Manchester United 0 AC Milan 1
Manchester United's recurring goalkeeping nightmare returned to haunt them at
Old Trafford as Roy Carroll's howler sent the Red Devils spinning to the
brink of Champions League elimination.
When Carroll spilled Clarence Seedorf's drive at the feet of Hernan Crespo 12
minutes from time in this 1-0 home defeat he was repeating the kind of mistake
which has scarred Sir Alex Ferguson over the past 12 months.
It is almost that long since Tim Howard's blunder gifted Porto their win at
the same stage of the last renewal of this same competition.
Other occurrences in an unhappy list are a Howard error at Lyon which cost the
American his first-team place in September, the comical dropped catch by Carroll
which should have been a goal for Tottenham but wasn't - and another Howard faux
pas allowing Chelsea to advance into Sunday's Carling Cup final.
How ironic it should be a man deemed not good enough for Jose Mourinho's
Stamford Bridge revolution who gave Milan a victory which leaves United staring
at a much higher mountain than any they clambered over on their way to Europe's
summit in 1999.
It was a sad way for Ferguson's team to end a night which started with the
absences of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Jaap Stam and contained enough effort and
commitment to be rewarded with at least a creditable goalless draw.
Stam's departure, following an injury sustained in the warm-up, deprived the
contest of a significant sub-plot. It did not trouble Milan unduly, though -
because in Cafu they could introduce a replacement good enough to be the first
man in history to play in three successive World Cup finals.
The Brazilian quickly looked to take advantage of Cristiano Ronaldo's failure
to track back with any conviction and was largely responsible for the nervy
moments United endured during the opening 20 minutes.
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti demanded his team impose their own game plan on
their hosts and received his wish as Kaka, Rui Costa and Andrea Pirlo waved
pretty patterns in front of the United back four.
Marshalled superbly by Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown, Ferguson's side managed to
keep their opponents - who went top of Serie A at the weekend - at arm's length
for much of the time.
Had Seedorf's blistering long-range free-kick been a couple of inches lower,
instead of grazing the top of the bar it would have found the net and handed
Milan the advantage they no doubt felt their early offensive deserved.
In fact, it was United who created the best opportunity in those entertaining
first 25 minutes when Quinton Fortune nut-megged Alessandro Nesta on his way to
the by-line.
Of all the players Ferguson would have wanted Fortune's cut-back to reach,
Paul Scholes would have been top of the list. But inexplicably, in a position
from which he has found the net so often in the past, the former England man
drilled his shot wide.
It formed part of a largely ineffective first-half display from one of the
most influential men in United's line-up - and with captain Roy Keane also
toiling, Fortune emerged as the star of Ferguson's midfield.
Even on his fit days, the South African has so often been little more than a
bit-part player during his five years at Old Trafford. But he was only inches
away from scoring the goal his superb contribution deserved when Ronaldo
launched a rapid counter-attack just after the half-hour mark.
After darting 50 yards down field, the Portuguese winger's inside pass was
slightly too far ahead of his supporting team-mate - so Fortune was at full
stretch when he got to it on the edge of the area just ahead of Dida.
Slightly off balance as well, Fortune did well to make as firm a connection as
he did. Agonisingly, he got the ball over Dida but then saw it drop an inch the
wrong side of Milan's gaping goal.
Having begun the opening period with admirable attacking intention, then faded
as the half wore on, the visitors were more circumspect at the start of the
second 45 minutes.
Content to let United play further up the pitch in the hope of leaving space
behind, Milan choked up the midfield and strangled the home attack before it got
even close to causing them any bother.
With a goalless draw looming, the arrival of van Nistelrooy just after the
hour was predictable. Unfortunately, so was the goalkeeping howler which gifted
Milan their priceless lead 12 minutes from time.
For Ferguson, the chilling scene must be like something from a bad horror
movie. How he must regret not addressing the glaring problem.
Teams
Man Utd Carroll, Gary Neville (Silvestre 80), Ferdinand,
Brown, Heinze, Ronaldo (van Nistelrooy 62), Scholes, Keane,
Fortune (Saha 80), Giggs, Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Howard, Phil Neville, Smith, O'Shea.
Booked: Fortune.
AC Milan Dida, Cafu (Costacurta 86), Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze,
Gattuso, Pirlo (Ambrosini 84), Seedorf, Rui Costa,
Kaka (Serginho 90), Crespo.
Subs Not Used: Abbiati, Tomasson, Dhorasoo.
Booked: Nesta.
Goals: Crespo 78.
Att: 67,162
Ref: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain).
