carlyluvsunited
02-04-2008, 06:07 AM
CRISTIANO Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were on target as Manchester United
clinically beat AS Roma 2-0 in Rome today in the first leg of their Champions
League quarter-final.
And an early goal from teenager Bojan Krkic gave Barcelona a 1-0 win over
Schalke 04 in their first leg in Gelsenkirchen.
Krkic, 17 and six months, is the youngest scorer in Champions League history.
United showed they could still dominate the Italians following last season's 8-3
aggregate triumph at the same stage of the competition with a stylish and clinical
display.
Ronaldo played down his goal simply saying his 36th of the season was `a good
header' and preferred to comment on the team's overall performance.
"That was a very good performance in what was a top game,'' he said.
"We created a few chances and scored twice and we deserved the victory.
"The defence were terrific and they played their part. It was a good job overall
but we must remember the Champions League is a different style to the
Premiership.''
But for the first 15 minutes of the second period, Roma, who were missing
talisman Francesco Totti, never looked capable of challenging the Red Devils.
United enjoyed a lot of the ball in the first period as Roma sat back, seemingly
intent on not giving anything away.
But on 12 minutes, the visitors opened up the Roma defence but after Park Ji
-Sung took the ball down on his chest he was crowded out.
Christian Panucci headed just over the bar from a David Pizarro corner and Mirko
Vucinic also shot over as he was falling backwards after Rio Ferdinand had
slipped.
United then suffered a blow as Nemanja Vidic was stretchered off with a leg
injury, to be replaced by John O'Shea.
Chances were few and far between but on 39 minutes United produced a move of
majestic quality, switching the ball around the edge of the Roma box and
transferring it from left to right before Paul Scholes crossed for Ronaldo to come
steaming in like a train to out jump Marco Cassetti and thump home a header.
Just three minutes later Roma had their best chance of the opening half after a
mistake from Ferdinand but Vucinic dragged his shot from the left just beyond the
far upright.
Roma came out after the break looking like a team that knew they needed to get
something from this game to stand any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.
Vucinic played in Max Tonetto but he lashed his shot wide of the near post, failing
even to force Edwin van der Sar into making a save.
From a quick throw Panucci had great chance but skied his volley from six yards.
Substitute Ludovic Giuly then got behind the United defence but Van der Sar cut
out his cross.
And the big Dutch keeper made a stunning one-handed save on 62 minutes from
a Vucinic header to keep the scores level.
Four minutes later, United scored a crucial second as Park headed a deep cross
from Wes Brown back across goal and Rooney mopped up the loose ball after
goalkeeper Doni and Panucci impeded each other.
United started to open up a desperate Roma at will and the travelling supporters
started entertaining themselves by chanting `we want seven' in reference to last
season's 7-1 thrashing of Roma at Old Trafford.
"We can't take anything for granted, but we definitely feel like we can reach the
semi-finals,'' United manager Alex Ferguson said.
"Ronaldo's goal changed the game for us. I thought Roma had some good
chances the first 15 minutes of the second half.
"But there are breaks in a football match and I think they were with us today.''
Roma played without injured captain Francesco Totti, who was replaced by Mirko
Vucinic. Park was playing in the place of United midfielder Ryan Giggs.
"We deserved more. The result penalised us more than the way the game went,'' Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said.
"Now qualifying will be very difficult, but we can't commit the error of thinking it's already over.''
Barcelona remain unbeaten in the Champions League this season after their success in Gelsenkirchen.
Krkic, 17, put Barca ahead in the 12th minute in a closed AufSchalke Arena.
Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer saved a shot from Thierry Henry, but the Frenchman got the ball back and rolled it across goal to Krkic, who scored from close range.
"We played well on the flanks, we won the ball, we controlled most of the game,''
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said.
"Bojan (Krkic) made all the right decisions on the field and behaved like an
experienced player.''
Schalke was playing in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time, and
looked overmatched at times, even though Barcelona was playing without Lionel
Messi, Ronaldinho and Deco.
"We should have put them under more pressure from the start,'' Schalke coach
Mirko Slomka said.
"It's not going to be easy in Barcelona but we wouldn't be going there if we didn't
have any hope.''
Tomorrow, Arsenal host five-time champion Liverpool and Fenerbahce host
Chelsea. Their second legs are set for next Tuesday.
Despite having four teams in the quarter-finals, only three English clubs can
possibly advance to the semi-finals because Arsenal are playing Liverpool.
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discuss all breaking news on all things United !!! Come talk to us….
