MANCHESTER United secured their third European Cup with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in Moscow.
Edwin van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka's penalty to secure the win, after John Terry and Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier missed their spot-kicks.
The game finished 1-1 after extra time, with Cristiano Ronaldo's headed goal cancelled out by Frank Lampard's strike.
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As the celebrations began, you could have expected the ghosts of such giants as Duncan Edwards and George Best to be dancing with delight at the outcome.
It is 40 years since United first won the trophy with a team rebuilt by Sir Matt Busby from the survivors of that Munich disaster. Eight players lost their lives following the catastrophic events on a snow-filled German runway in February 1958.
It was fitting that United became the first English club to win the trophy 10 years later and even more apt that, half a century on, Ferguson’s men had again taken on Europe’s finest and beaten them all.
Their achievement was made even more poignant by Munich survivors Harry Gregg, Albert Scanlon, Kenny Morgans, Bill Foulkes and Sir Bobby Charlton, now a club director, who watched the drama unfold from the stands.
But modern-day football has its own heroes and the likes of Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and the unstoppable Ronaldo now trip off the tongue in the same way Best and Charlton once did.
Yet, the opening 25 minutes of the first all-English final barely lived up to its hysterical pre-match hype.
However, all that changed from the moment Ronaldo headed United in front with his 42nd goal of a memorable season.
Paul Scholes, who missed United’s last triumph through suspension in 1999, played a delightful interchange of passes with Wes Brown on the right flank.
Return
His final return pass put Brown in the clear and the full-back’s left-foot cross found the waiting Ronaldo in space at the far post.
The Portugal international planted a firm header into the corner of the net past a static Cech to give United first blood.
Chelsea’s somewhat muted response almost brought them an equaliser in the 33rd minute when Lampard’s cross was headed back into the six-yard box by Didier Drogba.
United’s Rio Ferdinand, under pressure from Michael Ballack, was forced to head the ball towards his own goal and only a superb save from Van der Sar prevented a Chelsea equaliser.
But it required a sensational double save from Cech to deny United their second moments later.
Wayne Rooney delivered an inch-perfect 40-yard crossfield ball into the path of the ever-dangerous Ronaldo and the United goalscorer placed his cross on the head of the diving Tevez only for Cech to deny him.
Chelsea’s failure to clear the loose ball gave Michael Carrick the chance to reward their superb approach work but again Cech was equal to the task with another fine save.
The Blues began to grow in confidence as the first half approached its climax and in the 45th minute, they took advantage of a massive slice of luck to level the score.
Michael Essien’s attempted shot from 25-yards took two deflections on its way towards goal but the most telling was off the back of United captain Ferdinand.
It changed the direction of the ball into the path of Lampard, who duly supplied the finish from six yards.
Chelsea, buoyed by their flourish at the end of the first half, almost took the lead in the 54th minute.
Essien managed to get clear of the United defence but his attempted curler from the edge of the penalty area was far too high.
It was all Chelsea now but they could not force a second goal. Drogba sent a header a wide from Lampard’s corner and Ballack was just off target with a 25-yard drive.
In the 77th minute, United had the woodwork to thank when Drogba sent a 20-yard shot against Van der Sar’s left-hand upright. The Ivorian went close again four minutes from time when he just failed to convert Joe Cole’s low cross.
Ryan Giggs was introduced in place of Scholes seconds later for the Welshman to make a record 759th appearance for the Reds.
The game went into extra-time, and within three minutes of the restart, the woodwork came to United’s rescue again. This time it was Lampard who sent his shot crashing against the crossbar as United continued to ride their luck.
But Chelsea were almost made to pay dearly eight minutes later when Terry cleared a goalbound effort from Giggs off his own line.
Drogba was then sensationally sent off for slapping Nemanja Vidic as tempers flared on both sides.
But the lottery of penalties ensured that United clinched the trophy.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
United 1 Chelsea 1 (AET, Utd win 6-5 on pens)
May 21, 2008
Comments
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Nerves...Nerves...Nerves!!!
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!!!
VDS ...... You are the BBBBEEEEESSSSSTTTTT!!!!!!!
Greatest team on the Planet
Engineered like no other team in the world!!!!
Congratulations My Beloved United!!!!!
You're in my Heart....You're in my Soul!!!
Well done Utd. (From a City Fan)
YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh !!!!!!
