Wayne Rooney’s Goal For Manchester United Beats AS Roma 1-0
One goal was enough for Manchester United to collect all 3 points against AS Roma, as The Red Devils hosted the Italian side at historical Old Trafford for a UEFA Champions League group stage match.
Almost 80,000 Manchester United fans were at Old Trafford to cheer on The Red Devils to make a repeat romp of AS Roma. The last time the two met at Old Trafford, Roma had been destroyed 7-1. Roma’s performance hasn’t been in top form either, losing 4-1 at home against Inter Milan in a regular season Italian Serie A match.
Manchester United started out a bit too relazed, and while they showed lots of attacking event, somehow they lacked the bit of spark to finish. Shots came at a premium throughout most of the first half with the goalkeepers being tested only with long-distance shots. Roma’s Francesco Totti didn’t threatenfrom long range against Manchester United’s stand-in goalkepper Thomasz Kuszczak.
Manchester United started with Louis Saha, who hasn’t started a game since February tried to make plays for United up front, but Roma defender Daniele de Rossi thwarted any chances.
The second half picked up a much faster face with both sides closing in on goal. AS Roma spurned their best chance when Ludovic Giuly set up Francesco Totti, who blazed over the advancing Kuszczak from close range five minutes after the restart. Roma’s Alberto Aquilani also threatened the Manchester United goal moments later when he fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box as the Italians sensed a goal was possible.
Manchester United were still struggling to get sufficient men forward. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney produced a bright moment when he cut inside the left side of the Roma defence before unleashing a powerful low shot which Roma goalkeeper Curci pushed away for a corner. Manchester coach Sir Alex Ferguson put in Carlos Tevez to replace the tiring Louis Saha.
Cristiano Ronaldo should’ve made it 1-0 for Manchester United, but was flagged for offsides.
Eventually, it was Wayne Rooney who clinched the victory for Manchester United 20 minutes from time with an exquisite finish to raise the roof off Old Trafford. Michael Carrick found Nani who played the ball through to Rooney who turned outside and found the net off the inside of the far post with a crisp 15-yard shot to put ManU ahead 1-0. The goal was Wayne Rooney’s first of the season for Manchester United.
United substitute CarlosTevez almost made it 2-0 with a sizzling 22-yard effort, but Curi made no mistakes in making the save. United keeper Tomasz Kuszczak did well at the other end to collect a well-struck effort from Roma’s Simone Perrotta. Roma should have levelled three minutes from time when Totti played the ball back for Mauro Esposito, who carelessly blazed wide from 10 yards with United stretched at the back.
“Luck happens in football, no question about that. I think we got a break in the last 15 minutes of the match when they started to risk a bit,” said Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson after the match.
Meanwhile, Roma coach Luciano Spalletti lamented, “Really this is a match where my players shouldn’t be on the beaten side.”
Well, AS Roma will have their chance to prove their worth against Manchester United when ManU visits the Stadio Olimpico on December 2007 for the last matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stages.
Meanwhile, Matchday 3 Group F fixtures for the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League will have AS Roma hosting Sporting Lisbon on October 23, 2007, and Dynamo Kyiv hosting Manchester United. So far, Manchester United lead Group F with a perfect 6 points.
To bet on AS Roma vs. Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United vs. Dynamo Kyiv and other matches of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, click here.
