Lille v United: Verdict

Stuart Mathieson

February 21, 2007

GIGGS: Timing

UNITED'S Champions League adventure exploded sensationally last night amid pepper gas and tantrums.

Quick-thinking from Ryan Giggs gave them a brilliant 83rd minute goal from a free-kick after Louis Saha had been impeded on a goalward run.

Wayne Rooney, acting as butler, carefully put the ball down for the Welsh master to curve the ball into the net almost while no-one was watching.

Mayhem then erupted as the protesting Lille players were seemingly beckoned off the field by their French coaching staff.

Chaos reigned for a while but the referee had no doubts about the goal and the Reds fans who had been badly treated by the over-enthusiastic riot police had something to cheer.

It was an uncomfortable night at times in more ways than one for United's followers until Ryan's piece of magic.

With the match see-sawing relentlessly in the second half United won a free-kick with seven minutes to go. As Lille's keeper organised his wall and his protectors formed the defence of the set piece Giggs saw the opportunity to catch Lille unawares and brilliantly picked out the space to keeper Silva's left-hand side.

Dutch ref Eric Braamhaar turned and pointed to the centre circle and was immediately chased by an enraged Lille side.

The game was re-started but then Lille's bench amazingly tried to take the home side off as as the game ended in uproar.

It was hardly vintage first half stuff from United or Lille and it never even hinted of the drama that was to follow.

Trouble

Indeed both sides were losing out in the battle for the fans' attention as the crowd trouble situation developed behind Edwin Van der Sar's goal.

It was mainly strong arm stuff that was the dubious feature of the opening exchanges with the French side showing they had lost little of the aggression that had upset Fergie last season. Nonetheless Paul Scholes and Nemanja Vidic ensured the meaty business was not going to be all one way.

There wasn't much for Henrik Larsson to get his teeth into in what could prove to be his one and only away European match for the Reds unless the Swede has a change of heart and stays on until summer or if Fergie's best persuasive tongue can avoid him leaving on March 12.

Both the 35-year-old and his sidekick had a glimmer of a chance in what was the only near goalmouth action after 42 minutes when they had a stab each at Giggs' low cross to the near post. As their efforts were bundled away Cristiano Ronaldo also burst in to have a crack.

Van der Sar had more concern with stinging eyes from the police pepper spray than Lille's forwards and the home side's efforts amounted to just a drive over from Bodmer just before the interval.

United boss Fergie is expecting a Euro goal explosion soon from Rooney after going 15 matches since scoring on his debut in the Champions League two and a half years ago and United fans were up on their toes as the striker bulldozed through French resistance after 51 minutes.

Thunder

The England hitman powered past Plestan and then outwitted Tavlaridis but as everyone expected a thunder strike he chose instead to unselfishly attempt to set up Giggs at the far post. It appeared the wrong option as his assist was too strong for the Welshman. The Reds though were at least opening up Lille promisingly and soon after it was Ronaldo racing clear but his efforts to nail his first Champions League goal for United saw him strike keeper Sylva's legs. Rooney over-excitedly ballooned the rebound well over.

United's adventures sparked a response from Lille and Van der Sar had to turn a close-range Bodmer prod wide after 58 minutes.

After the drudgery of the first-half caginess the open match became enthralling and tense.

The Reds were under severe pressure and were broken down by a sweeping brilliant French move as Obraniak backheeled to the overlapping Tafforeau. The left back's cross was met with a thumping header from Makoun and United were relieved to see Dutch ref Eric Braamhaar rule the goal out for pushing. Ronaldo was struggling to produce his most devastating form and Fergie proved how much he was out for victory in this one by replacing him with the only United player who has scored a Champions League goal away from Old Trafford this season, Louis Saha.

In Portugal against Benfica the Frenchman scored a beauty but presented with a much easier chance seconds after coming on he clearly wasn't up to speed and slipped as he guided an opportunity easily into the arms of Sylva.

Larsson, too, had a goal chance and the missed opportunities mounted for the Reds. It was a tough one for the veteran Swede after Sylva had spilled Rooney's 75th-minute cross. He pounced on the loose ball but a quartet of Lille defenders were quick to form a barricade and he had to attempt a chip that just cleared the bar.

What do you think? Have your say.

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Loyal to the End (31 years, City Fans, 31 years..), Malaysia (21/02/2007 at 14:09)

Take nothing away from the free-kick, as much as the defenders were caught off-guard, it was still a perfectly flighted and curled shot, sailing beautifully into the corner.. It wasn't as easy as you think..

