Having plunged into the history of the confrontations between Manchester United and Milan, Sir Alex Ferguson and Signor Carlo Ancelotti, English and Italian clubs before the match, it was quite possible to get lost and not steer to Old Trafford by the time the game started, and then regret it all remaining life. Statistics, in general, spoke for the guests - in recent years, Rossoneri more often than an opponent reached European cup heights and, if it was possible, in this aspiration they stepped over Manchester United. The last time this happened two years ago, and the lineups have changed little since then. Young Mankunians during this time got stronger and matured, while Milan continued to accumulate wisdom and the average age of the foundation, balancing with varying success between comparisons that were worn down to holes with either a withering flower or a wine gaining value.
However, the main theme of the many previews was not the past, but the present. The United problems with defense in details reached, perhaps, even the Tibetan hermits. The trio of the main defenders of Neville - Vidic - Ferdinand, taking with them Sylvester and Katcart, firmly settled in the hospital. Evra still entered the field, although before the match he practically did not train, and took the usual place on the left. There was nothing more habitual in protecting the hosts - Brown and Heinze made up a valid couple in the center, and O'Shea was sent to the right flank. Fletcher reappeared in the middle line to strengthen the unreliable defensive structure, and the attacking functions were divided among themselves by Giggs, Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Smith and Sulscher remained in reserve to create at least the illusion of the possibility of personnel maneuvers - injuries made the composition of the hosts practically uncontested.
Under these conditions, Manchester United, armed with Ferguson’s adapted version of the Suvorov principle “the best defense is attack”, went ahead from the first minutes and instantly achieved his goal. Cristiano Ronaldo managed to surprise the guests, winning the horse fight after a corner. The ball hit Dida and, as if teasing, flew into the goal with a parachute, allowing the goalkeeper to touch himself beforehand again.
Milan began the match cautiously, looking around as if seriously afraid to meet the ghost of the torn Roma at Old Trafford. Carrick did indeed soon dangerously hit the goal, but this time Dida was in the way. The first quarter of the game hour was left to the hosts, whose usual Ronaldo soloed. Guests woke up a minute to the 20th, remembering the plan for the game.
The Italians, unlike Manchester United, had no problems before the match. Unless the appearance of the main goalkeeper Dida was in question, and then more for the press and fans than for Ancelotti. There was a feeling that “Milan” had been purposefully going to this meeting all season — the roster had stabilized, the leaders had taken shape, and talk of a coaching resignation had subsided. After the New Year’s jerk in Serie A, the Rossoneri secured their place in the future Champions League and focused on the present with a calm heart. In anticipation of the semi-finals, three quarters of the base at the weekend rested. Among the anticipators again was the only forward Gilardino and five midfielders for every taste, designed to provide Milan with a strategic advantage in midfield - both defensive and offensive.
First of all, the visitors midfield provided control over the ball. Having calmed the game, the Italians calmed down themselves and forgot about the ghosts. And having forgotten - they scored. Over the years, Seedorf’s wise pass, Kaka picks up the ball, slips between Brown and Heinze and rolls the ball into the far corner. AC Milan are not far behind Manchester United and are also using their first chance in the match.
However, the opponents went further apart. “Rossoneri” did not repeat the mistakes of others and continued to act in the same way as before the goal. Ancelotti even before the match spoke about the vital need to control the ball, and now it has come to his wards. Better late than never. It became even better when Milan scored the second. All the same, Kaka took full advantage of the expected inconsistencies in the home defense, pushed Heinze with Evra, and he calmly sent the ball into the goal. At the beginning of the meeting, everyone forgot about the exploits of Ronaldo - until the end of the inning, a Brazilian solo sounded. He could have scored a third time, taking advantage of another O'Shibka of Manchester defense, but that would have been too much.
1: 2 after the first half, drizzling rain and the whistle of the stands made a very dull picture for Manchester United. After the break, the hosts immediately tried to add cheerful colors to the match canvas. And Milan almost helped them in this. After filing a corner, the Italians defenders right in front of their own goal allowed Michael Carrick to feel like Robinson Crusoe. The midfielder was confused and did not accept the gift, breaking past.
Five minutes later, the teams switched roles - United made a present, and Milan refused it. Kaka missed another chance to get a hat-trick and a lot to clarify in this confrontation - with a 1: 3 exit luggage, Manchester’s chances weren’t in any way quoted.
And then another twist occurred in the game, this time the final one. He was preceded by three important events - two forced Italian replacements (Maldini and Gattuso left the field) and the English advance of Paul Scholes. And again, the goal was the first sign of change. The stylish attack of Manchester United reached the approaches to the penalty area, where Scholes gave her decisive acceleration. The red-haired midfielder, having quickly made a scoop, threw the ball on Rooney, and the score was even. It was the 59th minute of the meeting.
Since then, Manchester United has not given up initiative. In fact, in the last half hour there was no chance to score against AC Milan - they just missed it. Inspired by the revived Old Trafford, the Mancunians finally forgot about their protective dysfunction and began to play liberally. Scholes, who left Fletcher and Carrick to clean up the attacking flaws, at the most important moment assumed leadership functions. Ronaldo and Giggs began to play strictly on the flanks (with the Welshman on the right and the Portuguese on the left), creating the width of the offensive, and the supporting midfielders managed to support the attacks at a second pace. The hosts for the first time in the match completely took possession of the ball and began to create moments. Giggs hit twice with free kicks, Fletcher, O'Shea, Rooney and Ronaldo - from the game. “Milan” fought back and counted the minutes until the end of the match. And when the Italians seemed to stand, “Manchester United” still scored. Ryan Giggs already in compensated time intercepted the ball in his half of the field, dragged it to the middle of a stranger and threw Rooney into the breakthrough. The forward, without thinking twice, powerfully struck into the near corner, and Dida could not cope. Old Trafford, having survived a very wide range of feelings during these two hours, rejoiced.
In the end - 3: 2. Having given the best footballers of the world, Ronaldo and Kaka, a whole hour to show off, the fate of the match was decided by Rooney and Manchester veterans - Scholes and Giggs. The fate of the match, but not confrontation. The alignment before the Milan meeting seems quite classic to it - Italians need almost any victory, Manchester United - anything but her. So, there will be new plot twists, new ghosts and mistakes, solos, exploits and colors. And only one will take all this with him to Athens.
MANCHESTER UNITED - MILAN - 3: 2 (1: 2)
Goals: 1: 0 - Cristiano Ronaldo (5), 1: 1 - Kaka (22), 1: 2 - Kaka (37), 2: 2 - Rooney (59), 3: 2 - Rooney (90 + 1).
MANCHESTER UNITED : van Der Sar, Evra, Heinze, Brown, O'Shea, Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney.
MILAN : Dida, Maldini (Bonera, 46), Nesta, Yankulovsky, Oddo, Gattuso (Brocci, 53), Ambrosini, Seedorf, Pirlo, Kaka, Gilardino (Gurkuff, 84).
Warnings : Evra (22), Giggs (62), Kaka (62), Bonera (74).
April 24th . Manchester. Old Trafford.
Judge : C. Vassaras (Greece).