Manchester United vs Portsmouth

United 2 Portsmouth 0

Another nervous evening's work at Old Trafford, but goals at either end of the 90 minutes from Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick gave United three points against Portsmouth, putting clear daylight between champions and challengers in the Premier League title race.

A procession of chances came and went in-between the two strikes, meaning much of the evening made uncomfortable viewing even though United - and in particular the front pairing of Rooney and Ryan Giggs - often had Portsmouth chasing shadows.

After Sunday's FA Cup semi-final marathon against Everton, Sir Alex Ferguson made wholesale changes for the second successive game, with a string of big-name players returning. Two of them - Giggs and Rooney - combined sumptuously to put United ahead inside nine minutes.

Darren Fletcher, back from injury and on the lung-busting form of recent weeks, won the ball and it was quickly ferried forward to Anderson, whose excellent pass allowed Giggs to spring the visitors' offside trap. Waiting in the centre was Rooney, who finished with aplomb after a perfect rolled cross from his veteran colleague.

Amid the joy and release of any early tension, attentions switched to skipper Gary Neville, who sat stricken in his own half after sustaining a foot injury. After consultation with the club's medical staff, the club captain was promptly replaced by John O'Shea.

With the prospect of a three-point lead looming, United were clearly intent on also boosting a goal difference which had been overtaken by second-placed Liverpool in recent weeks, and the chances came thick and fast.

It was O'Shea who came closest to doubling the Reds' advantage before the break, as he headed Giggs' left-wing corner past James, only for Nadir Belhadj to smuggle the ball off the line and away to safety.

Next, a mis-timed header from Sol Campbell allowed Ronaldo to break down the right and cross low across the area for Giggs. His delicate chip beat James, but also drifted just past the far post. The 35-year-old held his head in his hands, aware that a glorious chance had just gone begging.

It looked like Giggs had made amends a minute later by feeding Rooney to round James and score, but a linesman's flag belatedly - but correctly - chalked it off. Quite how half-time came and went with United only one goal ahead was a mystery.

The fact that so many chances had come and gone seemed to increasingly play on United's minds as the second half unfolded. The Reds' cause wasn't helped when O'Shea suffered an injury after a clash with Belhadj, who appeared to stand heavily on the Irishman's foot. With the injury count rising but the goals tally stuck on one, a nervous atmosphere began to brew within Old Trafford.

The tension was never higher than around the 70th minute, when Pompey mustered two particularly threatening forays forward. Peter Crouch, who ploughed a lone furrow without much joy but with plenty of effort, first volleyed wide, then saw his header well saved by Edwin van der Sar.

Rooney saw another shot well saved by James after latching onto van der Sar's long punt, but a priceless second goal did finally arrive with eight minutes left. Carrick, thrown on at the expense of Anderson, came up with the goods and Scholes, fittingly on his 600th United appearance, was the architecht.

Just as he has done umpteen times in his 15-year senior career, the midfield magician exploited a gap before the Pompey defence were able to plug it by slipping an inch-perfect pass into the run of Carrick, who finished clinically into James' bottom-right hand corner.

With the three points assured, United began to press forward with more abandon, striving to make up further goal difference. Ronaldo had a goal chalked off and also fired over while Rafael was denied by James, leaving the Reds still three behind Rafael Benitez's men on that count.

More importantly, however, the telling gap between champions and chasing pack is now three points, with a game in hand still to make up.

FA Cup:Manchester United had defeated by Everton at Wembley Stadium

Nemanja Vidic turned in a Man-of-the-Match display at Wembley and scored in the penalty shoot-out, but that is of little consolation to the Serbian as the Reds crashed out of the FA Cup.

“We're disappointed because this is a trophy we wanted to win,” he told MUTV. “We played some good football and created chances, but in the end it came to penalties – and that’s just a lottery. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. In the Champions League final we won… but today we didn’t score our penalties. You have to congratulate Everton.”

Vidic dispatched his spot-kick with aplomb, even though it wasn’t enough to prevent a 4-2 shoot-out loss, but he says dealing with the pressure of converting from 12 yards is “nothing new”.

“I practise in training and I also took penalties for Red Star Belgrade and Spartak Moscow,” he said. “It’s nothing new, but there's always the possibility you'll miss, especially in games where there is pressure. I scored, but it’s not about me scoring. The team didn’t win. We need to forget this game now.

“We must take it and recover for the next game. It’s going to be hard, but we have Wednesday’s match against Portsmouth and we need to be focused. It helps that some players were rested. They are going to be fresh and I hope we have a good game at Old Trafford.”

Vidic was proud of the performances of four teenagers in United’s youth-inflected starting line-up. And he says it's the result, rather than the performance, which was frustrating. “We played well, so we don’t need to be disappointed about that,” he added. “We played offensively and tried to score. We had young players in our team, they showed some quality. We know they are capable of doing that. We just didn’t take our chances."

The Best Moment 2007/08

Cristiano Ronaldo

Porto vs Man United 15/4/09 0-1

Man United became the first English team to beat Porto in the Estadio do Dragao.Yeah!!!

