Better Late Than Never !

It is almost two days since the conclusion of the 1st leg of the pre-quarterfinals matches of the UEFA champions league. The four matches played on the second day definitely deserve a mention considering the fact that both the high-profile English clubs lost!! Having seen the game at Old Trafford, I find it impossible not to talk about that tie! So onto the reviews:

Manchester United 0 - 1 AC Milan

This was one match where people were least expecting Milan to call the shots and dictate play which they managed to do for most of the time. Everyone expected Milan to sit back and soak up the pressure but in the intial stages, it was Man U sitting back and trying to do something on the counter-attack. There were some good chances for both sides in the opening half hour. Seedorf was desperately unlucky not to score for Milan from a superbly executed free kick which hit the crossbar. Scholes missed a golden oppurtunity for Man U inside the penalty area by firing a shot wide. The best chance for Man U was when Ronaldo managed to find Quinton Fortune on the break and his attempt went wide missing the post by hardly an inch or two. What surprised everyone was that Milan completely dominated possession in the mid-field. The exchange of passes from Pirlo, Seedorf, Rui Costa and Kaka was amazing to watch. Although they did not convert that to too many scoring oppurtunities, Milan definitely looked the more composed and confident side. Half time score 0-0.

The second half was even more open as Man U tried to step up the pressure and take the attack to Milan. However they were not able to translate that into anything noteworthy. Rooney had just one attempt from 35 yards out. The defensive abilities of Milan are pretty well known and they stuck to their task. Nesta was brilliant as ever and both Maldini and Kaladze were solid as well. The inclusion of Cafu in the right wing added a new dimension to Milan in this match and he was causing many problems on the right side for Man U. In fact a large number of Milan attacks originated from that end of the pitch. In an effort to attack more, Man U introduced Van Nistelroy in place of Ronaldo. However, this move did not pay too many dividends as they were still not able to create any real scoring oppurtunities. As the match wore on, the frustration was evident on the faces of the Man U players. Then suddenly out of nowhere, the Milan mid-field managed to conjure up a string of immaculate passes and Seedorf ripped a shot towards the Man U goal which Roy Carroll fumbled and presented Crespo with an easy tap. 1-0 to Milan. From then on, it was just a case of Milan sitting back and soaking up the pressure. There was one close miss from a corner as Saha headed wide as soon as he was introduced. However, it was a near perfect outing for Milan and they have a distinct advantage as they return home for the 2nd leg in two weeks' time. My Man of the match - Cafu.

Just a word of caution though(being a Milan fan), Man U are well known for hitting back strongly in the second leg. They have won important matches in Italy before. Most recently, they beat Juventus in the knock-out stages with a victory in Turin. Milan would be well advised to keep a close watch on the Man U strategy for that match.

Barcelona 2 - 1 Chelsea.

Chelsea were very lucky finally to get away with a narrow defeat margin. Barcelona could have easily scored atleast 2 goals more. Well, all the goals were scored by Barca players. Unfortunately for Barca, one of them landed in their own net! Petr Cech and John Terry deserve special mention for keeping Chelsea's hope alive. Drogba's sending off was unfortunate and reduced the match to a completely one-sided affair. Barcelona would be relieved at the end to have won the match but they would have to convert their chances if they are to win at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea at home would be a different side altogether. The substitution of Giuly by Maxi Lopez was a bold one and it made all the difference in this match. Can't wait for the second leg of this encounter!

Werder Bremen 0 - 3 Lyon

Lyon is the team which has scored the maximum goals in this tournament and they added three more to their tally against the Bundesliga champions. The scoreline does not depict the fact that Bremen played fairly well without really converting it into a goal. The goal scored by Diarra in the 78th minute was a real beauty. Even the free kick by Juninho was awesome. I can't see how Bremen is going to come back in this tie but stranger things have happened.

FC Porto 1 - 1 Inter Milan

Well, I called this one right! I was expecting a draw. Inter has carved out a name for itself when it comes to drawn matches. They haven't lost their last 40 matches! They have drawn most of those matches. Porto have managed to survive in this tournament so far but their return leg at the San Siro isn't going to be easy. We'll wait and watch what happens.

Shall be celebrating my room-mate's birthday over the weekend. Looking forward to that party!

Thats it for this week!
Will be back on Monday blogging in full swing again!