The winner was the beautiful game. MoM - Vida! Duncan, Eddie, Tommy and the boys plus Georgie were all looking down. So happy I could cry!!!!
just wanna thank the lads for those great memories .
hard to watch the penalty shoot out.
i love manutd
united we stand
2 hours of nerves ending in a feeling of so much hapiness. we beat the russians. now we can expect after all the rubbish written on this site in the last week by the blue side of manchester, for them to now tell us what a great season they had winning the same amount of silverware as the chelski mob( absolutely naff all ) and both teams deserved it ha ha ha he he he ho ho ho we won it again
CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS.
Nervy to watch as United as usual like to keep us on the edge of the seat. Fitting Giggs again scores the winning penalty.
Look out liverpool we are after your record of cup wins.
Well done lads same again next year
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
My beloved UNITED,you are in my heart for ever,you ARE my life...i´m crying...i´m not able to say anymore right now...
ALL HAIL UNITED.GLORY,GLORY,MAN.UNITED AND THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT MEMORIES FROM A FANTASTIC SEASON.
Another comment I have is the Refferee, he seemed tofavour the chelsea team as I lost count of the fouls on Ronaldo that went unpunished, and the yellow card for Scholes and Makelele were ridiculous as both went for the ball not each other. Also how many times are Chelsea allowed to surround the refferee when ever something goes against them I had great pleasure in seeing Drogba sent off but he should not have been the only one int that mellee. Tevez rightly kicked the ball out as twice they had kicked it out for a throw in when we put it out for an injured player of theirs whereas we had given them the ball back but we did not chase them for doing it. IT is about time this stopped altogther and let the refferee decide to stop play. Especially as Joe Cole was play acting as he got up and was running around again where Rio at least limped for a bit.
Glad we beat them as since the russina took over and Turncoat Kenyon went there, before I was indiferent to chelsea but now hope they lose every game they play.
GREAT
YEEESSS. COME ON!!! HE SAVES TO THE LEFT, HE SAVES TO THE RIIIGHT, THAT BOY EDWIN MAKES CHELSEA LOOK...SSSSHHHH
CHAMPIONES CHAMPIONES OLE OLE OLEEEEEE.
WHERE ARE THE CHELSKI SUNGLASSES? WHERE ARE YOU? HAHA. YEEEEEEEEEES! MAGNIFICENT MANCHESTER UNITED. TOTAL BALL POSSESSION!
Never mind the Terry penalty miss, what about seeing Kenyon walk past that trophy! Hah! I might make it my new desktop wallpaper! U-N-I-T-E-D!!!!!
well we dont half do things the hard way.but in the end we won.thats the main thing,this was one hell of a game.well done to all the team & the manager,also to all the fans that travelled to support the best team in manchester.you did us proud,this has been a great year for us reds fans.one last word for the bitters, make mine a double.champions ha ha ha ha
Good game cant be assed critisising anyone. Vidic Evra Ronaldo immense don't feel sorry for Terry at all the best team won for real. Good management on the day & destiny etc meant it had to be our day brilliant I cant thank everyone involved enough cheers!
Fantastic!!!!!
Nails bitten, throat raw – what a season!!!
what a night and what a 1st half performance, they had no answer. ok we were 2nd best in the 2nd half and it was even in extra time, but vds was never really exposed. FERGIE you are a legend and the best manager this country has EVER seen. i salute you! dont retire!
Chelski had it won, all Terry had to do was score. Those reds sure had lucky on their side tonight. My sister just called me from Stretford, and the reds in the family are happy. I am NOT.
Congratulations......... WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS...... Thank goodness.... should of killed it in the first half! be well done anyway.
Chelsea's lucky goal in the first half turned the game in their favour. And from there onwards they were the better team.
However lady luck changed sides in the second half too.... :)
DESTINY! JUSTICE. YOU NAME IT!
Had tears in my eyes when Bobby Charlton went up the stairs.Greatest moment of the nigth!
Just like the Bysby Babes went along with him. Rest in peace and may I see you in heaven one day!
UNITED UNITED TILL I DIE!
For the Busby babes!
Magnificent performance by the Reds. 50 years on, what a
win. Chelsea were good but
United are the Champions!!!
For every boy my age in '58
when our Dads said, sorry,
your football team died son!
That happened to many of us,
this win, this team lifted
United to a higher level
and lifted all us 50's boys
to a level of happiness that
can only help erase those
Munich memories of our childhood.
Up the Reds,
it truely honuors the babes to say we weathered the storm and honored thier names in the most historic european game ever fot the next few years i see the egos og the premiership being settled in the champions leauge for many years to come Georgie is smiling down on our team tonight and our fallen from munich will all be looking down in admiration for silenceing an upstart from dumbdumb lomdon go the red devils!!!!!