Wigan own-goal sickener
Monday, 06, Mar 2006 10:22
Wigan were desperately unlucky to lose 2-1 to Manchester United through a heartbreaking last-minute own-goal after dominating the Premiership rematch against their recent Carling Cup conquerors.
The Latics were more than good value for the lead they gained on the hour mark through Paul Scharner, but United hit back with a fortuitous equaliser from Cristiano Ronaldo from their only shot on target.
That was harsh enough on Wigan, but the circumstances of their third loss to United this season were cruel in the extreme, as the luckless Pascal Chimbonda could only direct the ball into his own net after Louis Saha's shot hit the cross bar in the 92nd minute.
Wigan were much the livelier side throughout the match. They hustled and harried United from the off, denying their more illustrious opponents the time and space that had proved so fatal at the Millennium Stadium eight days ago.
Captain Arjan De Zeeuw set the tone after just five minutes with a clattering challenge on Ronaldo for which he was rightly booked.
But his team were fired up to prove a point after two 4-0 losses to United this season and created the vast majority of the first half's chances.
Gary Teale fired over from a great pass by Jimmy Bullard and Jason Roberts headed wastefully straight at Edwin Van der Sar from a corner.
Henri Camara sent a low shot narrowly wide, while Graham Kavanagh unleashed two shots from distance that missed the target.
At the other end, the best United could offer was a Ronaldo free-kick that fizzed over the bar.
When Roberts fired over just before half-time, it was Wigan's 11th attempt on goal in just 45 minutes.
They must have worried United would make them rue missing such a plethora of chances.
And such fears were almost realised right after half-time, as Wayne Rooney could only head a great Gary Neville cross over the bar.
But the game's opening goal went to Wigan and fell, literally, to Paul Scharner on 59 minutes.
The centre-back stabbed home after de Zeeuw's header from another corner was blocked on the line by Ryan Giggs.
Jason Roberts almost doubled the advantage immediately, but his near-post shot was well-saved by Van der Sar.
United had started with the same team that triumphed in Cardiff, but with 19 minutes remaining Alex Ferguson finally sent on Ruud van Nistelrooy, removing a midfielder as his side chased the game.
The move proved decisive, but not in a way the manager could have expected.
Ronaldo set up Van Nistelrooy in the area and the Dutchman dragged his attempted shot so far wide off-target that it screwed back across goal as an unstoppable one-two for the quick thinking winger to steer home.
The bad luck of a miss-timed shot proving so productive took the wind out of Wigan's sails, and United enjoyed their best spell of the match afterwards.
But it seemed unlikely either side would find a winner and it looked as though the Latics would be forced to settle for a point.
Even that consolation was denied to them in injury time as Ronaldo set up Saha, who crashed a shot past John Filan and against the crossbar.
The onrushing Chimbonda, mindful of Van Nistelrooy waiting predatorily behind him, needed to hack the ball clear but was powerless to do anything other than accidentally bundle it over his own goalline.