ferguson said he was delighted to reach halftime level and, despite the late equaliser to make it 2-2, he recognised it was the least Porto deserved.

The result, and the performance, persuaded bookmakers to lengthen the odds on United retaining their European crown, with Barcelona installed as new favourites.

Porto's home record is formidable but will they will risk a repeat of such a high-energy assault on the holders in the home leg when a 0-0 or 1-1 draw would send them through?

That dilemma is a chink in the armour that United will work on and Ferguson, never more effective than when his back is against the wall, will relish the chance to claim another European landmark.

TeamTalk / Reuters

Comment 126 - 145 of 145

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  1. are you crazy? what kind of "SIR" is that? I­ may support ManUTD but it doesn't mean i have 2 be­ nlind... Ferguson said the last goal was "a bad­ goal to lose"..."lack of concntration",­ sooooooooo what about ManUTD equaliser??... it was a­ gift!!!!!...the luckiest one in this years champions­ league. & FCPorto deserved 2 win for more than one­ goal. No doubt about it.

    From Daniel Alex. F. Menezes, on Mon 13 Apr 4:24PM

  2. the thing that beating us rite now is our passing, we­ are tire and hurt but there still a great spirit­ around. I believe we can make history, history has been­ against us in recent week but that the nature of the­ game, who remember the last time a team in england goin­ for their third league tittle with cups already won,­ with 2 in our sight, this season has been magic, well­ done lads the glory is yours. we need get back to take­ it to teams early and putting teams on their back foot.­ taking to long to get going, we need a killa instinct,­ a desire to defend as our lives depended on it, come on­ lads take control of yours destiny!

    From Eric W, on Thu 9 Apr 1:53AM

  3. pop ya purps fergs !!!@#$% nev off to grass at his­ ranch da donk.cost ya big time take it as proof in da­ pud now!!!!

    From nlwarburton, on Wed 8 Apr 10:43PM

  4. manu first gonna beat sunderland easy and then go to­ portugal screw some hot portugese ladies and be fresh­ to beat porto just EASY lol garanteeee you that

    From kosovo2255, on Wed 8 Apr 10:40PM

  5. "I say chaps,come on,its only a game,isnt it odd­ how the lower class resort to such language,dont you­ think".

    From farsical, on Wed 8 Apr 5:07PM

  6. calm down,its only football,no bad language please,i­ get really offended,thanks chaps.

    From farsical, on Wed 8 Apr 4:36PM

  7. Dumb Fergie is consulting the MoD to help consolidate­ dumb Man U's defence

    From Godwin, on Wed 8 Apr 4:26PM

  8. Man U new hotline 0845 22 22 22

    From Godwin, on Wed 8 Apr 4:19PM

  9. isn't Fergie tired of screwing Ronaldo's arse,­ please let the dumb player go

    From Godwin, on Wed 8 Apr 4:13PM

  10. L H comment 144, go so suk a d*ick, at least thats­ something you are good at, dumb Man U fan

    From Godwin, on Wed 8 Apr 4:09PM

  11. 134 igwe g DON'T SHOW YOURSELF UP FOR THE D I C­ K-HEAD YOU ARE, MAN-UTD HAVE NEVER BEEN RUBBISH, YOU­ SOUND LIKE A PATHETIC JEALOUS OVERGROWN­ SCHOOLKID...GROW UP FOR GOD SAKE,INSTEAD OF TALKING C R­ A P AND KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL, BECAUSE YOU­ NEVER ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT IT, YOU JUST MOAN LIKE AN OLD­ FISHER WOMAN.

    From L H, on Wed 8 Apr 1:49PM

  12. I've been a Manchester United Fan since 73, And we­ always have a tough time of it in a Lost. ALL the BOO­ birds come out in force.
    My point is that WE can't­ win all the time but we have set the BAR so HIGH that­ when other teams either draw or beat US, it is their­ greatest day.
    Lets hold on to the end of the season and­ see what happens when the smoke clears....
    By the­ way....What other English Team has done the Treble?

    From havinfun69, on Wed 8 Apr 1:32PM

  13. talk is cheap,lets see the game next week....

    From innocent, on Wed 8 Apr 11:42AM

  14. smith your comments about writing are sour. learn to­ spell ? i wonder if you are a liverfool fan ?
    a. manc­ ...

    From PAUL L, on Wed 8 Apr 11:26AM

  15. not even 1 decent footballing comment . just talking­ boll o x & slagging everyone elses comment but­ none about FOOTBALL.... most can't even spell­ (liverpool) obv.

    From PAUL L, on Wed 8 Apr 11:20AM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    134 Ha ha ha, well what can I say, United are just­ rubbish,­ they have always been rubbish. The trophies­ are­ slipping, the sponsors are broke, the players are­­ rubbish and want to leave(Madrid), the fans are all­­ dumb and the manager is confused. What a United bunch­­ of pigs

    From igwe g, on Wed 8 Apr 10:19AM

    You are a­ jackass, untd are rubbish they have always been­ rubbish!!!...........Just goes to show that you nothing­ about the game or its history. take it ur a liverpool­ fan?? doesnt really matter who you support comments­ like that arent really worth wrighting.

    From chris.smith02, on Wed 8 Apr 11:16AM

  17. YIP AND ANDY GRAY IS A BIASED BLUE NOSE TURD­ STABBA..... JOCK T-W-A-T!!!!

    From scouse mark YNWA, on Wed 8 Apr 10:26AM

  18. I think the Man U female squad would have done better,­ ha ha ha ha ah aha

    From Godwin, on Wed 8 Apr 10:25AM

  19. WELL SAID 132... FINALLY A MUFC FAN ADMITTING WHAT IS­ ONLY FACT...... UTD HAVE LOST THERE WAY... IT HAPPENS­ BUT I STILL THINK THEY'LL WIN THE LEAGUE.. BUT NOT­ THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE...... MANCS AND SCOUSERS IN­ ROME..BRING IT ON.. !!!!!! Y.N.W.A.

    From scouse mark YNWA, on Wed 8 Apr 10:23AM

  20. Unlike like dumb Man U that predicts the outcome of a­ match without the kick of the ball, Liverpool takes one­ game at a time.

    From Godwin, on Wed 8 Apr 10:21AM
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