CL: Benfica 0 - 1 United
PREVIEW: UNITED v BENFICA
A stirring of both passion and memory awaits United when they face Benfica later today.
Defeat against the Portuguese side last December sent United crashing out of the Champions League somewhat prematurely.
Sir Alex and United stars now talk of vengeance for that humiliation and progress beyond the group stage of the tournament.
‘I think we have the ability,’ Sir Alex told a pre-match press conference. ‘We’ve got the desire to do it and we just have to make sure the concentration in big games is good because concentration is important to young players. I think that concentration was the real needlepoint of the game against Benfica last year. We made a fantastic start to the game, for the first 15 minutes, and then we lost our concentration.’
Defender Rio Ferdinand echoed the boss’ conviction. ‘To go out at that stage was very disappointing,’Ferdinand said. ‘This season we are going out to rectify that. We know there’s not much more the manager can say to make us want to go over there and do a job. Losing to any team hurts, but we’ve got an opportunity to rectify that now.
United will hope a fit again Louis Saha is able to take the field and will look to Wayne Rooney to rediscover his menace in front of goal. Remarkably, the prodigy has not scored in European competiton since bagging a hatrick on his debut against Fenerbahce two years ago. United will also hope that Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo can shine on his return to the Stadium of Light and in the face of Benfica fans’ taunts.
A draw would suit United. A victory would draw a line under the team’s recent stuttering form.
MATCH REPORT…
Benfica 0 - 1 United
Saha (59)
A superb Louis Saha goal gave United a smash and grab victory over Benfica and their first Euro away day celebrations in nearly three years.
Saha’s deflected left foot shot against the run of play, allowed United to claim top spot in their group and left the club firmly in the driving seat for qualification to the later stages of the Champions League.
‘We were scratching through the first half, giving the ball away from defensive positions and not opening up in midfield,’ Ferguson said. ‘But when we did open up, we controlled the game. And winning was always the most important thing.’
Until the French international broke the deadlock in the 59th minute, United were ragged. Players seemed unable to complete simple passes to one another and Benfica were able to carry the game to the visitors with vigour.
The team looked disoriented and unbalanced too with O’Shea, Carrick and Scholes all occupying central areas and Rooney and Ronaldo deployed on the flanks. Rooney was again ineffective whilst Ronaldo, having had United’s best opportunity in the game’s opening exchanges, when his swift turn and shot on 12 minutes brought a save from Benfica’s keeper Quim, proceeded to frustrate for the rest of the half. Ronaldo’s s repertoire of tricks was in full evidence but he was frequently caught dallying in possession, was wasteful at free-kicks and seemed unwilling to play in better-placed players.
Sir Alex must have been looking for his hairdryer long before the half drew to a close with Benfica in ascendance. Yet for all the Portuguese side’s endeavour, Edwin van Der Sar was hardly pressed into serious action. United took heart from the home team’s failure to convert half chances and began to find range in their passing as the game re-started.
‘We did not play as well as we are able to and Benfica did everything to make it difficult for us,’ said Cristiano Ronaldo. ‘But after the break the team came out more composed and calm.’
Ronaldo, as on Saturday against Reading, was the one United player who worried the opposition and when slack defending allowed him to run with the ball into Benfica’s half, the Portuguese winger stunned everyone by playing an early pass to Lousi Saha. The Frenchman cut in from the right onto his left foot and his unstoppable shot brought joy to United’s travelling faithful and relief to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Thereafter, United grew in confidence and almost doubled their lead when a surprise Heinze free-kick troubled the keeper but first Fletcher and then Carrick were unable to seize on the opening.
The performance may have been mediocre but after 34 months without an away success, Benfica’s Stadium of Light was finally a place to rejoice.
TEAM
United: Van Der Sar; Heinze ; Vidic; Ferdinand; Neville; Ronaldo
Carrick; O’Shea; Scholes; Saha(Smith 84), Rooney (Fletcher 84)
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: ‘It was a good performance from us. We had good patience. The goal was the highlight of the match. It was a magnificent strike by Louis but it was a good bit of football. Cristiano fed him in and it was a marvellous goal.
‘I hope it gives them confidence to trust each other. In the first half, there were moments when we didn’t have great understanding - how to defend the last line. And we kept giving the ball away. In the second half, we improved on that. We made some alterations and it made some room for ourselves. I think it made a difference.
‘Louis Saha is so quick and brave. He has so many assets.There are simply not many flaws in him. He is on a great run of goal- scoring form and took his chance really well.’
Fernando Santos: ‘We feel disillusioned. It is sad after what the team did, especially in the first 45 minutes. We played an excellent game, with much pressure and we were capable of pushing a team like Manchester United back. Manchester United clearly opted for a strategy of containment, in an attempt to take advantage of any errors of ours in a counter-attack situation. We continued to fight but started to play more with our hearts than our heads. Manchester also managed to control things better but it is too much of an unjust result for what Benfica did.’
