The moment was finally here.
All the hype, the glitz and the air surrounding this match-up came down to this very moment. It was all square after the first leg, though United would have thought that they had the slightest of advantages going into this game. However, they should have known that this thin figment of hope was a double edged sword which could fall either way.
And who else but Mourinho would be waiting in the wings to capitalize on the most trivial of mistakes that could tilt the game in Inter's favor. Inter and Mourinho went into this one, knowing fully well that a severe backlash by the fans and the media would be on the cards—the Italian and the British alike, if they failed to qualify.
United started with an attacking, flexible and malleable 4-4-2 with Giggs playing either on the left flank or as a second striker just behind Berbatov. The starting line-up was predictable, with Park Ji Sung the only notable absentee who had been confined to the bench, ironically the only one missing from the starting eleven prediction I made a week ago in my last article.
Ferguson clearly choosing to stick with experience rather than youthful exuberance with the average age of his side at 29. After all, Giggs and Scholes starting games together has not been the norm this season.
Someone had to be sacrificed—Nani was not even considered, and rightly so. He along with Tevez have been restricted to cup games, albeit Tevez deserves far more than the young Portuguese.
So that left Park as the only true contender for the bench. The Korean skipper has been the true model of a team player, sacrificing for the time each time he is called upon.
Apart from this aberration, the only concern was Berbatov, who had hurt himself during training. He however seemed to have shaken off the strain to start the game. So, finally—On your marks, get set and blow... well that was the referee's whistle.
First Half - Struck by lightening, struck on 4'
Mourinho would have liked to settled down in the customized and comfortable Audi seats in the dug-out before his side were struck by lightening, as he stood still in the technical area. It was just four minutes into the game and the Red Devils had already drawn the first blood. Mourinho would have dreaded seeing the back of Inter's goal bulge, and that is exactly what happened.
It was a soft goal to concede—first, the goal having come from a set-piece and second, man-marking on the post was missing. Two fundamental mistakes cost Inter a goal, one of the most disciplined teams of Serie A.
Patrick Vieira was a shadow of his former self, struggling to make a foothold in the game. Vidic pounced on the invitation and made a goal-scoring return to the side, having missed out the first leg through suspension.
The only positive for Mourinho was that it was just four minutes into the game, allowing Inter enough time to claw their way back into the game. And in fairness, Inter did do that to a certain extent.
The early strike seemed to have hurt United more than Inter, as the Champions began giving away the ball cheaply and showing glimpses of complacency, very unlike United. The vibrant attacking play that is characteristic of United's game was missing.
Inter took full advantage of United's inconsistency in mid-field and almost made United pay—Ibra and Stankovic going close. United were also guilty of missing a couple of good chances with O'Shea being the guilty party this time around.
Inter could have easily put three past Edwin Van der Sar, but it was not to be. Though Ibra could not exert the kind of influence on the game as he would have liked to, he went close on a couple of occasions without being his brilliant self. Inter finished the half strongly, very much like United did in the first leg. Despite Inter's exertions, United were still largely comfortable even if they showed a hint of profligacy.
Game On...
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