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Article by Mark
Graham, Stats Nerd
Manchester United 1 v 0 AS Roma,
Old Trafford,
19.45pm, Wednesday 9th April
2008.
Goals:
Manchester United: Tevez (70) - AS Roma:
n/a.
Attendance: 74,423
As Clive Tyldesley once said "Full Speed Ahead Barcelona"
in his commentary after United knocked an Italian team out
of the Champions League in 1999, the ITV commentator may
well have had cause to say it again after United eerily
matched the famous 99 European Cup run in dispatching of
an Italian side on Route to the Nou Camp.
As we are all well aware, the Reds of 1998/99 were one
step ahead of our current crop going to the Nou Camp as
Finalist and now almost ten years on, the new generation
of 2008 find only FC Barcelona standing in our way.
A solitary Carlos Tevez goal saw victory for United as
they comfortably progressed to the Semi Final stages as
Roma were held off as United looked a better defensive
side with Pique & Ferdinand in the centre of defence as an
alternative to Middlesbrough last Sunday.
SAF opted for Hargreaves, Carrick & Anderson in the
midfield which was full of industry & bustle working
extremely hard forcing Roma into a at times passive game,
making life difficult for the Romans to get back into the
Quarter Final tie.
Mikael Silvestre returned to action as did Gary Neville on
night as SAF allowed Ronaldo & Scholes total rest with
Rooney appearing late, all with a few to be unleashed on
Arsenal on Sunday.
The tie could
have taken a strange twist on the half hour as Wes Brown
wrongly so had be ajudged to have fouled Mancini in
United's penalty area, despite TV Replays clearly showing
an Olympic Diving point Award of 9.9 on the Roma forwards
behalf.
Daniele de Rossi who scored a fine goal at Old Trafford in
the 7-1 mauling had a chance to make it two against United
& potentiality give all United fans concerned a
uncomfortable night, however, so poor was de Rossi's
penalty that is rumoured to be catching up in Space with
Chris Waddle's & Stuart Pearce's efforts in past England
International penalty shoot out exits.
EVDS was tested
from distance but easily saved from Mirko Vucinic but the
home side had a flurry of chances at the East Stand end as
Doni made key saves from Ryan Giggs and Owen Hargreaves as
United threatened to take the lead.
Park saw a effort go wide & a Wes Brown header from a
corner went over the bar but United couldn't find the
breakthrough.
Vucinic again threatened for the visitors as EVDS saved,
United then went close again with Owen Hargreaves on the
right crossing like David Beckham as Doni again saved from
Giggs & later Anderson.
Roma in the second period had their best spell of the game
as Substitute Marco Cassetti almost gathered a rebound,
Rodrigo Taddei had an effort blocked from Silvestre
& the returning Juan forced EVDS into a save.
Like the Yorke & Beckham combination diving header of 99
against Inter at Old Trafford , the winning goal on this
night was oh so similar as Hargreaves delivered a
admirable cross which Tevez with a diving header converted
for the winner at the same time showing his message to one
of his Children in Argentina wishing them a Happy
Birthday!!
With the game in effect in the bag for United, a certain
Gary Neville came on for the last ten minutes to play his
532nd competitive game in United colours to rapturous
applause
This gave United fans a genuine boost with the recent
injury worries beginning to lighten.
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