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Man United and Barca almost there…

April 1st, 2008 | By: Jan | 15 Comments »

The Mancunians were looking forward to welcoming Edwin van der Sar back in goal and the Dutchie proved why against AS Roma. In a crucial phase in the match - ManU was 1-0 up after a C.Ronaldo header in the first half - it seemed Roma was ready to score the equalizer. Three saves in a row, with one a wonderful reflex on the line, kept Man United on top of things and some minutes later it was Rooney scoring the second English goal after a Park assist.

Manchester United played thrifty, AS Roma disappointed. ManU takes the 2-0 lead to Old Trafford and are looking forward to catching up with Barcelona.

Frank Rijkaard and Barca have something to prove. Having lost 4 out of the last six games in La Liga, Barca needs a positive result on this front. Against debutant Schalke 04, Barca started as they always do: offensive. With young Krkic in the team, with Henry and Eto’o upfront, replacing the absentees Ronaldinho, Messi and Deco. But, although the big guns couldn’t play, if you still can play these three plus Xavi, Iniesta and Toure you’re not doing to bad.

A beautiful through pass by Iniesta was picked up by Henry who in a second instance passed the ball to Krkic who became the second youngest player to score in the CL. Pop quiz: who is the youngest??

Schalke tried their best, Barca stayed in control and took the win home to Catalunia.

Tomorrow we’ll look out for Kuyt, Babel, Van Persie and Salomon Kalou…

Tags: Edwin Van der Sar, Frank Rijkaard, Group C, Oranje, Robin van Persie, The Netherlands

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Comments

By Jan | April 1st, 2008 at 8:04 pm

Bert van Marwijk was analist for the NOS for the Roma - ManU game and after the game he stated that he will talk to Edwin van der Sar, to try and convince him to stay on after the EC. “Edwin was again very important for Man United. He still has an incredible form, reflexes, personality… The only thing is his age. But I can see he still has at least three great years in him.”

Posted from Australia

By ferenc | April 1st, 2008 at 8:34 pm

a very nice picture (frankie and bojan): http://www.eurobarca.hu/images/hirek/hirkepek/bojan-rijkaard_.jpg

Posted from Hungary

By Caleb | April 1st, 2008 at 9:46 pm

I’m going to guess that the youngest scorer was Owen… maybe not a very good guess, but I’m going for it.

By Rob | April 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 am

How old was Kluivert when he won Ajax the CL?

Posted from Japan

By Jan | April 2nd, 2008 at 12:58 am

I think Kluivert was 19 years old… Something like that. Wasn’t his birthday a day before the finals?

Posted from Australia

By bobotoh | April 2nd, 2008 at 3:57 am

According to a newspaper I read, it was Olympiacos player that was younger than Bojan. Kluivert was older than Bojan in 1995.

Posted from Indonesia

By goose | April 2nd, 2008 at 4:23 am

@ferenc; what is going on with Barca…they were very weak yesterday….

think Kluivert was 19…hes born on july first 1976 wich is the same date as vNistelrooijs birthday….

think we better loose vdSar after the EC so we can let another goalie get some playing time before the WC starts…. to depend on a 39 year old seems pretty risky to me..

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | April 2nd, 2008 at 4:43 am

Me too Goose. I think it wouldn’t be a good signal towards Stekelenburg and the risk that Sar’s body/mental strength can’t cope is too big, I’d say.
But he definitely still is in top form. Blood form, we call it literaly in Dutch :-).

Posted from Australia

By simon | April 2nd, 2008 at 6:04 am

Peter Ofori-Quaye was the youngest. Think he plays in Greece, Cyprus or Israel right not, not sure though.

By simon | April 2nd, 2008 at 6:12 am

Maybe I should add that I have some doubts over Peter Ofori-Quayes age. He’s probably a bit older, since they werent too exact with birth dates in Africa until the late eighties something.

By ferenc | April 2nd, 2008 at 9:30 am

@goose: barca is not in form at the moment. the expectations are always high,and sometime teams don’t perform. now this is the case in catalunya. in this kind of situation the team try to play more secure. away we are not too good. anyway we won the game (probably we’ll be qualified) without any problem.

Posted from Hungary

By Bruce | April 2nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm

Robin van Persie is injured AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Left-thigh problem…. apparently.

Posted from Republic Of Korea

By Fiinster01 | April 2nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm

Van Persie limped off yet again. Before he got injured he managed to miss a complete sitter yet also provide adebayor with the cross that Arsenal scored. So a little good and bad. Still looks rusty though and lacking match fitness. Not sure if they continue to rush him back from injury all the time or not, but this is a bit worrysome and MVB must have a plan B here I am sure. If not, he better do it quickly.

Babel was crap and got subbed. Kuyt actually scored, whoopti doo. Didn’t do much else for Liverpool though. Gerrard was excellent and MOTM in my opinion. Advantage ‘pool at the moment.

Posted from United States

By Jan | April 2nd, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Funny how people see different games. I though Gerrard was weak and invisible most of the game, whereas Kuyt impressed me immensely. A couple of good passes on Torres, good possession, a goal, a shot on goal in the second half barely stopped by the goalie and all that work on the right flank, defensively, he showed. For me, Kuyt was The Man. (Babel indeed was rubbish).

Robin looked good too, as far as I’m concerned. He was in on all the danger situations in the first half. That volly was a very tough one to keep low and that distance shot was on target. And that cross was golden, of course.

Wenger didn’t want to take risks. His thigh had tightened up at the end of the first half, and Wenger needs Persie next week again. Walcott did well as a sub.

Posted from Australia

By Caleb | April 2nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm

Fiinster - I really don’t think anyone can call that volley a complete sitter. Perhaps when he is on completely on form he would score it, but that is not an easy shot for anyone to make. I agree with Jan that Van Persie looked quite good. Hope he’s alright and will be back again right away.

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