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clinically beat AS Roma 2-0 in Rome today in the first leg of their Champions
League quarter-final.
And an early goal from teenager Bojan Krkic gave Barcelona a 1-0 win over
Schalke 04 in their first leg in Gelsenkirchen.
Krkic, 17 and six months, is the youngest scorer in Champions League history.
United showed they could still dominate the Italians following last season's 8-3
aggregate triumph at the same stage of the competition with a stylish and clinical
display.
Ronaldo played down his goal simply saying his 36th of the season was `a good
header' and preferred to comment on the team's overall performance.
"That was a very good performance in what was a top game,'' he said.
"We created a few chances and scored twice and we deserved the victory.
"The defence were terrific and they played their part. It was a good job overall
but we must remember the Champions League is a different style to the
Premiership.''
But for the first 15 minutes of the second period, Roma, who were missing
talisman Francesco Totti, never looked capable of challenging the Red Devils.
United enjoyed a lot of the ball in the first period as Roma sat back, seemingly
intent on not giving anything away.
But on 12 minutes, the visitors opened up the Roma defence but after Park Ji
-Sung took the ball down on his chest he was crowded out.
Christian Panucci headed just over the bar from a David Pizarro corner and Mirko
Vucinic also shot over as he was falling backwards after Rio Ferdinand had
slipped.
United then suffered a blow as Nemanja Vidic was stretchered off with a leg
injury, to be replaced by John O'Shea.
Chances were few and far between but on 39 minutes United produced a move of
majestic quality, switching the ball around the edge of the Roma box and
transferring it from left to right before Paul Scholes crossed for Ronaldo to come
steaming in like a train to out jump Marco Cassetti and thump home a header.
Just three minutes later Roma had their best chance of the opening half after a
mistake from Ferdinand but Vucinic dragged his shot from the left just beyond the
far upright.
Roma came out after the break looking like a team that knew they needed to get
something from this game to stand any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.
Vucinic played in Max Tonetto but he lashed his shot wide of the near post, failing
even to force Edwin van der Sar into making a save.
From a quick throw Panucci had great chance but skied his volley from six yards.
Substitute Ludovic Giuly then got behind the United defence but Van der Sar cut
out his cross.
And the big Dutch keeper made a stunning one-handed save on 62 minutes from
a Vucinic header to keep the scores level.
Four minutes later, United scored a crucial second as Park headed a deep cross
from Wes Brown back across goal and Rooney mopped up the loose ball after
goalkeeper Doni and Panucci impeded each other.
United started to open up a desperate Roma at will and the travelling supporters
started entertaining themselves by chanting `we want seven' in reference to last
season's 7-1 thrashing of Roma at Old Trafford.
"We can't take anything for granted, but we definitely feel like we can reach the
semi-finals,'' United manager Alex Ferguson said.
"Ronaldo's goal changed the game for us. I thought Roma had some good
chances the first 15 minutes of the second half.
"But there are breaks in a football match and I think they were with us today.''
Roma played without injured captain Francesco Totti, who was replaced by Mirko
Vucinic. Park was playing in the place of United midfielder Ryan Giggs.
"We deserved more. The result penalised us more than the way the game went,'' Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said.
"Now qualifying will be very difficult, but we can't commit the error of thinking it's already over.''
Barcelona remain unbeaten in the Champions League this season after their success in Gelsenkirchen.
Krkic, 17, put Barca ahead in the 12th minute in a closed AufSchalke Arena.
Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer saved a shot from Thierry Henry, but the Frenchman got the ball back and rolled it across goal to Krkic, who scored from close range.
"We played well on the flanks, we won the ball, we controlled most of the game,''
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said.
"Bojan (Krkic) made all the right decisions on the field and behaved like an
experienced player.''
Schalke was playing in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time, and
looked overmatched at times, even though Barcelona was playing without Lionel
Messi, Ronaldinho and Deco.
"We should have put them under more pressure from the start,'' Schalke coach
Mirko Slomka said.
"It's not going to be easy in Barcelona but we wouldn't be going there if we didn't
have any hope.''
Tomorrow, Arsenal host five-time champion Liverpool and Fenerbahce host
Chelsea. Their second legs are set for next Tuesday.
Despite having four teams in the quarter-finals, only three English clubs can
possibly advance to the semi-finals because Arsenal are playing Liverpool.
Click below to join manutdtalk.com forums to read and
discuss all breaking news on all things United !!! Come talk to us….
http://manutdtalk.com/forums/register.php