Three R's - Ronaldo, Rooney, and poor old Roma!

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Roma 0 - 2 Manchester United

After defeating Roma by two goals in Rome, it might be that the second leg at Old Trafford will be just a formality. The game started fairly quietly, and Roma had their share of the chances, but a brilliant goal in the 39th minute changed all that.

Rooney passed the ball over to Paul Scholes who had found space on the right. He chipped the ball in menacingly, but at first there didn't appear anybody to take advantage. But Ronaldo had covered an awful lot of ground very quickly, and arrived from nowhere to head home accurately, and powerfully, from about 10 yards. It really was an extraordinary goal, from an extraordinary player, whose height off the ground to meet the ball, gave a whole new meaning to 2008 being a 'leap' year.

Roma must have had a dressing down in their dressing room at half time, after which they came out seeming determined to peg United back. They went into attack mode, and for a short time seemed to be getting on top, but midfielder, Max Tonetto's shot from a free kick was wide of the mark. Then, when an equaliser looked certain, Panucci's volley drifted over the bar.

There was an awkward cross, from a difficult angle that could have crept in, but Van der Sar was up to the task and touched the ball over the bar. After a period of sustained pressure, it was United who actually scored again. There was a bit of a scramble in the Roma goalmouth, and opportunist Wayne Rooney was in exactly the right position to tap the ball in. Less spectacular than Ronaldo's goal perhaps, but they all count!

Ronaldo had to put up with an element of jeering from the Roma fans, before he silenced them with his wonder goal, but he was receiving unwarranted attention. The Roma players were very good at disguising their attempts to stop him by prodding, pushing, holding, and shoving. Referees will have to be on their toes to deal with this sort of thing, because fans must not be denied top skills from deliberate and dangerous fouling, that bring the game into disrepute.

After their 7 - 1 drubbing at Old Trafford last season, it is impossible to envisage Roma doing anything in the second leg, to impede United's progress to the final. Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that he has never had a better squad, and the normally taciturn Paul Scholes has spoken of Ronaldo, as the most gifted of his colleagues over the years!

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Roma Vs Manchester United
soccer and football
Ronaldo Rooney and Roma