Wednesday April 29, 2009 Finished
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O'Shea wins it for United
John O'Shea's first-half goal earned Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final first leg. More
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Live Commentary
Time:90'- Manchester United
- Arsenal
90+5' FULL-TIME!! John O'Shea has fired Manchester United to a 1-0 victory in tonight's Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal at Old Trafford.- 90+4' Sagna's cross is flicked away by Vidic.
- 90+3' Of course one goal at the Emirates from United and Arsenal will need three.
- 90+2' Fabregas gifts the ball away and this time Ronaldo's shot from 30 yards is wayward. Six shots tonight and four on target.
- 90+1' Again Gibbs is on hand to nod away a cross from the right.
- 90' Four minutes added time.
- 89' Rooney's pass bounces around like a pinball on the edge of the penalty area but is eventually cleared.
- 88' Rooney goes down in the penalty area but the impressive Gibbs is strong enough to hold him off. Optimistic appeals but nothing doing.
87' Jonny Evans replaces Ferdinand.
86' Ferdinand has had a dodgy back recently and goes down heavily after being clattered in the ribs by his keeper there.
85' Ferdinand goes through the back of Eduardo and Bendtner reaches FabregasÂ’s free-kick ahead of the advancing van der Sar but the Dane gets far too much purchase on his header from seven yards and a great chance is lost. A glancing nod would have seen the Gunners steal an equaliser and that vital away goal.- 84' Another menacing run from Rooney but not an easy ball to find either Ronaldo or Giggs and Sagna comes across to clear.
- 83' Giggs gets behind Sagna but Almunia is off his line to quell the danger.
- 82' The Croatia international replaces the ineffective Adebayor.
- 81' Arsenal looking for that attacking spark and Eduardo is ready to come on.
- 80' Match Image: Adebayor has an attempt on goal
- 79' The shot count is now 13-5 in United's favour with Arsenal having just that solitary Fabregas first-half effort on target.
78' Giggs marks his 800th appearance with a goal but it is chalked off for offside. A borderline decision as he looked to have timed his run perfectly.- 77' Adebayor slashes at Giggs' corner but the return cross from the Welsh legend is too high for Ferdinand.
- 76' Great skill from Berbatov, the ball is worked to Giggs whose cross back to the Bulgarian is headed away by Silvestre with the Bulgarian lurking.
- 75' Match Image: Diaby shows his frustration
- 74' Vital header from Toure to prevent Ronaldo nodding home Rooney's cross from close range.
- 73' No change in the Arsenal formation with Bendtner hugging the right touchline.
- 72' Rooney beats two men and surges into the penalty area, his cross is cut out but the ball falls to Carrick whose 30-yard drive fizzes past the post.
- 71' Walcott has not been in the game in the second-half and is replaced by Nicklas Bendtner.
- 70' A rare foray into the penalty area from Arsenal but Fabregas screws his shot-cum-cross across the face.
- 69' OH SO CLOSE!! Fabregas gets caught in possession and Ronaldo unleashes a dipping effort from 30 yards that bounces off the crossbar!! A beaten Almunia merely turned around and hoped for the best.
- 68' Giggs has gone to the left flank with Ronaldo down the middle in support of the laconic Bulgarian.
- 67' A double change for United and Giggs brings up 800 as he comes on along with Berbatov. Anderson and Tevez depart.
- 66' Ronaldo goes down on the edge of the penalty area but no free-kick and correctly so. Some histrionics from the Portuguese in response.
- 65' Walcott almost meets Nasri's cross at the back post but Evra does enough to block the header.
- 64' Adebayor chests Song's pass down and gets a shot off from 20 yards but it is high, wide and not very handsome.
- 63' Arsenal break in numbers but Adebayor has been dreadful tonight and gives the ball away.
- 62' Ronaldo's cross from the right is repelled by Toure.
