United concede twice in disappointing draw
Darren Fletcher looks downcast as FC Porto celebrate behind him
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Tuesday, 07, Apr 2009 11:43
Manchester United will have to go away and win in FC Porto after a disappointing 2-2 draw in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford.
United got off to a disastrous start as Cristiano Ronaldo gave the ball away and then Jonny Evans failed to properly clear a cross from Lucho Gonzalez and the ball fell to Christian Rodrigues who found the bottom left-hand corner of the gaol.
The Reds looked shell-shocked after the goal and could barely put two passes together in the next ten minutes.
Ronaldo came close to putting a spark into United's play but saw a goal-bound header from a John O'Shea cross palmed away by Porto keeper Helton.
But in truth United were really poor in the opening quarter and only got back in the game thanks to a dreadful back pass from Bruno Alves which Wayne Rooney latched on to and slipped the ball over a helpless Helton.
The goal should have rejuvenated United, but instead they continued to be look indecisive at the back and gave the ball away too easily. They came close to falling behind again as Rodrigues had a free header in the penalty area but only directed it straight into the hands of Edwin van der Sar.
The game continued to be played at a lighting pace in the second-half and United still looked remarkably open at the back.
Rooney though was busy as always at the other end of the pitch and the England forward almost scored his second goal with a delightful chip which Helton did well to tip over the bar. The Porto keeper then made another terrific save from a Nemanja Vidic header from the resulting corner.
Porto broke with great vigour and poured men forward when they attacked United and van der Sar was forced into making a save low down to his right from a Lisandro Lopez shot.
The Portuguese champions had a very good penalty shout turned down when Carlos Tevez appeared to bring down Hulk inside the penalty area. Moments later Rooney came agonisingly close to giving United the lead, but he was unable to make contact in front of goal after a great cross from Gary Neville.
The game looked to be petering out for a draw, but with five minutes to go Rooney and Carlos Tevez combined to give United the lead. Rooney brilliantly flicked the ball on with the back of his heel on to the path of Tevez and the Argentinian slid in and guided the ball into the roof of the net.
United looked open at the back all night and they conceded a catastrophic second away goal as Lopez put a cross into the penalty area and the United defenders left Mariano completely unmarked at the back post and he coolly put the ball over van der Sar