Defiant Manchester United FC forward Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to make amends in the second leg of his side's UEFA Champions League semi-final against FC Barcelona after missing a penalty in Wednesday's goalless draw at the Camp Nou.
Ronaldo fired wide from the spot in the third minute after Gabriel Milito had handled his header in the area, but he took the disappointment in his stride. "Sometimes you score, sometimes you don't," he said. "I missed a penalty - no problem. I'll try to score in Manchester. I'm always confident. I have 38 goals this season. It is not a problem if I miss one or two. I try to do my best in every game.
Ronaldo's team-mates rallied around the Portuguese forward. "What can you say about Cristiano Ronaldo? How many important goals has he scored?" defender Patrice Evra said. "I think for the return he will score one, maybe two goals." Wayne Rooney added: "He's an unbelievable player. His record speaks for itself. All the great players have missed penalties so let's not worry about it."
But Liverpool goalkipper Pepe Reina concluding that Cristiano Ronaldo made a huge error with his missed penalty. Pepe Reina told the Spanish sports daily, "Ronaldo always shoots his penalties to the left. The other day, against Arsenal, he had to re-take a penalty but took both the same way - low and to to the left. Faced with Barcelona, he hit it high and right.
"He wanted to surprise, but to change his style was wrong." (*)
source: uefa and goal
photo: gettyimages
Ronaldo missing a penalty
Avram Grant: We Deserved
"We have conceded a lot of late goals recently so I think we deserved to get one ourselves," said Chelsea coach Avram Grant. "I hope we will say next week that this was an important goal. It was a game without many chances – typical for a semi-final. They had one or two and we did too. But a 1-1 draw away from home is always a
good result."
The Israeli said, Anfield is a very difficult place to play. But is not easy for visiting teams to play at Stamford Bridge either. "We also have good supporters. Both goals tonight came from mistakes. I felt we had control of the game until we made a mistake and they scored. Petr Čech was unlucky for the goal but he did well and made one very good save – but that's Petr, we're used to it.
"I think this result gives us an advantage but I know it will be another tough game next week. From day one I knew that Chelsea needed to be in the Champions League final. The 1-1 draw hasn't promised us a place in the final but it's a great result and a big step for us. The final is in Moscow but I think Roman [Abramovich, Chelsea's Russian owner] would be just as happy for us to play it in Mongolia.(*)
source: soccermanguni
photo: gettyimages
Riise Gifts Chelsea An Equaliser
There was huge late drama at Anfield in a tense game in which fluent football was at a premium. It looked like it was going to be shaded by Liverpool, whose first half goal by Dirk Kuyt gave them a narrow advantage until, in the 95th minute, John Arne Riise gifted Chelsea an equaliser with a headed own goal in their UEFA Champions League semi-final.
Riise, who has not scored for Liverpool all season, stooped low to try to clear Salomon Kalou's cross from the left, but his awkward header flew past Pepe Reina and into the top of the net – giving Chelsea an away goal they had virtually given up on getting. It could have been so different for Liverpool, had visiting goalkeeper Petr Čech not spectacularly tipped over a late Steven Gerrard drive before denying Fernando Torres seconds before the equaliser.
Chelsea, who at times looked ragged, thus have a priceless away goal to take back to Stamford Bridge. They had had some earlier chances to equalise, but Liverpool might also have scored again.
The dramatic way in which it ended leaves the tie intriguingly balanced - but just in Chelsea's favour now.
A scrambled goal by Dirk Kuyt towards he end of a tense, tight first half at Anfield put Liverpool in the driving seat in a Champions League semi-final first leg that Chelsea started the stronger. But the Blues allowed the Reds to come more and more into it and Rafa Benitez's side deserved their first half lead.(*)
source: soccermanguni
photo: gettyimages
United meet Barca
Manchester United FC can start to prepare for a fascinating-looking UEFA Champions League semi-final meeting with FC Barcelona after Carlos Tévez the second half header completed the conquest of AS Roma. Manchester United duly claimed their Champions League semi-final instead of three English teams in the last four of this year's competition again.
Carlos Tevez broke Roma on the strength of 70 minutes, helped by the excellent Owen Hargreaves in a game which sank and mitigated but rarely looked like getting away from the Champions League, which has set a new record of 11 consecutive wins at home.