- 61' No goals for Manchester United by Anderson and you can see why as after Rooney tees him up on the edge of the penalty area, he scoops the ball over the bar.
- 60' Sloppy from Fletcher who is caught in possession by Fabregas but Ferdinand gets back to nip the ball off the Arsenal skipper.
- 59' Ronaldo finds Rooney who tries to stand the ball up at the back stick only for Silvestre to nod away.
- 58' Evra's ball across the face of the six yard box is hooked away by Silvestre on his weaker side.
- 57' Match Image: Ronaldo and Silvestre battle for the ball
- 56' Gibbs cuts out a pass and runs purposefully towards the penalty area but his intended one two is foiled.
- 55' For the second time Anderson's corner is way over hit and runs out of play.
- 54' Ronaldo is not closed down quickly enough and his shot deflects off Silvestre for a corner.
- 53' Foul by Song on Rooney. He is also a booking away from missing the second leg.
- 52' Tevez picks out Rooney but he can't pick out a colleague with his square pass across the 18-yard box.
- 51' Carrick steals the ball off Song but Tevez has drifted offside to end a promising position.
- 50' Carrick given space but his pass for Tevez is cut out by Toure.
- 49' United have met fellow-English clubs in three previous European competitions and have triumphed each time. They beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on aggregate in the 1963-64 Cup Winners Cup, Everton 3-2 on aggregate in the following year's Inter Cities Fairs Cup and, of course, won on penalties against Chelsea in last season's final.
- 48' Match Image: Almunia makes a save from Ronaldo
- 47' United had nine shots in the opening period, Arsenal just two.
- 46' We are underway at the start of the second-half with no changes to either side.
- 45+1' HALF-TIME! An unlikely hero has given United the lead but it could have been more if it wasn't for Almunia.
- 45' Walcott gets past the stumbling Evra but he opts to find Adebayor only for Rio Ferdinand to cut out the flick.
- 44' Inexperience from Gibbs whose back pass puts Almunia in a spot of bother, the keeper just manages to get his clearance away.
- 43' A lovely move from United ends with a fine tackle from Silvestre on the advancing Carrick.
- 42' Arsenal probe once again but yet again the move ends 30 yards from goal. Samir Nasri's pass intended for Adebayor is cut out.
- 41' Rooney cuts inside Sagna once more and looks to bend it inside Almunia's left-hand post but it is just off target.
- 40' Match Image: John O'Shea scores the opener
- 39' Four thousand travelling fans from London cannot be heard at a noisy Old Trafford.
- 38' Arsenal seeing more of the ball as the half goes on but without any penetration.
- 37' Anderson almost finds Rooney down the left channel but again the ball is intercepted.
- 36' A full blooded 50-50 between Toure and Patrice Evra is won by the United man.
- 35' Ronaldo loses his footing which gives Gibbs the chance to cross but his delivery is headed away.
- 34' Arsenal have never beaten a fellow-English club in Europe. They lost 5-3 to Liverpool in last season's quarter-finals and 3-2 to Chelsea at the same stage four years earlier, both after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
33' Indeed Tevez has gone into the book for that challenge.- 32' Arsenal, in their yellow change strip, are really finding possession hard to come by.
- 31' Almunia is brave to come off his line and get to the ball ahead of Tevez whose studs rake the neck of the keeper.
- 30' Match Image John O'Shea celebrates scoring the first goal
- 29' Ronaldo's shot from 20 yards is held by Almunia at the second attempt. That is his sixth save of the match.
- 28' YET ANOTHER GREAT SAVE!! Tevez stands the ball up at the back post but Ronaldo's header from no more than four yards hits Almunia and stays out.
- 27' O'Shea's header sends Ronaldo clear but Toure nods away the cross.
- 26' Great first touch from Walcott, he finds Adebayor who tees up Fabregas but the 20-yard drive from the Arsenal skipper is held by van der Sar low down. Best move from the Gunners.
