UEFA Champions League Dream Final Manchester United vs Barcelona

UEFA Champions League Final
Stadio Olimpico Rome
27th May 2009


Manchester United FC VS FC Barcelona









Road To Final :


Manchester United

Manchester United booked their place in the Champions League final thanks to two early goals against Arsenal at the Emirates which helped them to a 4-1 aggregate victory.

Ji-Sung Park's eighth minute opener and Cristiano Ronaldo's 11th-minute free kick put the tie almost beyond the home side in the opening few minutes, while Ronaldo's second just after the hour mark put things beyond doubt.

Robin Van Persie's late penalty gave the home side a consolation goal in a 3-1 scoreline on the night - but Darren Fletcher's red card in the spot kick incident took the shine off a superb night for United.

More info on the match HERE

Goal Highlights




Barcelona

Andres Iniesta's injury-time leveller sent 10-man Barcelona into the Champions League final after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Spain international struck a screamer in the 93rd minute to cancel out Michael Essien's equally, if not more, stunning early strike to win the tie on the away goals rule following last week's goalless stalemate at the Camp Nou.

Chelsea were left to reflect on what might have been, although initial reaction to defeat was one of anger after referee Tom Ovrebo denied the hosts several strong penalty appeals.

More info on the match HERE

Goal Highlights

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Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United

Manchester United crush Arsenal, reach Champions League final in Rome

Manchester United swept back into the Champions League final as the holders produced a stunning 3-1 win over Arsenal in their semi-final second leg.



















Alex Ferguson's side arrived at the Emirates Stadium holding only a slender 1-0 lead from last week's first leg, but United scored twice in the first 11 minutes to set up a 4-1 aggregate triumph that booked their place in the final against Chelsea or Barcelona, who meet in their decider Wednesday.

For once the normally subdued Emirates crowd were at fever pitch, but Ferguson had talked up United's intention to press for a crucial away goal and they were true to his word.

Goal Highlights

In the eighth minute, Anderson slipped a pass to Ronaldo down the left and the Portugal winger proved he had
adapted to his new role as a lone forward by finding space in the penalty area to whip in a low cross.

Even then Arsenal should have cleared the danger but Gibbs, a teenage midfielder pressed into service at left-back in the absence of Gael Clichy, slipped over and could only watch from a prone position as Park took a touch before guiding his shot past Almunia.

As Ferguson and his staff danced a jubilant jig you could feel the momentum draining from Arsenal. There was worse to come three minutes later.

When van Persie fouled Ronaldo way out on the right flank, there appeared little danger.

But Almunia had reckoned without Ronaldo's flair for the unexpected. Ronaldo had scored from 40 yards to beat Porto in the last round and, from a similar distance, he took aim and launched a thunderous strike towards Almunia, who appeared to lose sight of the ball as it flashed past him at the near post.

Wenger sat ashen-faced on the bench as Arsenal's proud record of 27 home European matches without defeat fell apart, and the match had barely begun.

United were rampant and it took a superb finger-tip save from Almunia to stop Wayne Rooney curling in a third goal.

The visitors continued to counter-attack imperiously after half-time and in the 61st minute Ronaldo capped a sublime break in clinical style.

He started the move with a backheel to Park, who cleverly spread play wide to Rooney on the left. Rooney's cross was perfectly weighted for Ronaldo to drive past Almunia.

Game over, and Ferguson could even afford the luxury of substituting Rooney and Patrice Evra to ensure the duo didn't earn a booking which would have ruled them out of the final - Fletcher was not to be so lucky.

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Manchester United Wins Carling Cup

Manchester United won the Carling Cup 4-1 on penalties against former holders Tottenham Hotspur after 120 goalless minutes at Wembley.

• Wembley photo gallery

Jamie O'Hara's spot-kick was saved by Ben Foster and David Bentley missed his, while all four United takers converted - Anderson's cool finish delivering the first part of a possible quadruple for Alex Ferguson's men.

United's delight proved there is still a place for the League Cup in an increasingly congested football calendar.

It may not have been the greatest game, or the most important prize, but football is above all about trophies and the two sides' contrasting emotions demonstrated the great divide between joy and despair that comes with the penalty shoot-out.

Fergie made good on his promise to stick with the players who helped United reach the final, as Danny Welbeck, Darron Gibson and Ben Foster all started.

On the hour mark, Carlos Tevez nearly broke the deadlock with an instinctive back flick from a wayward Jonny Evans shot, but sent the ball just wide.

Then controversy reigned as Ledley King appeared to foul Ronaldo in the Spurs box, but the Manchester United man was instead booked for diving.

If that was harsh on United, it perhaps offset Chris Foy's decision not to show John O'Shea a second yellow card for a clumsy, late foul on Luka Modric.

Then Lennon squandered Tottenham's best opportunity, collecting the ball on the right side of the box but seeing the impressive Foster push the ball to safety.

From that point, extra time looked a certainty until Ronaldo - with 20 seconds of stoppage time left - jinked inside from the right and hit a savage left-foot shot.

Wembley stood still, but the ball came back off the inside of the right-hand post and Nani sent the rebound wide.

The extra half-hour produced few moments of quality, with both sides sapped of energy. Only Bent's shot at Foster troubled either keeper and penalties duly followed.

Its shootout time and Ryan Giggs, Tevez, Ronaldo and Anderson all converted for United - Vedran Corluka was Tottenham's only successful taker.




















Ben Foster is the Man of The Match,saving spotkicks taken by Jamie O'Hara.

TEAM LINEUPS

• Manchester United

  Manager: Alex Ferguson

  Captain: Rio Ferdinand

  Starting line-up

  • B. Foster
  • J. O'Shea
  • J. Evans
  • R. Ferdinand
  • P. Evra
  • C. Ronaldo
  • P. Scholes
  • D. Gibson
  • .. Nani
  • D. Welbeck
  • C. Tevez

  Subs

  • R. Giggs 90′
  • T. Kuszczak
  • J. Park
  • N. Vidic 76′
  • O. Anderson 56′
  • R. Possebon
  • R. Eckersley

  Injured

  • O. Hargreaves

  
  

• Tottenham Hotspur

  Manager: Harry Redknapp

  Captain: Ledley King

  Starting line-up

  • H. Gomes
  • V. Corluka
  • M. Dawson
  • L. King
  • B. Assou-Ekotto
  • A. Lennon
  • D. Zokora
  • J. Jenas
  • L. Modric
  • D. Bent
  • R. Pavlyuchenko

  Subs

  • D. Bentley 102′
  • B. Alnwick
  • T. Huddlestone
  • J. O'Hara 65′
  • A. Taarabt
  • G. Bale 99′
  • C. Gunter

  Injured

  • J. Woodgate
  • J. Defoe
  • A. Hutton

Penalty Kick Takers

Manchester United

Ryan Giggs
Carlos Tevez
Cristiano Ronaldo
Anderson De Oliveira


Tottenham Hotspurs

Jamie O'Hara
Vedran Corluka
David Bentley

(Saved and Misses in Bold)

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