Wednesday April 9, 2008 Finished
-
Tevez eases United through
Carlos Tevez's second-half header gave Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Roma at Old Trafford that sealed their progress to the last four of the Champions League with a 3-0 aggregate victory. More
-
Live Commentary
Time:90'- Manchester United
- Roma
90+1' The excellent Hargreaves heads De Rossi's free-kick clear at the near post. And that's it! 1-0 United, 3-0 on aggregate. A new record of 11 successive home wins in the Champions League. A fine goal by Carlos Tevez. Successful injury comebacks for Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre. A well-earned breather for Ronaldo. Next stop: Barcelona!- 90' Rooney concedes a free-kick deep on the United left. There will be one minute of injury time.
89' Chance for United! Rooney pokes the ball through to Park but Doni comes off his line to deny him.- 86' Neville's every touch is being greeted by huge cheers from the home fans.
- 85' Neville looks to get on the end of a cross into the box from the right, but Doni punches it clear! A goal for United's number two tonight would go down very well indeed.
- 83' Given the context of the absentees tonight, this has been a very impressive performance by the English champions. They've certainly had to endure some nervy moments, but some of their attacking football has nonetheless been very easy on the eye.
81' And here he is. Club captain Gary Neville is warmly applauded onto the field in place of Anderson, and Ferdinand duly hands over the armband. One suspects the Neville-O'Shea central midfield partnership will not be repeated against Barcelona.
80' Rooney breaks forward from the edge of his own box and finds Tevez with a glorious raking through-ball, but the Argentine is offside.- 77' Gary Neville looks like he's about to make his first appearance of the season after over a year out with an ankle problem.
- 75' Should they hold out here, United would set a new record of 11 consecutive home wins in the Champions League. It's a record that would certainly be put to the test by Barcelona in the semi-finals. The 2006 champions are currently 2-0 up on aggregate in their last-eight tie with German side Schalke.
- 73' Perrotta is booked for a late challenge on Park. United make a couple of substitutions, with Wayne Rooney and John O'Shea replacing Giggs and Carrick.
70' GOAL! 1-0 United! Hargreaves swings another peerless cross into the box from the right and Tevez stoops to head it across Doni and in! And with that, United's passage to the last four is secured.- 69' Roma take a short corner on the left and swing the ball into the box, and Juan is inches away from connecting with it! Roma make another change. French attacking midfielder Ludovic Giuly comes on for Pizarro.
- 68' Giggs releases Tevez and he's through on goal, but the flag goes up.
- 67' Tonetto wins a corner off Park on the Roma left. Up come the big men, but David Pizarro's in-swinger is too close to Van der Sar.
- 66' Giggs swings a free-kick into the box from the left which is headed clear.
- 65' Giggs's corner is cleared and Roma break, but with Mancini racing towards goal Van der Sar sprints from his line to clear.
- 64' Hargreaves - who has really showcased his seldom-heralded attacking talents tonight - wins a corner on the right.
- 63' Roma are starting to see a lot more of the ball, but they're not making many inroads into United territory. How long until we see the feted R 'n' R? If, indeed, we see them at all...
- 62' Giggs seizes on a loose ball in midfield and heads towards goal but his attempted pass towards Tevez is cut out.
- 60' The corner is cut back to the edge of the box but Anderson reads it and is able to clear.
- 59' Pique nicks the ball away from Taddei. Corner to Roma on the right.
- 57' Danger again for United! Tonetto's cross from the left finds Taddei unmarked at the back post, and his shot is brilliantly blocked by Silvestre! Juan gets a header in from the ensuing corner but it's a fairly straightforward save for Van der Sar.
- 56' Max Tonetto replaces Cassetti.
- 55' The medics come on to attend to Cassetti, who is then escorted from the pitch clutching his shoulder.
53' Cassetti lands heavily on his shoulder after a challenge with Hargreaves deep inside the United half, and it doesn't look like he'll be able to continue.- 51' Sight of goal for United! Park sets himself to shoot on the edge of the box but his touch is just a little too heavy, allowing Juan to block.
- 50' Ferdinand injury update: he had three stitches in his foot at half-time. John O'Shea is vigorously warming up on the touchlines, but Ferdinand looks set to continue for the time being.
- 49' Great chance for Roma! Vucinic's long-range shot is spilled by Van der Sar, and Cassetti bundles Ferdinand out of the way but can't get a shot in!
- 47' Giggs whips in a corner from the right but Pique just can't get on the end of it at the back post. Ferdinand's clearance at the other end goes straight to Mancini, but the Brazilian's shot is blocked at close range.
46' The second half begins. And Rio Ferdinand, despite TV pictures showing that he sustained a bloodied foot in the first half, takes to the field.- 45+2' Roma send men forward again, but with black shirts massing on the edge of the United area Taddei is penalised for holding back Anderson. And there's the half-time whistle! After a nervous end to the first period, Ferguson's men are 45 minutes from the semi-finals.
