United 3 CSKA 3: Fergie spared the red face as bumbling defence escapes

Published: 04 Nov 2009 - 02:09:34

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United 3 CSKA 3: Fergie spared the red face as bumbling defence escapes

Thrilling comeback, six goals and another dramatic fight to the finish. For the sake of his nerves, Sir Alex Ferguson will hope it is not like this at Chelsea on Sunday. Manchester United are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare and their season rumbles on in its own peculiar way. Results come while convincing performances remain elusive. Enlarge Leveller: Antonio Valencia fires a shot that deflects in off Georgy Shchennikov for United's late equaliser Against Moscow, Ferguson's team provided another night of puretheatre. No team play with such ambition, confidence and purpose whenthe chips are down and, at 3-1 behind with only six minutes left, theywere certainly down. From that perspective, United remain box office. It cannot go on, however. If United want to retain the PremierLeague and mount another creditable challenge in Europe they reallymust find a way to perform cohesively and more consistently. In other words, they have to become a little less exciting. Boring? Yes, perhaps that's the way forward. For now at least. Enlarge Right place: Michael Owen scores United's early equaliser at Old Trafford Afterwards Ferguson smiled a relieved smile and spoke of his team's fighting qualities. But he knows the truth. Much more of this and results - unlike the scrambled draw againstSunderland and the last-gasp win against Manchester City - will startto go against them. United were scintillating for the last 20 minutes For the previous70 they had veered wildly from moderate to dreadful. Their defending -admittedly with a second-string back four - was shocking while theirgoalkeeper Edwin van der Sar all of a sudden looked his age. Enlarge Stranded: goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is rounded by Milos Krasic, who scores CSKA's second goal while Jonny Evans can only watch Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, both absent with injuries, have hadtheir difficult moments this season but they have never been this bad. With United all but through to the next stage and CSKA managing tofashion scoring opportunities only from long range, it had looked likebeing a rather mundane, pedestrian affair. One goal, though, changed everything. Centre forward Tomas Necid hadlooked dangerous and intelligent from the start and when he received aball in to his chest from the left 20 minutes before half-time he laidit off expertly to set Alan Dzagoev clear on goal. Enlarge Pure delight: Vasili Berezutskiy celebrates scoring Moscow's third goal at Old Trafford It looked as though the 19-year-old had taken the ball too far tothe left as he tried to approach goal. But the ferocity of theteenager's left-foot shot took Old Trafford by surprise and the ballflew across Van der Sar's body and high in to the far corner. Enlarge Replays suggested that Van der Sar's positioning could have beenbetter and the Dutch veteran looked a little shell-shocked. Above all,though, it was a stunning finish. Stung by this, United needed to react quickly and to their creditthey did. Owen had already spurned two very presentable chances,mis-kicking totally when set up by a Nani- Antonio Valencia one-two inthe ninth minute and being denied by Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeevwhen clear on goal just before the 20-minute mark. But Owen will always punish you eventually if you keep giving himchances and the 29-year-old swept the equaliser into the corner fromten yards with his right foot when Nani's clever flick found him. Enlarge Fresh hope: Paul Scholes pulls a late goal back for United at Old Trafford With Ferguson's team back on terms, it seemed the danger had passed. Not so. Enlarge Within two minutes of conceding the goal, CSKA built an attack downthe right and when Necid once again delivered a telling lay-off,midfielder Milos Krasic ambled in behind a static United defence,rounded Van der Sar and restored the lead on the turn. Ferguson had identified Krasic as a dangerous player after Unitedwon a tight game in Moscow two weeks ago but it seems his defenderswere not listening. If Van der Sar had been culpable for the first goal, this time theresponsibility was collective. Paul Scholes and Federico Machedabrought good saves from Akinfeev from distance as United came againjust before half-time. But within minutes of the restart, CSKA struck once more as a deepfree-kick from the left was allowed to drop on to Vasili Berezutski'shead. It was a simple finish and another shocking goal for the hometeam. In the dug out, Ferguson had seen enough. On came new father WayneRooney and then Gabriel Obertan. The shift in emphasis came quickly. Darren Fletcher should have had a penalty, Owen saw a header saved and Macheda hit the post. Two Rooney follow-ups were saved. As the pressure built and the Stretford End sensed it may be worth staying to the end, CSKA began to wilt as many have before. Enlarge Amazing: Darren Fletcher fails to win a penalty for United despite being blatantly tripped Scholes guided in a header from a free-kick with six minutes leftand then - two minutes into added time - Valencia's shot from longrange was deflected past the heroic Akinfeev by Georgi Schennikov. By now it was chaos and amid it all CSKA had Deividas Semberas sent off. It was hard not to feel sorry for the Russian team. Theirs has notbeen a good season and this would have been the highlight. For Unitedthere will be better days ahead. Won't there? Champions League, you're having a laugh! 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