- 25' A good run from Gibbs who continues it and forces Vidic into a hasty backpass and van der Sar into a rushed clearance.
- 24' Rooney tracks back and does just enough to put off Fabregas, his attempted shot embarrassingly comes off his standing foot.
- 23' An incredibly ambitious effort from Rooney from just inside the halfway line but it fails to test Almunia.
- 22' Too much on Anderson's delivery and the ball runs out of play.
- 21' United force another corner as they dominate.
- 20' Vital flick from Gibbs to prevent Ronaldo meeting a cross at the back post.
- 19' An Arsenal free-kick sails harmlessly through to Edwin van der Sar.
- 18' Arsenal have never lost the first leg of a a European semi-final, winning four and drawing two but they are in trouble now.
17' GOAL!! UNITED LEAD!! From the corner, Carrick is left alone at the back post. Arsenal are attracted to the ball and leave too much space as the ball reaches O'SHEA who slashes home from close range with the ball taking a slight deflection off Silvestre.- 16' INCREDIBLE SAVE! United work the ball to the right and O'Shea squares the ball to Tevez whose slightly mis-hit shot from seven yards is superbly saved one handed to his left by Almunia.
- 15' Arsenal have never failed in a European semi-final, progressing to the final from all six they have played.
- 14' Michael Carrick is playing the quarterback role and he comes very close to picking out Ronaldo's diagonal run with the perfect pass.
- 13' Rooney gets ahead of Sagna but his cross from the left is cleared by Toure with Ronaldo and Tevez waiting to pounce.
- 12' Arsenal's Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor has scored eight goals in his last eight Champions League games but has been a by-stander thus far.
- 11' Arsenal put their first decent move together but when Theo Walcott gets to the by-line, his pull back is cut out by Vidic.
- 10' Tevez tees up Ronaldo but he scuffs his 20-yard shot which rolls harmlessly through to Almunia.
- 9' Rooney is very much hugging the left flank with United playing a tight three in midfield.
- 8' Decent run by Fletcher into the penalty area but Nemanja Vidic can't pick him out.
- 7' Ronaldo on his bike down the right flank but can't quite reach the searching pass.
- 6' Manchester United are aiming to extend their European record of 23 unbeaten matches.
- 5' Rooney cuts inside Sagna and almost picks out the advancing Tevez but the pass is cut out.
- 4' Nasri has a little flick out at Anderson but referee Claus Bo Larsen gives him a warning rather than issuing the second yellow which would have ruled him out of the second leg.
- 3' Great start from United and after Gibbs slips, Cristiano Ronaldo fizzes a ball across the face of the six yard box but Tevez can't apply the finishing touch.
- 2' GREAT SAVE! Fletcher's cross is met at the back post by Wayne Rooney and his header loops off the back of Bacary Sagna's head and is clawed away by Manuel Almunia.
1' We are underway at Old Trafford.- - The players stride out to the UEFA Champions League music with the Stratford End holding up cards which read collectively as BELIEVE
- - This is just the fifth time this season that Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo have all started. The last time saw United lose 4-1 to Liverpool.
- - If Giggs does come off the bench, it will be his 800th Manchester United appearance. The career of Ryan Giggs
- - Edwin van der Sar is convinced Manchester United are better prepared than Ajax were to successfully defend their Champions League crown. Edwin makes case for the defence
- - Kolo Toure believes the youthful current crop of Arsenal stars can emulate the battle-hardened class of 2006 and book their ticket to this season's Champions League final. Arsenal say Man Utd beatable
- - Left-back Kieran Gibbs, who was a doubt with an ankle problem, and Mikael Silvestre, who has had a back complaint, both start for the Gunners. With Robin van Persie injured and Andrey Arshavin ineligible, Wenger has gone for some steel with Alex Song and Abou Diaby in the engine room and Cesc Fabregas given license to support lone frontman Emmanuel Adebayor.
