| Manchester United 4-3 Europe All-star | |
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| Mar 13, 2007 20:22 |   |
 | Manchester United 4-3 Europe All-star Thousands of schoolchildren present on an evening when Manchester United celebrated the 50th anniversary of their own entry into Europe - along with the somewhat more significant Treaty of Rome - and raised £1.25million for charity into the bargain, were still given a thrill to remember for the rest of their lives. Over the past month, notable Manchester United figures from past and present have queued up to confirm Cristiano Ronaldo's importance to the Red Devils' cause. And here, freed from the pressures and restrictions of competitive combat, the brilliant 22-year-old showed off the full range of his mesmerising skill. Showed off is the appropriate phrase too, given Ronaldo played to the gallery at every opportunity. Ferguson delighted after tribute match The dancing feet, never-ending stepovers, strong running, flicked passes. A true performer in every sense of the word. In the end, Marco Materazzi - the man Zinedine Zidane ended his career by headbutting in last summer's World Cup - lived out his own childhood dream, reverting to the tactics of the playground by hacking Ronaldo down by the touchline. The tackle was taken in good grace, and with a half smile, although Ronaldo had plenty to smile about by that stage, having rasped home a free-kick good enough to grace any of the great European nights the Theatre of Dreams has played host to down the years. Ronaldo's effort, teed up with Jonny Wilkinson-like precision, bent so many ways before rasping into the top corner that Valencia's Santiago Canizares, widely acknowledged as one of the best keepers in Europe, began by moving with it, then just gave up and watched it fly past him like the rest of the awe-struck 74,343 crowd - a record for a friendly game at the stadium. Even Beckham, sat in the directors' box alongside wife Victoria, devastated at not being able to play a more active part in his 'homecoming' must have appreciated it. |
| Mar 13, 2007 20:22 | #1 |
| To the type of reception normally associated with the Beatles, Beckham addressed the United fans at half-time, declaring Sir Alex Ferguson to be the 'best manager in the world' and his days at Old Trafford 'the best of my career'. Time moves on, though. Four years have passed since the former England skipper and lifelong United supporter graced this stadium on club duty. His contribution to the Red Devils' success will never be forgotten or underestimated but the club has new heroes now in Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Without a Champions League goal since September 2004, Rooney proved he can cut it against high-ranking opposition, albeit ones who do not tackle, by taking just five minutes to get his name on the scoresheet, a little shimmy taking Canizares out of the game as he tapped Paul Scholes' through ball into an empty net. A bit of trickery from old master Ryan Giggs provided Wes Brown with a second for United before Lyon's Florent Malouda pulled one back with what would have been the goal of the night had it not been for Ronaldo's stunner. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had missed a penalty by the time Rooney finished off Park Ji-Sung's cross for a United fourth. The numerous changes for both sides at half-time included the exit of Ronaldo and Rooney and the arrival of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher for Marcello Lippi's makeshift European side. With El-Hadji Diouf - who pulled a goal back with a close-range header - on as well, the home fans had three players with Liverpool connections to abuse. However, none received as negative a reaction as Robbie Fowler, one half of probably the most unpopular substitute Old Trafford has ever seen as Henrik Larsson departed for the final time to a hero's welcome. All that was left was a near-perfect Mexican wave, which was rolling round the ground as China international Dong Fangzhou was given his first taste of the Old Trafford atmosphere, and a late Diouf penalty after Gabriel Heinze had handled. But as they headed for home, there was only one name on the lips of those kids for whom a real-life glimpse of United is a rare event indeed. For them there really is only one Ronaldo. Ferguson delighted after tribute match Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Tuesday night's UEFA celebration game as a fitting tribute to the club's 50 years in European competition. United beat a Europe XI 4-3 thanks to two goals from Wayne Rooney and one apiece from Wes Brown and Cristiano Ronaldo - the latter a sublime 30-yard free-kick of which the watching David Beckham would have been proud. Marcello Lippi's hastily-assembled Europe XI were 4-1 down at half-time - Florent Malouda their scorer - but won the second half thanks to a double from substitute El-Hadji Diouf. The Old Trafford encounter also commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome and was played in a fitting spirit of camaraderie． |
| Mar 13, 2007 20:57 | #2 |
| OF COURSE David Beckham thanks Manchester United fans David Beckham said thank-you to the Manchester United fans for 'the best time of his football career'. The former England captain made a surprise half-time appearance at tonight's UEFA celebration game at Old Trafford, the first time he had stood in front of a United crowd for almost four years. Injury robbed Beckham of the chance to turn out against his old club for Marcello Lippi's Europe XI and he admitted he was 'devastated' to miss out on what could be his last chance to play at the ground. But he was grateful to be given an opportunity to address his fellow United fans, saying: 'It's amazing to be back having, waited four years for this and it's nice to be back on such a historic night. 'This is the first time I've been back when it's been full of Manchester United fans.' Beckham also ended any doubt he had buried the hatchet with mentor and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who once accidentally hit Beckham with a boot he had kicked whilst in a rage. 'Everybody here knows you've got the best manager in the world at this club,' said Beckham, who will join MLS side LA Galaxy when his Real Madrid contract expires in the summer. |
| Mar 13, 2007 20:58 | #3 |
| 'I just want to say that the time I spent at this club is the best time of my football career. 'I've waited four years to actually come back and say thank you to the fans and the people at this club.' Beckham then made specific reference to the support he received in the wake of his sending-off in the 1998 World Cup, when he was castigated in almost every other quarter. 'I wouldn't have got through that many things without the people in this stadium,' he said. 'Good luck for the rest of the season and good luck for the future. 'This team's going to go on and win many things for many years to come.' |
| Mar 14, 2007 04:33 | #4 |
| Manchester is powerful !! |
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