Danielle, Eccles (21/02/2007 at 14:13)

I think Lillie need to be kicked out of the Champions League. Behavoiur liek that should not be accepted anymore its 2007. And we are trying to clean the game up and something like this happens to put it back to where it was before. The ground situatation needs to be looked at too. The way the United fans were crushed in there needs to be looked at and how the fans where treated for trying to get out of the crush. Ufea need to do something about this and fast. It shouldn't be accepted.

de Meester, Amsterdamned (21/02/2007 at 14:15)

Not a classic match. However to be remembered for the earlier and later events!
A cagey match, one that the Reds had the edge of in the 1st half and Lille in the 2nd.
Of course that we got the win is important and makes one forget - briefly of the incidents in the 1st and 2nd.
We could have setled it in the first had we been a little calmer and had a little luck!
Unfortunately the french police overreacted obviously thinking that all english fans are the same (thanks to Engeland supporters!) and reacted as they saw fit, to United fans detriment!!
Hopefully this will not taint the 2nd leg, though I expect so!

steve, Glossop (21/02/2007 at 14:31)

Embarassing for Lille I don't think the club should be turfed due to their manic coach though or be tainted for the behaviour of Lens police. For us I pray Alex can persuade Larsson to stay longer. Also that Carrick finds some nerve cos right now I have big doubts he can do it at the highest level I think DF would've been more effective in the second half he was that bad IMO.

Alias Smith, over the moon (21/02/2007 at 14:38)

The headline says Verdict but the article reads as another match report, what gives?

Mark - Stretford Ender, Manchester (21/02/2007 at 15:06)

Obviously other headlines dominate this one but in terms of a football spectacle i felt once again fergie set up to stifle the opposition and we were lucky in my opinion to get the result we did. Is it any wonder we struggle to score in Europe when we clearly dont try to play the free flowing attacking football that has taken usp back to the top of the PL. I hate to sound off about this considering we nicked the win but we have only ever been nicking the odd away win in the CL for the last few years. Only now we don't have RVN to convert the one or two real opportunities we might make which he usually did. I'm not having a go at letting RVN go either because i think it was the right decision for the team and have been wantching the best football we have played in years since he has been out of the team. my point is when we won it last we scored 3 at the nou camp, leathered Brondy home an away (Copenhagen are a carbon copy these days) scored 2 in Munich, 1 at the San siro and 3 at juventus. That was playing our own brand of football and just going to score more then the opposition. Isn't it about time SAF just let us play it like a the way we have been playing in the league. I accept the level is a step up from the league but have felt for the last few years we are contributing to our own downfall in Europe. Moan over now to look forward to overpriced beers in london and a coach at 6:45am.

chris, oxford (21/02/2007 at 15:43)

Good post Mark and somebody fetch a straight jacket for Steve! ;-)

Frank, Old Trafford (21/02/2007 at 15:55)

Steve, i worry about that suggestion! DF, really!! I think that people are being very hard on Carrick, he can't do it on his own! Lille were working as a unit, whenever they lost the ball the nearest players closed down our players, if our defenders had it their forwards closed them down, if our midfield... etc. Because our players could not pass their way out of trouble they booted it. When their defence had the ball they were not harried, they could pass it around at their leisure. What I liked about Bodmer and makoun was that they held the ball until our player committed himself and then passed it to a teammate, something none of our players seemed capable of doing. Lille are a well organised, coached, team and nothing else! Carlos needs to read a few more books before we'll know what to do I suppose!

Stephen Wozencroft, Glasgow (21/02/2007 at 16:35)

Couldn't have put it better myself Mark. Fergie needs to stick to the attacking style thats been tearing the prem apart. Lille would be no better than mid-table in our domestic league. Too much respect is being shown, or maybe Carlos has too much influence... At least Wazza wasn't shunted out to wing this time!

Remy, Singapore (21/02/2007 at 16:57)

Lille are sore losers. Giggs' goal was perfectly legitimate, and like the first post said, take nothing away from the shot itself. Lille's goal was also rightly disallowed, so apart from Scholes somehow managing to escape being booked for one or two clumsy tackle, I thought the referee had an excellent game. Lastly, the whole of South-East Asia will be watching with interest to see what sanctions, if any, UEFA do slap on Lille. FYI, Thailand got away with just a warning for a 15-minute walk-off. For what amounted to mass dissent, that kind of 'punishment' is simply unacceptable.

mark, rochdale/gosport (21/02/2007 at 17:08)

yet another boring game.
The incident was the highlight and oh i laughed.
I hope we have more fun and games at the next leg at ot its better than watching boring football,maybe we should issue new rules and hand bags.

Gerry Beckett, liverpool (21/02/2007 at 17:16)

May I just say that my heart was in my mouth yesterday when I saw the events unfolding in the ground. Hillsborough all over again, that was what I thought. As a Liverpool fan I know the score. Nobody desreves that treatment from the police, least of all innocent fans....disgusting.