- 45+1' That penalty has provoked a palpable sense of anxiety inside the stadium. United were looking completely in control up to that point, when they were suddenly reminded of the frailty of their lead.
- 45' There will be two minutes of injury time.
- 44' Cassetti whips in a low cross from wide on the left but it's just too close to Van der Sar.
- 41' Vucinic gets clonked in the back by Brown, and stays down before receiving treatment. Looks like Ferdinand might well be coming off at half-time.
- 39' Ferdinand is hobbling. Giggs wins a corner on the left with an age-defying burst down the flank, but the England man remains in his own half and appears to be in discomfort.
- 36' The penalty incident is being replayed frequently, and Brown may have got the slightest of touches. It's by no means obvious though, and it looks like it was Mancini's theatrical tumble that did the trick.
- 33' Roma come forward again! Taddei weaves into the box from the right and hits a low shot that's half-blocked to De Rossi, whose improvised back-heel is hacked away by Brown!
- 32' United - shaken - come forward again, and Park's shot from the edge of the box is blocked at close range following Giggs's left-wing corner.
- 30' De Rossi steps up... AND BLASTS THE PENALTY WELL OVER THE BAR! What a dreadful, dreadful penalty! Think Roberto Baggio in the 1994 World Cup final, but about 10 yards higher. It's a let-off for United. Mancini went down easily, but it didn't look like Brown played the ball.
29' PENALTY TO ROMA! Van der Sar parries Vucinic's shot from distance, the ball comes out to Mancini on the left and he drifts into the box before tumbling under a challenge from Brown!- 27' Panucci whips in a dangerous cross from the right and Carrick dives to head it behind at the near post. The corner is cleared to the edge of the box and United break -Giggs to Anderson, Anderson with a marvellous flick inside to Tevez, Tevez back to Anderson inside the area... but he's strayed offside! Wonderful football.
- 23' Chance for Hargreaves! Giggs picks him out with a fine through-ball, but Juan and Cassetti converge to deny him just as he's about to pull the trigger. Anderson drives in a well-struck shot from the left-hand corner of the box and Doni gathers it at the second attempt. Hargreaves is finding acres of space down the United right.
- 22' Vucinic gets in front of Ferdinand to direct a header goalwards, but he gets right underneath it and it's an easy catch for Van der Sar.
- 20' Fashion fans will be interested to know that Pique has ditched his blonde highlights for a rather more understated greasy hairband look.
- 19' We've had a very lively start here, and United are playing some fine football despite their high-profile absentees. Ferguson will doubtless be hoping he doesn't have to call upon Rooney and Ronaldo, as Sunday's crunch Premier League clash with Arsenal looms on the horizon.
- 17' Anderson charges down the United left and crosses, but it's headed clear at the near post.
- 16' Giggs goes close! Hargreaves swings in another fine cross from the right and Giggs's first-time half-volley at the back post is pushed away by Doni!
- 15' Brown wins a throw-in off Mancini in front of the dug-outs on the near side.
- 14' Van der Sar called into action! Daniele de Rossi prods a ball to Vucinic and his low shot from a tight angle on the right is blocked at the near post. A few moments later Mancini cuts in from the left and fires in a low shot that the Dutchman saves comfortably.
- 12' United have started with real purpose here. An early goal would surely put the tie to bed.
- 10' United go close twice in 30 seconds! First Wes Brown directs a free header over the bar from Giggs's corner, before the Welshman sets Owen Hargreaves free inside the area and his shot is repelled at close-range by Doni!
- 9' Michael Carrick breaks down the right and whips in a cross that Christian Panucci has to put behind at the back post.
- 7' Another chance for United! Park picks out Tevez with a cross from the right, but the Argentine misjudges his header and the ball goes wide of the near post.
- 6' First sight of goal for United! Giggs slips a ball down the inside-left channel to Park, and the South Korean flashes a left-footed shot across goal and wide from the edge of the area.
- 4' Taddei cracks in a hopeful effort from distance on the right, but doesn't connect properly and it drifts well wide of Van der Sar's right-hand post.
- 3' United respond with a surge down the right, and Philippe Mexes has to hack Owen Hargreaves's cross behind for a corner. Ryan Giggs's inswinging centre is cleared at the near post.
- 2' Roma attack down the left but Marco Cassetti curls his low cross straight at Edwin van der Sar.
1' We're underway! Anderson concedes an early free-kick on the far side of the pitch for a foul on countryman Rodrigo Taddei. United are attacking from left to right in this first half.- 19:40 The teams emerge from the tunnel onto the verdant Old Trafford turf. It's a fairly balmy evening here in Manchester. United are in red shirts, white shorts and white socks, Roma in a change strip of all-black.
