|
Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.
A 2-2 draw with FC Porto on Tuesday night will see
Manchester United have an uphill struggle if they are to
progress into the semi-finals of the Champions League
after throwing away a 2-1 lead in the dying stages of the
game.
After mistake by Evans within the 1st 5 minutes gifting Rodriguez
an early lead, United then replied when Wayne Rooney
gleefully collected & slotted home an awful back pass by
Bruno Alves.
Later with 5 mins left Carlos Tevez looked to have
given United the edge to take to Portugal, but more poor
defending contributed to the Reds as Porto substitute Mariano Gonzalez
was left unmarked.
Porto began straight into United when
Lisandro forced EVDS into a save after
slack closing down from Jonny Evans.
With Ronaldo again "not being arsed" to atone for his loss
of possession the Portuguese winger was guilty
pressurizing his team as Porto again threatened, as
Lisandro crossed, Jonny Evans made a poor clearance which Rodriguez
gathered & selling him a kipper, Evans looked like an
amateur as Rodriguez gained a step ahead of Evans before
hitting a shot into
the bottom corner, sending Old Trafford into shock.
United responded when Ronaldo met a JOS cross from the
right, but Helton saved well.
United found themselves back in the game on 15 minutes
when the mother of all mistakes was perpetrated by Porto's
Bruno Alves as the defender without even looking, passed
back to his goalkeeper exactly as Wayne Rooney had
anticipated as the United striker slotted past Helton in
the Porto goal.
Rodriguez was first to react to a deflected cross in the
penalty area as his powerful header went straight into the
arms of EVDS as more attempts came United's way when after
losing possession Patrice Evra saw his careless play
almost punished as Porto went close again with
Lisandro just missing a teasing cross.
With Rodriguez almost being given the key to the Old
Trafford pitch, United failed to pick up the Uruguayan
Porto forward again as he met a cross for a header
unmarked giving EVDS more work.
With United still not clicking into gear & looking like an
away team, the Reds looked disjointed and created little
in the way of Goalscoring opportunity & combined with
crazy squandering of possession JOS almost was punished
but the Hulk's tame shot went wide of EVDS goal after a
deflection from Evans.
Darren Fletcher briefly flickered into life when Cissokho
blocked his shot but the trio of Lisandro, Hulk and Rodriguez
looked impressive as United looked second best.
IN the second half United improved as Rooney almost scored
when he spotted Helton off his line with a brilliant chip,
United continued to threaten when a
Ryan Giggs corner was met by Nemanja Vidic as the Serb
headed at Helton who saved well.
Still a threat Porto's Lisandro
and Cissokho forced EVDS into saves as the Dutchman kept
his team in the game.
United survived
a forbidding moment when Carlos Tevez could have easily
have given away a penalty after a strikers tackle on the Hulk
flattened the Porto forward, but the referee waved play
on.
Involved in
almost everything since his introduction as a sub Tevez
"right place right time" with 5 minutes to go latched onto
a Wayne Rooney flick & blasted a shot high into the roof
of the net giving UNited the advantage, but only for 5
minutes.
Still
celebrating Old Trafford soon were on the Rollercoaster
ride of emotions as left unmarked on the back post Lisandro's
cross was met by Mariano who beat EVDS leaving United with
it all to do.
"
What's your
opinion?.....HAVE YOU'RE SAY BELOW |
Rooney (15 mins),
