Source: Daily_Mail
AC Milan 2 Manchester United 3: Wayne Rooney looks a world-beater
Brace yourself: Rooney nods home his first of the night[LNB] [LNB]The night before this extraordinary Champions League encounter, Sir Alex Ferguson dared suggest he could not quite see what all the fuss was about. [LNB]Wayne Rooney, he said, was receiving rather more attention than he perhaps deserved. 'The way you write about him he must be a God,' said Manchester United's manager.[LNB]Well, he might just have to admit it now. He might just have to concede that he can no longer protect his English striker from the kind of attention such performances attract, and instead recognise what an incredible footballer he has unleashed now that Rooney is leading the United attack in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo.[LNB]Isolated for more than an hour, this was a tough night for Rooney. A tough night for all the United players who discovered that Milan are not ready for the geriatric ward just yet. They ran out of steam eventually, conceding two more goals in a frenetic final 24 minutes. [LNB]But they could have been three goals up by half time, so impressive were they in that opening period. Ronaldinho was a revelation; Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini masters in the art of midfield play. [LNB]In Rooney, however, United have a match winner, and someone who demonstrated how he has completed the transition from prodigiously gifted youngster to world class performer with one of his most significant displays on a foreign field. [LNB] Danger man: Rooney was a constant thorn in AC Milan's side[LNB]Ferguson did agree that Rooney's form had elevated him to thecompany of the best players on the planet but the two headers heconverted here at the San Siro proved it beyond any doubt. He wasbrilliant. Just brilliant.[LNB]So, however, was Ferguson. Ifanyone struggles to understand what a manager actually does once hisplayers are out there on the pitch, here was a performance thatanswered the question in surround sound stereo. [LNB]Here wasanother reason why Ferguson has been so phenomenally successful, andwhy United fear the day when he says he can no longer continue. [LNB]From his response to United's first half equaliser to the decision to send on Antonio Valencia as a replacement for the woefully ineffective Nani, he was immense. From Valencia suddenly came the cross that enabled Rooney to put United's noses in front, while from Ferguson himself came a rousing, four-letter delivery.[LNB]Breakthrough: Paul Scholes celebrates United's first [LNB]MATCH FACTSAC MILAN (4-3-2-1): Dida 6; Bonera 6,Nesta 6, Thiago Silva 6, Antonini 5(Favalli 38min, 6); Beckham 6 (Seedorf72, 6), Pirlo 7, Ambrosini 6; Pato 7,Ronaldinho 7; Huntelaar 6 (Inzaghi 77).Booked: Ronaldinho.[LNB]MANCHESTER UNITED (4-5-1): Van derSar 7; Rafael 6, Ferdinand 6, Evans 6,Evra 6; Nani 5 (Valencia 64, 7), Fletcher 7, Carrick 6, Scholes 7, Park 7; Rooney 8.Booked: Rooney, Carrick.Sent off: Carrick.[LNB]Man of the match: Wayne Rooney.[LNB]Referee: Olegario Benquerenca(Portugal).[LNB]The words will still be ringing in the ears of Jonny Evans but theypretty much summed up what Ferguson thought of his side's first halfefforts. [LNB]While his players celebrated a goal from PaulScholes, that was every bit as fortuitous as the third minute strikefrom Ronaldinho it cancelled out, Ferguson unleashed that infamoushairdryer in the direction of his Irish defender. 'F******g wake up,'screamed the spitting-mad Scotsman and with some justification.[LNB]Quitewhat Mike Phelan then whispered to Ferguson in trying to restrain himwill stay between them but the manager's assistant might have suggestedthat Evans was not alone in deserving such a blast. [LNB]Overrunin midfield and outclassed for long periods by David Beckham and hisfellow veterans, United would have returned home last night knowingthey are a little lucky to be in control this last 16 tie. [LNB] Man of the moment: David Beckham[LNB] [LNB]They experienced a number of problems. Unforced errors being a bigone but so too the inexperience of Rafael and the months of inactivityfor Rio Ferdinand. The new England skipper did not look fit in front ofa watching Fabio Capello, and the uncertainty his shortcomings createdplayed into the hands of Ronaldinho and the fast-thinking, fast-movingPato.[LNB]Has he got Becks appeal?Starts narrow and deep, but pass leads to first goal, by Ronaldinho[LNB]First in the free kick queue, ahead of Ronaldinho and Pirlo but shoots too high[LNB]A smart backheel is enough to set up a breakaway raid[LNB]Passing exchange to show the mind is still sharp and quick[LNB]Beckham fading like Milan. Fletcher on top in their duel[LNB]71 minutes...and he's off. United's fans sing his name[LNB]The older of the two Brazilians was terrific, so muchso that he could yet have a part to play at this summer's World Cup. Heterrorised Rafael with one of his finest performances in years. [LNB]Itwas incredible really, given how poor this Milan side were when theywere beaten 2-0 by 10-man Inter Milan in a recent derby. But Unitedwere uncharacteristically poor. The decision to deploy Ji-Sung Park asPirlo's minder provided Ronaldinho and Pato with the space to operatemore effectively on the flanks, while also limiting United's attackingoptions.[LNB]When combined with the ineptitude of Nani it leftRooney feeding on little more than scraps, his situation hardly easedby the fact that Scholes, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher werestruggling to contain Pirlo and Ambrosini. Had it not been for thebravery and brilliance of Edwin van der Sar they could have been inserious trouble.[LNB]The trouble nevertheless started early, and it came in the form of a Beckham free-kick after Patrice Evra had clattered into Pato. In trying to deal with Beckham;'s delivery Evra succeeded only in guiding the ball into the path of Ronaldinho, who unleashed a first time shot that took a nasty deflection off Carrick and so beat Van der Sar. [LNB]Milan will reflect on the opportunities they then squandered. Ronaldinho went close on a number of occasions and so did the courageous Klass Jan Huntelaar.[LNB]From somewhere, however, came a 36th minute equaliser, albeit thanks to a neatly executed move that started with a super ball from Carrick for Park. A cross from Fletcher followed, but Scholes scored not with the right boot he swung at the ball but with his standing left leg. The ball spun beyond the reach of a diving Dida and in off the post. [LNB]Even after the break, the momentum remained with Milan. Huntelaar threatened and so did Pato and Pirlo. But with the arrival of Valencia came the sight of his tearing past Giuseppe Favalli - sloppy Giuseppe one might say - and delivering a ball that Rooney rose majestically to meet with a quite brilliant arching header. [LNB] Quickfire: Ronaldinho celebrates the opener[LNB]From here United proved to their manager that they are indeed 'big game' players, because another attack eight minutes later brought another goal. This time Fletcher was the provider with a clever chip, but it again fell to Rooney to deliver the goods and he did so with aplomb. [LNB]That Clarence Seedorf reduced the deficit five minutes before time, scoring from close range thanks to another exhibition of his mercurial skills from Ronaldinho, would have angered Ferguson. As would the sight of Carrick being sent off for a second yellow card for time-wasting. As would the sight of bottles being thrown at Van der Sar from a stunned Milan crowd.[LNB]But he would have had no complaints for Rooney. A God? Maybe not, and to be fair to those Ferguson addressed on Monday night the adulation has not quite extended that far. But he is special. Very special.[LNB] Rooney was 'exploited' as teenager, claims PFA chief Taylor in court Aston Villa boss O'Neill throws weight behind Champions League play-offs AC Milan v Man Utd: How the action unfolded[LNB]
