Dragon slayer: Ronaldo's thunderbolt edges United past Porto

16 April 2009 08:43
Sir Alex Ferguson is relishing a Champions League semi-final clash with his great rival Arsene Wenger after Manchester United and Arsenal made it to the last four last night. United manager Ferguson saw World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo score a sensational sixth-minute goal in Portugal to give the holders the 1-0 win they needed to squeeze through after a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last week. While Arsenal wonder kid Theo Walcott was producing his own magic during the 3-0 win over Villarreal at the Emirates, Ronaldo scored from almost 40 yards in the Stadium of the Dragon to set up a mouth-watering clash with the London side. Ferguson said: 'An all- British semi-final gives you a different type of spice and these are two great football teams. It will be a terrific semi-final. 'The league game down there this season featured a fantastic display of how the game should be played from both teams. 'This will be a different situation than we have had over the years and it would be wonderful to win the first leg 1-0 at Old Trafford. 'That would be a perfect result for me and would give us something to build on in the second leg. 'I would have to go back into the memory banks to find a better goal than the one Cristiano scored tonight. It was a great, great strike.' Of his goal, Ronaldo said: 'It is the best goal I have ever scored. I have just seen the replay. I didn't realise it was so far out and I hit it at 64mph. Wow!' Last night, Ronaldo was again the subject of comments from Real Madrid, whose former president Ramon Calderon hinted the Spanish club were intent on signing him. Calderon said ahead of the club's forthcoming elections: 'Anyone who becomes president will have at his disposal one of the best players in the world who is already formally committed to Real. I cannot give any names, but all I can say is that thanks to the difficult and laborious work that I did last year, he is already formally a Madrid player.' But it is Arsenal who are Ferguson's more immediate concern, with the two sides potentially squaring up four times in the next month. The first leg of their Champions League semi-final is on Wednesday April 29, with the return the following Tuesday. They also meet at Old Trafford in the Barclays Premier League on May 16 and could contest the FA Cup final on May 30. Wenger said: 'Manchester United against Arsenal are always very exciting games. Both teams like to go forward and we will be up for the challenge. It won't be predictable. 'If you want to go far in the Champions League, you have to play an English team at some stage. It is a cup competition of 180 minutes and what's most important is the form on the day.'  

Source: Daily_Mail