MU 0-1 Portsmouth FA Cup 08.03.08 | Match Report
March 9, 2008
Sulley Muntari entered Portsmouth folklore by securing a 1-0 victory at Manchester United and a place in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.
Pompey only had Niko Kranjcar’s 16th-minute shot to show for after 75 minutes, while United had been denied a penalty for an early foul on Cristiano Ronaldo, wasted a host of chances, hit the woodwork and found David James in unbeatable form.
But the real drama came 15 minutes from time, when substitute Milan Baros rounded goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak - who came on for the injured Edwin van der Sar at half-time - before being fouled by the Polish stopper.
Referee Martin Atkinson, who denied the Red Devils a penalty on seven minutes when Sylvain Distin shoulder-barged Ronaldo, pointed to the spot this time around, and Muntari kept his cool to slot a spot-kick past stand-in keeper Rio Ferdinand.
Video MU 1-0 Lyon | Champions League | 04.03.08
March 5, 2008
Man Utd : Cristiano Ronaldo 41′
Manchester United 1-0 Lyon 04.03.08 | Match Report
March 5, 2008
Cristiano Ronaldo once again proved his worth by grabbing the winner against Lyon as Manchester United set another UEFA Champions League milestone.
The winger steered the Old Trafford club to a tenth straight home win in the competition, equalling Serie A outfit Juventus’ record set eleven years ago.
Ronaldo struck shortly before half-time to break Lyon’s resistance and secure the Red Devils’ place in the quarter-finals.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were highly motivated from the off and Patrice Evra let his enthusiasm get the better of him when he picked up a booking on four minutes for a rash challenge on wonderkid Karim Benzema.
United made a swift break in the tenth minute and there was a buzz of anticipation around the ground as Ronaldo collected the ball in midfield. The Portugal winger cut inside only to see his effort blocked by the impressive Cris.
Anderson then looked to play Evra in behind the defence, only for Francois Clerc to read the situation well and clear the danger.
Benzema then created an opening at the other end, but his shot from 25 yards out flew harmlessly over the top of the bar.
Ronaldo weighed up a free-kick but scuffed his effort. The ball broke to Wayne Rooney but he too failed to find the target from inside the penalty area.
Clerc then broke down the wing and whipped in a cross from the right after 27 minutes, but Edwin van der Sar was on hand to take cleanly.
Two minutes later the Dutch goalkeeper had to look alert to parry Kim Kallstrom’s rasping effort as the French visitors suddenly stepped up the pace.
Lyon were beginning to knock the ball around and the home fans were getting anxious as their side had failed to take the opportunities handed to them.
Evra then latched on to a good through ball from the lively Ronaldo and delivered a cross into the box. Goalkeeper Gregory Coupet got there ahead of Darren Fletcher only to be clattered by the Scottish midfielder and earn a free-kick.
United made the breakthrough to go 2-1 ahead on aggregate thanks to Ronaldo’s 30th goal of the season in all competitions.
Nani started the move and sent Wes Brown clear on the right. He found Anderson, whose effort was blocked. The ball then broke to Ronaldo, who beat Coupet at the near post.
Lyon were anxious to get back in the game and a minute later Juninho tried his luck from distance but failed to test van der Sar.
Juninho has carved out a reputation as something of a dead-ball specialist and he was not afraid to try his luck from all of 30 yards in the 58th minute.
But he was left frustrated as Ronaldo showed his defensive side by heading the free-kick away from the danger zone.
Lyon, however, launched a swift counter-attack in the 66th minute with United almost paying for their carelessness.
Benzema got away and released Clerc but the move broke down when he delivered a weak cross.
Ferguson then brought on Carlos Tevez for Anderson in the 71st minute in a bid to extend their lead.
Rooney tried to release the Argentine striker with a cross only to see it blocked before Lyon almost grabbed the equaliser.
Substitute Kader Keita showed good pace in the 74th minute but saw his shot come back off the post in unlucky circumstances.
United hit back and Rooney should have scored following a poor back pass from Hatem Ben Arfa only for Coupet to block his chip in expert fashion.
Rooney was again out of luck in the 87th minute with Lyon stretched as they went in search of the equaliser, but the result was secured by this point and United marched on to seal a quarter-final berth.
Video Fulham 0-3 Manchester United | 01.03.08
March 2, 2008
Hargreaves 15′
Park 44′
Davies 72′(og)
Paul Scholes causing problems again and lifting a majestic ball over the defence onto the head of Park who rose well to head the ball home confidently - There’s daylight between the sides now :
An incisive run from Park down the right and he lays it inside to O’Shea who drives it across the box but the ball ricochets in off Simon Davies past Antti Niemi :
Fulham 0-3 Manchester United 01.03.08 | Match Report
March 2, 2008
Manchester United moved to within a point of the Premier League summit after cruising to a 3-0 win over struggling Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Edwin van der Sar pulled off a smart save to keep out Danny Murphy’s 25-yard volley early on but United went ahead in the 15th minute when Owen Hargreaves placed a 20-yard free-kick perfectly over the wall and inside the post.
Murphy headed Jimmy Bullard’s free-kick straight at Van der Sar in the 33rd minute and the hosts were made to pay for that miss a minute before half-time when Park Ji-Sung headed in following a good move involving Carlos Tevez, Nani and Paul Scholes.
The Red Devils dropped the pace after the break but they introduced dynamic duo Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo with 20 minutes remaining and made it 3-0 in the 72nd minute when Simon Davies diverted John O’Shea’s cut-back into his own net.
