What is RSS?

18 September 2006, by Sean Gillen

Late goal gives Arsenal victory at Old Trafford

Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal

Manchester United’s winning start to the season came to a sudden halt as Arsenal produced an excellent team performance to claim all three points at Old Trafford. Emanuel Adebayor’s late winner was just rewards as the Gunners dominated large parts of the match.

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the United line-up after missing the midweek Champions League win over Celtic through suspension. The Portuguese winger had a mixed afternoon, although the team as a whole produced a disappointing display.

United got off to a bad start when goalkeeper Tomasz Kusczcak, making his debut in place of the unwell Edwin van Der Sar, gave away a 10th minute penalty when he took down Emanuel Adebayor. However, the Polish international redeemed himself by making a double-handed save from Gilberto Silva’s spot kick.

From the resulting corner, a scramble inside the United penalty area resulted in Paul Scholes clearing off the line under pressure from Arsenal’s French defender William Gallas. Adebayor then cushioned a long ball down to Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky, who hit a stunning first time shot to draw another good save from Kuszczak.

Ronaldo-Rooney combine

Although the game was evenly-fought in terms of possession, Arsenal always looked the more dangerous side in the early stages. Ronaldo slid the ball through the channel for Rooney, but the England striker dragged a shot across the face of goal, under pressure from Kolo Toure, in what was United’s first real sight of goal.

From a swift Arsenal counter-attack that was scrambled away after a good challenge from Patice Evra, Ronaldo had probably United’s best effort on goal when he flicked the ball up and hit a crisp volley on the turn, which drew a good save from Jens Lehman. The former Sporting man then made space and shot wide from 25 metres.

The 21-year-old continued to have the better of Unted’s chances, and he controlled a Darren Fletcher cross at the back post, but his powerful shot hit Lehman in the face as United enjoyed their best period of the game shortly before half time. United captain Gary Neville’s excellent challenge on Freddie Ljunberg then denied the Swede a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The home side found it difficult to put pressure on their opponents during the second half, with Arsenal looking organised at the back and keeping the ball well. Louis Saha did manage to glance a header wide, before Adebayor fired over for the Gunners.

Ronaldo almost gifted Arsenal the lead just after the hour mark when he gave away possession, and Adebayor broke with the ball. Fortunately for the Portuguese, Adebayor’s tame finish was comfortably saved by Kuszczak.

Arsenal threaten

Rosicky miss-kicked when well-placed on the edge of the area and substitute Julio Baptista’s run ended with a finish that whistled past the post as Arsenal began to look the side most likely to nick a winner.

The winning goal came with less than five minutes on the clock. Ronaldo was caught in possession in midfield by Cesc Fabregas, who found Adebayor, and the forward toe-poked past Kuszczak. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have equalised just one minute later, but his snapshot produced a world class save from Lehman and Arsenal saw out the remaining few minutes.

United will be looking to recover from the setback next week at Reading, before they travel to Lisbon to meet Benfica in the Champions League.

United:
Kuszczak, Neville, Silvestre (Evra, 23), Ferdinand, Brown, O’Shea, Flecther, Scholes (Carrick, 78), Ronaldo, Rooney (Solskjaer, 77), Saha
Yellow Cards: Brown (60), Scholes (71)

Arsenal:
Lehman, Gallas, Djourou, Eboue, Toure, Gilberto, Fabregas, Hleb (Baptista, 68), Rosicky, Ljunberg, Adebayor (Flamini, 88)
Yellow Cards: Lehman (5), Toure (9)

Goals:
[0-1] Adebayor, 86