It is official. There would be an all-English final in the Champions League for the first time in history. Manchester United is the first team to book ticket to Moscow and awaits either Liverpool or Chelsea. Last night the Red Devils defeated Barcelona by a solitary goal at Old Trafford. An intense affair between the two sides was settled by a Paul Scholes’ strike in the fourteenth minute.
The visitors were bright throughout the match and dominated possession for long periods. Ultimately it was the lack of firepower in the front of United’s goal that cost them the match. Man United started off without Rooney and Vidic, while Barca started with Henry on the bench. Barca came close to winning a penalty within few minutes from the start as Scholes tripped Messi just outside the box. Luckily German referee Herbert Fandel got the big call right and gave a free-kick. It was Paul Scholes who eased nerves and scored with a spectacular 25-yard effort on the fourteenth minute. Zambrotta’s clearance fell invitingly and Scholes drilled his swerving shot past Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes. Thereafter first half produced chances for either side as Messi tested van der Sar and later Deco shot just wide. United, too, had chances for Park and Nani.
Barcelona dominated second half with possession, but it was United again who saw more clear-cut chances. Iniesta made way for Thierry Henry on the stroke of hour and the Frenchman tested Manchester’s goalie with a tame shot first and a point blank header later. United held nerve and defended in numbers, trying to hit Catalonians on the break. United introduced Giggs and Fletcher for Nani and Scholes with 13 minutes left on the clock. Barcelona waged attacks on United’s goal but all was to no avail as Brown and Ferdinand returned stellar performances. In the end Scholes’ goal was enough to see United move into Moscow’s final on 21st May.
Comments
With Chelsea also through to the finals, it would make up for one of the greatest UEFA Champions League Final of all time. A majority of English Soccer fans have lived to see this happen and they won’t mind shelling the dough to fly to Russia and watch the two greatest enemies from the English soil come with their daggers out at each other. Me being an ardent red devil lover would like to see Christiano Ronaldo getting one past the blues goal and seal what could be the one of the greatest Man U victories of all time.
With an all English Final and hundreds, nay thousands, of English fans set to travel to Moscow, crazy scenes are a surety in Moscow’s streets.
IPL has certainly obscured the soccer world.But this first of its kind final would certainly inspire many to turn to soccer.