A "DEVILISH" VICTORY

In the final match of the Champions League, in Moscow's Luzhniki stadium, Manchester United won on penalty kicks in an incredibly tense game. Moscow had been waiting so long for this match that anticipation of the major football fest and the fuss surrounding the visit of the two great English teams gave way to a slightly sad feeling that it would all be over after the match. The Champions League finalists probably had similar feelings: they had come a long way, working body and soul and, in the end, everything would be decided in just two hours; two hours which would send some into delirium and plunge others into despair.

The "Mancunians" and the "Aristocrats" had become hardened rivals over the season. The teams had competed in the domestic arena and were now to meet in the European final. In the English Premier League, Manchester had already proved its superiority, despite a recent defeat at the feet of the "Blues" in a head-to-head confrontation. In the Champions League, Ferguson's team had not been defeated since the previous spring. However, Chelsea, who had made it through to the final of the main European tournament for the first time, were in sharp form and were longing to compensate for failures in the national championship and the league cup with a first-time triumph in such a contest. Although MU is the more experienced club in such matches, Chelsea had nine footballers with experience of Champions League finals.

The finalists' team selection did not promise any great surprises for the game: everyone was fit and playing. Only Ashley Cole had been injured in training the day before. But such important matches make you forget any minor niggles. A final is always more than an ordinary match, which is why only a clairvoyant could have guessed what the experienced Ferguson would come up with and how Grant would counter him. As a result, Sir Alex sent two forwards onto the pitch - without weakening the midfield, where Carrick and Hargreaves were playing to counterbalance Ballack and Lampard. For the "Blues" it was Makelele who had to deal with the scheming of Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. The "Red Devils" were without Park Ji-Sung, while the "aristocrats" missed Malouda. These were the decisions made by the coaches in the key areas.

Most pundits believed that spectators would not see much spectacular or creative football, at least in the first half. The opening minutes confirmed their words. Both Chelsea and MU were patient in defence and did not allow each other any goal-scoring opportunities. Hargreaves was very active for the "Red Devils". He it was who fired the first shot at Czech's goal, however, the goalkeeper took the ball after a not so dangerous run by the midfielder from the right-hand flank. The teams exchanged good moves into the penalty area but the omnipresent Hargreaves could not latch onto a Ronaldo pass, while Lampard's lob was intercepted by Vidic.

After sounding each other out, the two teams exploded into a series of dangerous attacks, the first of which resulted in a goal. Scholes and Brown exchanged passes on the right-hand flank, and Wes played in a cross to which Ronaldo applied his head as well as any top forward, to put his team ahead. Chelsea rushed in to fight back and Ballack twice got on the end of fierce attacks by the "Blues". First his shot flew high above the goal and then he forced his way past Ferdinand, but Van der Saar was reliable in goal. In pushing forward to counter-attack, Grant's team nearly lost another goal. Rooney's classy diagonal run on the left was followed by a cross into the centre from which Tevez fired at point-blank range. Czech seized the ball. Carrick tried to finish it off, but the Londoners' goalkeeper was up to the occasion. The Argentinean forward missed another excellent chance following a Rooney cross from the right. Tevez mis-timed his run and failed to reach the ball. The well-known rule in football of retribution for missed goals applies in all such games. For example, while Ballack blocked a dangerous shot by the Mancunians, Lampard made effective and skilful use of a chance which emerged after a ricochet and he equalized.

Having exchanged two goals in the first half, the teams began the second half in much more adventurous style. MU mounted its first meaningful attack down the left, with Ronaldo putting in a sly cross, but Evra shot wide at the far post. Chelsea mounted a dangerous attack with a solo run by Essien, who tricked defenders in the penalty area, but he shot wide. Soon after, Ballack's run ended in a shot - again wide of the goal.