BrewDevil, Clemson, USA (21/02/2007 at 17:25)

This is typical of the chief exporters of moral superiority to the rest of the world. When the exploitation of perfectly legal rules are turned against them, they become enraged and cry foul. It's their own fault for not being more alert, but, then again, nobody likes to be mad at themselves, which explains the hysterical French conspiracy theories outpouring. That being said, lucky to win the match. Lille were so much better organized in defense than United. When we came across midfield they were always able to quickly put 3 men in vicinity of the ball and force an ill-advised, speculative pass. And typically there was a Lille defender at the end of it to intercept. Whereas our defensive strategy was to drop back to the 18 yard box and throw up a Maginot line of panic. Who is responsible for our shape, Q? If so, it seems his only productive contribution is his ability to speak Portuguese. As for the disgraceful walking off the pitch by those enfants terrible, Wellington said it best when faced by a similar dishonorable display by a collection of French military cry-babies: "Tis of no matter...we have seen their backs before."

Alias Smith, over the moon (21/02/2007 at 23:34)

For all the talk on here of a "poor" United performance on Tuesday, now that all the games have been played we can see that United in fact achieved the best result of all the "big" clubs in the first leg (I count Liverpool and Bayern as the "small" club in their respective fixtures). It fact, that freak Barca v Liverpool result aside, we were the only club to get an away win.

Dean, Blackpool (22/02/2007 at 01:24)

Will people stop moaning about carrick, The reason he didn't really get into the game is because the midfield was being bypassed most of the time because of the state of the pitch, the reporter on t.v. was on the pitch before kickoff and said we wouldn't have much joy with our passing game on that surface, thats why we didn't sweep them to one side with our attacking football it had nothing to do with the tactics which were 4-4-2, why is that so difficult to understand it was the type of game where we had to dig in and hopefully snatch a winner which we did so stop moaning.

Lau, Selangor, Malaysia (22/02/2007 at 02:54)

I am disgusted by Lille player branding imaginary card..... this act need to curtail immediately. Also, Lille should not use French League rules as a mask behind their bad sportmanship. By the virtue of playing in CL, they must well verse with its ruling.

Danny Boy, Auckland, N.Z (22/02/2007 at 08:21)

What's the bet on the "punishment" handed out to Lille?
2 grand fine (to the club) for the crowd scenes and a warning about future conduct for threatening to walk off.
Basically a slapped wrist and "don't do it again you naughty naughty boys..."
Bollox.
If anything like that had happened in England, English teams would be banned from Europe for years, the hearing would be taking place NOW (March 23rd- pathetic) and the punishments will be through the roof.
Something needs to be done by FIFA to drag these sorry excuses for football clubs and stadiums into the 21st century, or they shouldn't be allowed to play.
Over to you Blatter...

BALDERS, BACK ROW, TIER 2, STRETFORD (22/02/2007 at 09:25)

Everyone read Mark , Stretford ender........ if you can't understand what he's talking about then you obviously don't watch Utd enough ..live ! It's so damn obvious. Do Chelski, the Arse'nil ir the dippers approach CL any diferent? NO they play their game, END OF !

Max Kamarake, Freetown,Sierra Leone (22/02/2007 at 10:03)

If I've said it once,I've said it a thousand times,Carrick cant cut it in Europe,because he doesn't have the "fire-in-the belly desire" that is required! He vanished in the centre of the park,forcing Scholes and Vidic to do his dirty work!If Lille had a sharp attack we'd have been finished!Makoun should be a player to be bought in the summer instead of buying Hargreaves at an exhorbitant cost!Quaresma is another player to be bought to spice up our wing play and add to the depth of our wingers!

mark, rochdale/gosport (22/02/2007 at 12:25)

rubbish game we won liile stap dummy out end of>>>>>

Birdy, Ireland (22/02/2007 at 13:45)

Dean its just aswell a lot of balls went over his head as most the ones that came into his feet were miscontrolled

BrewDevil, Clemson, USA (22/02/2007 at 15:46)

Max, totally agree with your assessment of Quaresma. Great pace and seems to have a bag of tricks as good as Ronaldo, but does not feel the need to run through each one every time he's on the ball, and quickly finds his man and keeps the flow moving forward. Can't recall seeing such a consistently accurate use of the back heel, and the outside of his right foot is a world class danger. Would love to see him on the left to complement Ronaldo, and maybe make Old Trafford homier for the consensus heir to the "World's Greatest Player" title. But if that were the case, defensively we would need a lot more steel in midfield and younger legs than Neville right back shortly, cause I don't envision effective tracking back to help out on defense from either of them. Rate Makoun as well. Good midfield command with a vision of what he wants to do when he gets the ball. Not sure Hargreaves, though tireless in defense, exhibits such vision.

RichieW, Malaga (22/02/2007 at 18:16)

Well done and thanks Giggsy!!!

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