- - Dimitar Berbatov finds himself on the bench alongside player of the year Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes with Darren Fletcher preferred and Carlos Tevez starts after Saturday's heroics against Tottenham. John O'Shea gets the nod at right-back with Wes Brown not considered fit enough to replace Gary Neville and Rafael probably not experienced enough.
- - Arsenal: 1-Manuel Almunia; 3-Bacary Sagna, 5-Kolo Toure, 18-Mikael Silvestre, 40-Kieran Gibbs; 2-Abou Diaby, 17-Alex
Song; 14-Theo Walcott, 4-Cesc Fabregas, 8-Samir Nasri; 25-Emmanuel Adebayor.
- - Manchester United: 1-Edwin van der Sar; 22-John O'Shea, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 15-Nemanja Vidic, 3-Patrice Evra; 24-Darren
Fletcher, 16-Michael Carrick, 8-Anderson; 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 32-Carlos Tevez, 10-Wayne Rooney.
- - Here are those teams and there are some surprises.
- - Get the views of both managers ahead of tonight's big game. Video: Ferguson + Wenger press conferences
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Summary
- 85' Ferdinand goes through the back of Eduardo and Bendtner reaches FabregasÂ’s free-kick ahead of the advancing van der Sar but the Dane gets far too much purchase on his header from seven yards and a great chance is lost. A glancing nod would have seen the Gunners steal an equaliser and that vital away goal.
- 78' Giggs marks his 800th appearance with a goal but it is chalked off for offside. A borderline decision as he looked to have timed his run perfectly.
- 72' Rooney beats two men and surges into the penalty area, his cross is cut out but the ball falls to Carrick whose 30-yard drive fizzes past the post.
- 69' OH SO CLOSE!! Fabregas gets caught in possession and Ronaldo unleashes a dipping effort from 30 yards that bounces off the crossbar!! A beaten Almunia merely turned around and hoped for the best.
- 28' YET ANOTHER GREAT SAVE!! Tevez stands the ball up at the back post but Ronaldo's header from no more than four yards hits Almunia and stays out.
- 26' Great first touch from Walcott, he finds Adebayor who tees up Fabregas but the 20-yard drive from the Arsenal skipper is held by van der Sar low down. Best move from the Gunners.
- 17' GOAL!! UNITED LEAD!! From the corner, Carrick is left alone at the back post. Arsenal are attracted to the ball and leave too much space as the ball reaches O'SHEA who slashes home from close range with the ball taking a slight deflection off Silvestre.
- 16' INCREDIBLE SAVE! United work the ball to the right and O'Shea squares the ball to Tevez whose slightly mis-hit shot from seven yards is superbly saved one handed to his left by Almunia.
- 2' GREAT SAVE! Fletcher's cross is met at the back post by Wayne Rooney and his header loops off the back of Bacary Sagna's head and is clawed away by Manuel Almunia.
- - Arsenal: 1-Manuel Almunia; 3-Bacary Sagna, 5-Kolo Toure, 18-Mikael Silvestre, 40-Kieran Gibbs; 2-Abou Diaby, 17-Alex
Song; 14-Theo Walcott, 4-Cesc Fabregas, 8-Samir Nasri; 25-Emmanuel Adebayor.
- - Manchester United: 1-Edwin van der Sar; 22-John O'Shea, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 15-Nemanja Vidic, 3-Patrice Evra; 24-Darren
Fletcher, 16-Michael Carrick, 8-Anderson; 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 32-Carlos Tevez, 10-Wayne Rooney.