The "aristocrats" had clearly given up on the cautious tactics which they had employed in the early stages and they moved forward with some purpose. However, the "Red Devils" defence was alert and steady, Ferdinand doing especially well. Nevertheless, the "Blues" had another scoring chance. Lampard headed on, Van der Saar mistimed his run, but Terry failed to send the ball into the net.

The "Blues" were certainly not shot-shy; United were saved as only a post foiled Drogba. Then Malouda played in an excellent long pass to from the left, but Vidic coped well in defence. In a similar situation, but this time following a cross from Joe Cole from the right, Drogba failed to get in a shot. MU's Tevez fired a good strong shot to the near post, but the ball whizzed just the wrong side. As full-time approached, Ferguson replaced the veterans of the team. Scholes's place was taken by Giggs, who was breaking another club record for the Mancunians: this was Ryan's 759th game in the red shirt - one game more than the legendary Bobby Charlton.

Avram Grant responded by sending on Salomon Kalou in place of Malouda, although this substitute was made in extra time. Ninety minutes, as many had predicted, was not enough to decide the winner. At the beginning of the first half of extra time, elegant play by the "Blues" in the opposition penalty area ended with a strong shot from Lampard. And again, Van der Saar was saved by the woodwork. Several minutes later, a quick counter-attack mounted by Chelsea ended in Essien's dash into the penalty area, but he was neutralized by the defence as he let the ball run too far.

Ferguson and Grant seemed more like chess players mulling over their every move. The Israeli specialist decided on another substitution quite quickly: Joe Cole being replaced by Anelka. Nor did Sir Alex keep us waiting for long: Rooney, who had not really shone as the main striker, was substituted by Nani. The period of Chelsea offence gave way to tension around Czech's goal. First Giggs shot at an empty goal from Evra's pass, but Terry somehow got his head in the way. Then Tevez received the ball from a penetrating pass, but shot into the hands of the goalkeeper.

The second half of extra time was just like the first 90 minutes: maximum tension and minimum goal-scoring opportunities. In terms of play, it is unlikely that these 15 minutes will be remembered for anything other than Ballack's fine shot. But from a non-footballing point of view, the end of extra time was marked by a clash between Vidic and Drogba, provoked by Tevez. As a result, the Serb did not even get a yellow card, but the Ivorian was given a red for a slap.

Soaked to the skin and worn out by a physically and psychologically demanding match, the footballers prepared for the penalty shootout. Did we really expect that the first Moscow final of the Champions League would have such an end? Perhaps it could have been predicted. Throughout the whole season, the teams had proved that they were a match for each other and were not going to give way. The evil intrigue, entertaining football and the apogee of this football fest in Moscow was to be a series of penalty kicks after the match. All or nothing.

There is only the ball, the goalkeeper and the penalty taker. Words cannot describe the tension. Tevez shoots. Czech guessed wrong and the score is 1:0. Van der Saar knew where Ballack would shoot, but failed to stop it - 1:1. Carrick put the ball and Czech into opposite corners - 2:1. Belleti does the same - 2:2. And here comes Cristiano Ronaldo, probably the best player in the world at the moment. He fails to overcome his nerves and Czech saves! Now it is Lampard's turn to shoot. Frank has been playing brilliantly at the end of the season and scores - 2:3. Hargreaves and Ashley Cole shoot into the top corner of the goal - 3:4. Nani is luckier than his famous Portuguese partner, and although Czech guesses right, he cannot stop the ball - 4:4. Then there is another crazy miss: the man with iron nerves, John Terry, slips and misses the goal. Anderson approaches the goal and MU are ahead again - 5:4. It seems like there is no pressure on Salomon Kalou - 5:5. The new Mancunian record holder, Giggs, shoots into the corner - 6:5. Anelka has no right to make a mistake, and the Frenchman does not actually make a mistake. But the fact remains a fact, as Van der Saar is luckier, keeping the ball out and giving Manchester United victory in this madly tense match! Thank you, Chelsea! The Blues were worthy contenders and were not inferior to the Mancunians.