UNITED forward Giuseppe Rossi was sent off but Italy Under-21s still defeated Portugal to seal a place at the Beijing Olympics.
The young Azzurri won 4-3 on penalties at De Goffert Stadion in Nijmegen and although both sides failed to reach the semi-finals of the European Championships an extra place in China was up for grabs.
After the teams could not be separated, Manuel Fernandes and Antunes failed to convert their spot-kicks, with Italy scoring four from four attempts. New United signing Nani scored his spot-kick.
There was less drama during the 120 minutes of open play.
Rossi fired an early chance over the crossbar when he was found at the near post, before going on a mazy run which Giampaolo Pazzini failed to finish off.
The United man was dismissed in the 75th minute for picking up two bookings, the second for dissent after giving away a foul.
Portugal had glorious chances to snatch victory in extra-time but Joao Moutinho had a header deflected wide and Yannick Djalo fired over the crossbar with just the goalkeeper to beat, sending the match to penalties.
Do you think Rossi has a future at United? Have your say.
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Holywood Trev, Broadway, Moston (22/06/2007 at 10:20)
Thay have just got a new Chairman who is determined to knock us off our perch and I believe we are powerless to resist.
What are we to do? Fergusson will be off soon, and cant win a European Cup to save his life. His replacement Queiroz is the man who started the rut at Real Madrid. We have invested a lot of money hoping these kids turn out to be the real thing (always a chance thay wont)
What are we to do. SHould we get prepared to be the second team in Manchester?
Roy (22/06/2007 at 10:29)
Enigma, Trafford (22/06/2007 at 10:39)
Lee , Heywood, Heywood (22/06/2007 at 11:05)
Mick, Dublin (22/06/2007 at 11:20)
Rossi just looked a cut above all the other Italian forwards. He's not the quickest player in the world but his accelaration over 3 or 4 yards is phenomenal. Add to that a superb first touch, great vision and weight of pass and quality finishing (which we haven't seen enough of in this tournament) and you've got a player who has every attribute needed to thrive alongside the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs, Saha, Park, Scholes, Nani and Anderson.
My GOD, we've got a fair few attacking options, don't we?!?
I think I just drooled on my keyboard. How many days until our first pre-season friendly?
Red Max (22/06/2007 at 11:27)
Birdy, Ireland (22/06/2007 at 11:56)
Robert Akid (22/06/2007 at 12:02)
One of many, many Cheadle Reds, Cheadle (22/06/2007 at 12:08)
Numquam Moribimur, Arnhem (22/06/2007 at 12:37)
He came on at the start os the second half, and Italy instantly looked more threatening. Their centre forward (Pazzini) was absolute rubbish all through the match, which he also have seemed in the matches I've seen on TV, but Rossi and Rosina who played on the sides of him were very good.
They added speed to the Italian attack, and opened up more space for people like Montolivo to get into shooting distance.
Aquilani was named MOM, and Rossi was abolutely not the best on the pitch (for me Ashley Young was MOM), but he had such a good drive all through the half he played that I now strongly believe he has what it takes to make an impact for United.
The question is how long it'll take him to get to the level where he can play regularly, but I think that if he's given his share of trust the coming season that we in 3 years will see in him one of the finest forwards in the Premiership.
bobbydazzler (22/06/2007 at 13:02)
spooky (22/06/2007 at 13:17)
Mick, Dublin (22/06/2007 at 13:19)
Birdy, Ireland (22/06/2007 at 13:21)
edinburgh red, edinburgh (22/06/2007 at 13:25)
M Wall (22/06/2007 at 13:26)
Paying £10M for Quagliarella who only scored 13 in 34 games is wrong.
Bring in TORRES !
Tomas, Aarhus, Denmark (22/06/2007 at 13:30)
Rossi is ready to come to OT. He has all the qualities it takes. Great passing, great vision, great finishing and good speed. Let him out at OT, and he'll raise hell.
Sean the Red, Aberdeen (22/06/2007 at 14:26)
Yes Smith is tough and hard but so is Tevez the difference being Tevez is quality and will get goals, Smith wont.
It would make more sense to use Smith to get a better striker like Berbatov or Anelka, rather than give him away, like we did with Ruud!!!
Anyway Nani is a class act, true he maybe didn,t shine in the first 2 games but the last 2 were very good.
I liked the way he keeps on trying and he,s a brave guy like Cristiano because he got quite a lot of hard clatterings yet it didn,t scare him and he still wanted the ball.
Can,t wait to see Nani and Cristiano performing next season.
JonyB-), North Staffs (22/06/2007 at 14:30)
I don't know if £10m for FQ is wrong as such, i quite like the idea of getting back to the basic 4 stroker options notion.....
Rooney, Rossi & FQ, leaving one berth open for Saha, Smith or OGS, or yet another new striker whch is rather unlikely.....
Saha: offers strngth, quickness, footballing touch, negated by positional awareness against mobile defenders, takes pens, suspected mental brittleness(Nev's comments after celtic pen!?) and abviously injury-prone....
Smith:Fiercly passionate, adaptable, strength and ability to hold ball, awareness of pass, good header of ball, adaptable, but is not as mobile, unable to get space in box, often gives silly freekicks away esp in europe....
OGS: A LEGEND!, lethal in front of goal, can cross, intelegence to get space in box, can play multiple positions, but is VERY slow, unable to get past his man, can not give full 90mins reg, injury prone....
If Anelka comes instead of FQ i would keep smith and dump Saha..... otherwise the only argument i can see for Ole is keeping hime as "just in case" backup if Rossi somehow fails to make grade....
Mick, Dublin (22/06/2007 at 15:07)
Mike (22/06/2007 at 15:07)
The Blue Tool, URMSTON (22/06/2007 at 15:19)
Hilton (22/06/2007 at 15:26)
By the way Saha is a better header of the ball than Smith.
Jim Polley (22/06/2007 at 15:27)
Hilton (22/06/2007 at 15:32)