Live Team Line-Up
- Referee: Claus Bo Larsen
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Manchester UnitedManager: Alex Ferguson
Captain: Ryan Giggs
Starting line-up
- E. van der Sar
- J. O'Shea
- R. Ferdinand
- N. Vidic
- P. Evra
- M. Carrick
- D. Fletcher
- O. Anderson
- C. Ronaldo
- C. Tevez
- W. Rooney
Subs
- P. Scholes
- R. Giggs
67′ - D. Berbatov 67′
- J. Park
- B. Foster
- J. Evans 87′
- R. Da Silva
Injured
- G. Neville
- O. Hargreaves
Suspended
None
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ArsenalManager: Arsene Wenger
Captain: Cesc Fabregas
Starting line-up
- M. Almunia
- B. Sagna
- K. Toure
- M. Silvestre
- K. Gibbs
- T. Walcott
- A. Diaby
- A. Song
- S. Nasri
- C. Fabregas
- E. Adebayor
Subs
- J. Djourou
- E. Eboue
- N. Bendtner 71′
- .. Denilson
- L. Fabianski
- D. Eduardo 82′
- A. Ramsey
Injured
- T. Rosicky
- W. Gallas
- G. Clichy
- R. van Persie
Suspended
- A. Arshavin
The next season is going to be a cracking season for football. With the new promotions this should
be an interesting time.
MANCHESTER UNITED IS GOING TO WIN ANOTHER BACK 2 BACK THIS SEASON BELIEVE IT NOT
up utd 4 lyf man u is going 2 do it again by carrying d trioph back 2 back like they did last season, cos we are on top of the premier league table & one leg in the champions league finals & one leg out so brothers be u not afraid 4 jaa is with us OOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE EEE.
United could have won at least by 3 goals..=)) but they will play in the final..=))=))
MAN U WILL WIN IN THE SECEND MACH
man utd are the best team in the world
glory glory man utd........................where is our great ji sung park....we need him
Ji Sung
Where is Ji Sung Park??????????????????????????????????????????
He is better than old Giggs.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He does him best every game....
Every MU players respect him...........
BUT WHY???
I want to see Ji Sung Park!!!!
I can't understand Alex Ferguson!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheer UP Ji Sung Park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gibbs plsys a big part of arsenals defens, lukly sagna was back, we neeeed aaaaaarrrrrrrssssssssaaaavvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnn nnnnnnnnnnnn
manchester united create a great sense of occasion,they are a joy to watch,the tactical nousse of fergie,especially when substitutes are made,is awesome,the expectations of the crowd are uplifted,my god! hes sending on so and so,get my meaning,and then even in the dying minutes one can expect a goal from the most unlikely player,of which anyone of them can create.the premiership is packed with first class players and clubs,to win this must be the greatest accolade for any club,and with the title comes the respect."what a fabulous club,and fabulous team,all headed by a charismatic and respected leader.Sir Alex Ferguson."!!!!!!
Best Midfielder Of The World Cesc If U Cn't Blieve My Speak Watch Arsenal And Cesc,
Cesc Every Match He Want To Do More Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood And Say Cesc 4 ever And Gunners 4 ever¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨'''''''' ;''''''''''' ;''''''''''' ;''''''''''' ;''''''''I AM A REAL GUNNERS AND I WAS VERY GLAD WITH WHAT HAPPENED,SINCE I KNOW THAT MAN U ARE COMING TO EMIRATE TO EXPERIENCE 3 : 1 AGAINST THEM. "RONALDO SHOULD QUOTE ME ANYWHERE" 4RM: HAY-WHY ALUTA.
haha
people cant take it dat man utd r in da drivin seat of dis semi
especially u muva f.u.k.i.n.g scouses
red devil 4 lifeGLORY GLORY MANUNITED GLORY GLORY MANUNITED GLORY GLORY MANUNITED THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD
man u should lose that match
GLORY MAN UTD GLORY GLORY GLORY
THEY ARE A GREAT TEAM LET'S FACE ITGo, Arsenal are a good team. They are not toddlers; Lehmann is gone because he is getting older and more awful. Didn't you see him in the Euro 2008??
(bravo),manchester the best of the world
How can people moan about Chelsea "parking the bus" in front of goal at least they created a couple of chances!! Arsenal boring negative, defensive, disgrace to football
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