Manchester United two good for Inter Milan

HumanIon

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posted on 15 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Inter Milan went out of the competition thanks to goals from Vidic and Ronaldo.

New Delhi: Champions League holders Manchester United sent Italian champions Inter Milan tumbling out of the competition thanks to headed goals from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo early in each half.

Sir Alex Ferguson involved both of his wily veterans, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, from the start, in a line-up which also featured Rio Ferdinand and John O'Shea, who'd struggled with injuries over the last few days.

Wayne Rooney started to the left of Dimitar Berbatov in attack. Jose Mourinho's injury-influenced line-up was more intriguing. Patrick Vieira came in for Sulley Muntari, with Walter Samuel miraculously recovering to start alongside Ivan Corboda. Mario Balotelli played in a left-biased attacking role, preferred to Adriano.

First Half

It was a lively and crucial opening ten minutes at Old Trafford. United had a lot of pent up frustration from the goalless first leg, but were ahead within four minutes this time. Cristiano Ronaldo won a corner on the right which was taken by Michael Carrick. Nemanja Vidic gave Patrick Vieira the run-around before leaping and glancing the ball into the left-hand corner.

However, the momentum would gradually switch in favour of Inter for the duration of the opening period. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was always heavily involved and did well with the multitude of balls clipped in his direction.

Although Inter were clearly improved in comparison to the first leg, United would continue to carve out openings before the half-hour mark. There were quick-fire penalty appeals as Ryan Giggs caused havoc cutting in from the left. Samuel touched his Berbatov-bound cut-back, but he'd slipped and couldn't have done much about it. Moments later, Giggs' flick hit the arm of Stankovic, whose proximity was too close to interest the referee.

Inter would have chances before long as they grew into the game, and they were clear-cut. Douglas Maicon whipped in a free-kick from the right which found Ibrahimovic at the far post. The Swede connected with a downward header, but it bounced into the turf and onto the bar.

Soon after, Ibra prodded the ball inside to Dejan Stankovic, who curled an effort just wide of Edwin van der Sar's post.

United, at the other end, might have killed the tie through an unlikely hero. Giggs drifted out to the right and played the ball inside to Wayne Rooney, who perfectly played in the advanced John O'Shea. The defender, though, failed to lift the ball over Julio Cesar, with a pass to Berbatov the better option.

Still, Inter managed to carve out two more great chances before the interval. First, Stankovic couldn't tame Ibrahimovic's flighted pass, hitting over after the ball bounced in front of him.

Then, Mario Balotelli's glorious defence-splitting pass was battered wide of the left-hand post by Ibrahimovic, who'd timed his run well.

And thus they trooped off to the dressing room, with more questions than answers in the Mancunian air.

Second Half

Those questions were answered after another four minutes of play by Cristiano Ronaldo. Sulley Muntari had come on for Vieira and the visitors started brightly, but United hit them with a deadly sucker-punch.

Giggs was drifting around again, taking advantage of Davide Santon's carelessness, with the ball eventually ending up with Rooney on the left. His cross was attacked by Ronaldo, whose bullet header found the net.

Inter had to respond, so Jose Mourinho sent on Adriano for Stankovic. Within a minute the Brazilian had hit the inside of the post after playing a one-two at pace with Esteban Cambiasso.

Around the hour-mark, the Red Devils looked to kill off the Nerazzurri. Julio Cesar had to smother at the second attempt as Berbatov tried to force the ball home, before the 'keeper batted Rooney's long-range drive away soon after.

Ibrahimovic had a good opportunity to attack a cross with his head on 73 minutes, but the little Frenchman managed to get a slight touch on it and the hitman couldn't make solid contact.

From then on, it was a case of professionally closing out the tie for United, which they did by playing high-tempo keep-ball.

Julio Cesar had to make a good save from a 30-yard Ronaldo set-piece piledriver to prevent further calamity, but the real damage had been done.

It was a strong performance from United, who progress to the quarters at the expense of the Italian giants. At full-time, Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho finally had their handshake, with the gutted Portuguese giving the Scot a hug.