- 19:35 The visitors are still without injured captain Francesco Totti, so Mirko Vucinic starts up front in his place. Manchester-born midfielder Simone Perrotta returns from suspension.
- 19:30 The good news for United fans is that Rio Ferdinand plays, despite hobbling off during the 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough with a foot injury. Mikael Silvestre and Gerard Pique come into the back four in place of Patrice Evra and the injured Nemanja Vidic, while Park Ji-Sung and Carlos Tevez are given the nod ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney in a rather conservative-looking line-up.
- 19:15 Good evening and welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of this Champions League quarter-final clash between Manchester United and Roma at Old Trafford. United hold a 2-0 advantage from the first leg and are strong favourites to progress. Kick-off is at 19:45 BST.
-
Summary
- 89' Chance for United! Rooney pokes the ball through to Park but Doni comes off his line to deny him.
- 70' GOAL! 1-0 United! Hargreaves swings another peerless cross into the box from the right and Tevez stoops to head it across Doni and in! And with that, United's passage to the last four is secured.
- 57' Danger again for United! Tonetto's cross from the left finds Taddei unmarked at the back post, and his shot is brilliantly blocked by Silvestre! Juan gets a header in from the ensuing corner but it's a fairly straightforward save for Van der Sar.
- 51' Sight of goal for United! Park sets himself to shoot on the edge of the box but his touch is just a little too heavy, allowing Juan to block.
- 49' Great chance for Roma! Vucinic's long-range shot is spilled by Van der Sar, and Cassetti bundles Ferdinand out of the way but can't get a shot in!
- 33' Roma come forward again! Taddei weaves into the box from the right and hits a low shot that's half-blocked to De Rossi, whose improvised back-heel is hacked away by Brown!
- 30' De Rossi steps up... AND BLASTS THE PENALTY WELL OVER THE BAR! What a dreadful, dreadful penalty! Think Roberto Baggio in the 1994 World Cup final, but about 10 yards higher. It's a let-off for United. Mancini went down easily, but it didn't look like Brown played the ball.
- 29' PENALTY TO ROMA! Van der Sar parries Vucinic's shot from distance, the ball comes out to Mancini on the left and he drifts into the box before tumbling under a challenge from Brown!
- 23' Chance for Hargreaves! Giggs picks him out with a fine through-ball, but Juan and Cassetti converge to deny him just as he's about to pull the trigger. Anderson drives in a well-struck shot from the left-hand corner of the box and Doni gathers it at the second attempt. Hargreaves is finding acres of space down the United right.
- 16' Giggs goes close! Hargreaves swings in another fine cross from the right and Giggs's first-time half-volley at the back post is pushed away by Doni!
- 14' Van der Sar called into action! Daniele de Rossi prods a ball to Vucinic and his low shot from a tight angle on the right is blocked at the near post. A few moments later Mancini cuts in from the left and fires in a low shot that the Dutchman saves comfortably.
- 10' United go close twice in 30 seconds! First Wes Brown directs a free header over the bar from Giggs's corner, before the Welshman sets Owen Hargreaves free inside the area and his shot is repelled at close-range by Doni!
- 7' Another chance for United! Park picks out Tevez with a cross from the right, but the Argentine misjudges his header and the ball goes wide of the near post.
- 6' First sight of goal for United! Giggs slips a ball down the inside-left channel to Park, and the South Korean flashes a left-footed shot across goal and wide from the edge of the area.
Live Team Line-Up
-
Manchester UnitedManager: Alex Ferguson
Captain: Ryan Giggs
On the Field
- van der Sar
- Brown
- Ferdinand
- Pique
- Silvestre
- Carrick
- Hargreaves
- Anderson
- Park
- Giggs
- Tevez
Subs
- Scholes
- O'Shea
- Kuszczak
- Rooney
- Ronaldo
- Nani
Injured
- Saha
- Fletcher
- Vidic
Suspended
None
-
RomaManager: Luciano Spalletti
Captain: 2. Christian Panucci
On the Field
- Doni
- Panucci
- Mexès
- Juan
- Cassetti
- Pizarro
- De Rossi
- Perrotta
- Taddei
- Mancini
- Vucinic
Subs
- 14. Giuly
- 22. Tonetto
- 33. Brighi
- 18. Esposito
- 8. Aquilani
- 1. Curci
- 3. Cicinho
Injured
- 10. Totti
Suspended
None
This site is Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! and Eurosport. All rights reserved.
- Terms of Service
- Updated Privacy Policy
- Copyright/IP Policy
- Remarks and Suggestions
- Corporate info
- Jobs at Eurosport
Notice: We collect personal information on this site. To learn more about how we use your information, see our Privacy Policy.