Man United
1	Van der Sar
22	O'Shea
5	Ferdinand
15	Vidic
3	Evra
8	Anderson	18
16	Carrick
11	Giggs
7	Ronaldo
9	Berbatov	17
10	Rooney
Subs:
12	Foster
2	Neville
17	Nani	9
18	Scholes	8
23	Evans
32	Tevez
41	Macheda

It took something special: a quite breathtaking 40-yard strike from Cristiano Ronaldo which, allied to a first clean sheet in six games, took the holders into the final four. Indeed, it would have been the Reds' defensive resolve which would have pleased Sir Alex Ferguson most, as the return of Rio Ferdinand brought an assuredness to the champions and restricted the dangerous hosts to but a handful of opportunities.

Following last week's 2-2 first-leg draw, Porto went into the match with a crucial away-goal advantage. That was tellingly overturned inside six minutes of an imposing second encounter. Had Sir Alex been asked to draw a blueprint of his perfect start, it wouldn't have been too far removed from what actually transpired.

The Reds were already looking confident when Anderson slipped a pass to Ronaldo, but the winger's ambition beggared belief. Having received the ball just inside the hosts' half, Ronaldo took a touch to set himself and arrowed an unstoppable effort into Helton's top corner. The ball travelled 40 yards to the goal, but the Brazilian goalkeeper could get nowhere near it.

A Sporting Lisbon export, Ronaldo was predictably jeered from the first whistle by the blue and white clad hordes in the stands. Suddenly, he had provoked silence on every side of the Estadio do Dragao - bar, of course, the sizeable pocket of writhing, jubilant United fans behind the opposite goal.

The Reds' approach to the game mirrored that of Porto in the first leg: dominant, with the hosts completely on the back foot. Indeed, it took 20 minutes for the Portuguese champions to notch an effort of note, as Bruno Alves' free-kick drifted a couple of yards wide of Edwin van der Sar's goal.

Porto had shown their class at Old Trafford, so it was no surprise that they began to gradually exert themselves on the game. Lisandro's spectacular scissor-kick forced a routine save from van der Sar, but United's defence - reinforced by the pairing of Ferdinand with Vidic - stood firm.

In the latter stages of the half, the chances see-sawed. Ryan Giggs' volley was kept out by Helton, Alves powered a header wide and Vidic stabbed John O'Shea's flick over the bar from close range.

Half-time came and went with no changes of personnel, but with a definite shift in setting as teeming rain began to saturate the Portuguese turf. Dimitar Berbatov almost immediately tested Helton's handling of the new conditions, but the Brazilian was equal to his low, drilled effort.

With United ahead, the onus was always going to be on the home side to fashion chances, however, and the visitors' job was largely one of containment in the second half. After the recent spate of concessions, a clean sheet wouldn't just put United through; it would mark a return to the defensive solidity which had been the bedrock of the season to date.

Raul Meireles sliced a shot past the top corner, Hulk fired a free-kick straight at van der Sar and Rolando powered a free header over the bar when he should have done better, but United's demeanour was largely one of calm throughout, containing the storm rather than weathering it.

On occasion, the Reds could even embark on forays forward. Wayne Rooney, outstanding throughout for his defensive diligence as much as his attacking incision,drilled one effort fractionally over Helton's bar. Moments later, however, Lisandro went one better in hitting the target. Even if it was a wasted opportunity, fired straight at van der Sar, it was a timely reminder that one without reply would be enough.

Ronaldo did threaten again, drawing a fine low save from Helton, but he had already struck the telling blow. Now the Reds must shoehorn two more massive games into an already congested fixture list. But, having signalled a return to miserly ways in defence and with a calm befitting of champions, Sir Alex and his players will be relishing every minute that remains of this captivating season.

Boss predicts 'great night'

“Porto are a good team – very powerful – and they’ve not reached this stage without ability. We know we have a big job to do but it should be a good match."

– Sir Alex

Sir Alex admits he can’t wait for kick-off on Wednesday night, despite the Reds’ quarter-final tie against Porto being balanced on a knife-edge.

After last week’s 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, United face a stiff challenge in Estadio do Dragao this evening. But it’s one the Reds’ boss is relishing.

“We’ve played in a lot of good European nights and, to be honest with you, they’re a pleasure to be involved in,” he said.

“The atmosphere here in Porto will be fantastic, it’s a good pitch, a good stadium, and we’re playing a good team. It should be a great night.”

Before last week’s first leg, few people gave the Portuguese champions much hope of reaching the semi-finals. But after outplaying United at times at Old Trafford, Jesualdo Ferreira’s men are being tipped by some to knock the current holders out of the competition.

“Porto were better than us last week and gave us a very hard game,” Sir Alex admitted. “The front players played exceptionally well and showed great determination. They’re a good team – very powerful – and they’ve not reached this stage without ability.

“We know we have a big job to do but it should be a good match. I don’t know how open the game will be – that’s up to Porto and how they approach it. Nevertheless, we know we have to score and that’s what’s really important.”

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