However, there had never been any risk that the Roma were trounced 7-1 again, as they have been for this reason, a year ago. And the outcome of a game, if not the tie, might have been different Daniele de Rossi had not lost a first half penalty.
An entertaining, high tempo in the first half saw a changed greatly Old Trafford Manchester United started brightly and patron of the opening 25 minutes without adding to their cumulative score, with Roma in order Doni actively effective. But then Roma won a penalty out of nowhere when Mancini was judged - somewhat
controversial - have been reduced in the area of Wes Brown's address to the land. Daniele De Rossi, but he blazed over the bar passage and what would have been a goal against the run of play was averted.
Spalletti's men continued to probe, but, lacking injured Francesco Totti, struggling to fashion any clear openings, and the game was up on 70 minutes when Tévez vaulted to meet Hargreaves around the cross and post-headed the ball beyond Doni. (*)
source: goal and uefa
De Rossi devastated after bad luck
Roma icon and captain Daniele De Rossi apologized to the fans and his teammates penalty miss against Manchester United. AS Roma midfielder has admitted his first-half penalty miss was the key moment in the Italian club to the UEFA Champions League 1-0 in the quarter-finals at the defeat of Manchester United FC.
However, with the score at 0-0, De Rossi has had the opportunity to put forward its side of the penalty spot, even though Amantino Mancini has dropped alarmingly with ease to win the spot-kick following Wes Brown's well - timed ball-winning challenge. But De Rossi, who had scored the Giallorossi, the winner of the same spot on the penalty CFC Genoa last weekend, sent the ball high over the crossbar.
"It was not a penalty to make it 2-0 at the last minute, but I think the game would have changed if I had scored," said the Italian international. "I am very disappointed and I think it hurts twice as much because I am from Rome, and a supporter of Roma. We arrived in Manchester confident and ready to fight. The first goal was there, eleven metres from me, but we all know what happened. It would have been a different game if we had taken the lead in the first half.
"I wanted to take the trouble as I did on Sunday against Genoa," said De Rossi, who scored one of the spot-kicks Italy in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final. "It was a very busy time and I was probably too much time to think before taking it. Sanctions I referenced in important games like finals of the World Cup in my career, but tonight; I have been less fortunate. I am deeply sorry. that I hoped it would not come to me, especially tonight in a match like this. "
Although Roma finally succumbed to a 70th minute Carlos Tévez head - which specifies a third defeat at Old Trafford in the last 12 months - De Rossi remained optimistic about their outlook for the remainder of the campaign. Roma sit four points behind Serie A leaders FC Internationale Milan with six rounds remaining and are also through to the last four of the Italian Cup. De Rossi said: "Now we will try to win the Scudetto. I think tonight, we confirmed that we are a great team and we want to win trophies this season." (*)
source: goal and uefa
photo: Getty Images
Neville hungry for final
Gary Neville believes Manchester United FC have a "great chance" to go to the UEFA Champions League final after completing a 3-0 aggregate victory over quarter-final opponents AS Roma. United's 1-0, Wednesday night confirmed a successful semi-final with FC Barcelona and Neville had extra cause for celebration after appearing for the first time since March last year as the 81st minute to replace Anderson.
"It's good to be back, a long time ago, and I am pleased to be able to play a small role in what was a very good result for us," he said. "That puts us in the Semi-finals and two magnificent matches against Barcelona.
"We have a chance," said Neville, whose return to the ligaments of the ankle damage had been delayed by a series of niggling injuries. "When you get to the semi-finals, anything can happen. We play really well. Two years ago, and particularly last year [when United lost to AC Milan in the semi-finals] may be that we were not quite ready, but this year There is a determination to go all the way. "
The English champions have not encountered the past two Barcelona thrilling 3-3 draw in the group stage of the 1998/99 competition - a campaign that ended with United on final triumph at Camp Nou. Neville predicted an "incredible" jewel of attacking football on both legs, the first of which is in Barcelona on April 23 with the return at Old Trafford six days later.
"Barcelona will be incredible game," he says. "The atmosphere is brilliant, and not only in Barcelona but at Old Trafford. The two teams will go at it. We played two matches against them in 99 and they both finished 3-3, and this is the type of team that we are. We both play attacking football and there will be some major players on the show - I just hope our big players can surpass theirs. " (*)
Photo: GettyImages