What is RSS?

6 November 2006, by Sean Gillen

Ronaldo special helps United pull clear at Premiership summit

Manchester United 3-0 Portsmouth

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning free-kick as Manchester United bounced back from their midweek disappointment with a convincing win over Portsmouth at Old Trafford. Two goals inside the first ten minutes set United on their way to what was an ultimately comfortable victory over the high-flying south-coast side.

United boss Alex Ferguson was able to make several changes from the side that lost to Copenhagen in midweek, with Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Louis Saha all returning to the starting line-up.

“I try it in training every week and today I scored.” - Ronaldo


The home side got off to the perfect start when referee Mike Dein awarded them a penalty, following Dejan Stefanovic’s challenge on Wayne Rooney. Leading goalscorer Louis Saha converted the spot-kick with a well-placed side-footed shot inside the left post.

Ronaldo thunderbolt

Ronaldo doubled his team’s advantage in spectacular fashion on ten minutes after Andy O’Brien had felled Saha to give United a free-kick. From close to 30 yards, Ronaldo used his customary technique of striking through the ball, and his thunderous drive flew past David James for a goal of the season contender.

United did not let up, and continued to press for more goals. A sign of United’s attacking dominance was the amount of damage being done by right-back Gary Neville. The United captain, so rarely a goalscorer, had two excellent opportunities to increase his side’s lead. After cutting in from the left to draw a smart save from James, Neville was again denied by the Pompey goalkeeper after being found by Rooney.

The Portsmouth no. 1 was the sole reason the score stayed at 2-0 going into the break. Rio Ferdinand’s downward header was tipped away, before Rooney burst into the box but was denied by the onrushing veteran ‘keeper.

Portsmouth, who started with both Portuguese midfielders Manuel Fernandes and Pedro Mendes, had offered little threat to the home side’s defence, until almost pulling a goal back through Matthew Taylor. Ferdinand’s clearance landed on Taylor’s favoured left foot, but his tremendous effort drew a smart save from van Der Sar.

Fernandes withdrawn

Having struggled with an injury for the closing stages of the first period, Manuel Fernandes was replaced at the interval by veteran forward, and former Manchester United favourite, Andy Cole, as Pompey boss Harry Redknapp looked for more attacking threat.

The change in Portsmouth’s play was instant, and Benjani forced van Der Sar into a low save after just a few minutes of the restart. United also continued to create chances, and Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic may have added to the scoreline when put in on goal, only to be denied by the outstanding James.

Niko Kranjcar made a mess of Portsmouth’s best chance of the game, before Vidic got United’s third on 66 minutes. The defender has been in excellent form for United in recent weeks, and he found himself unmarked inside the box to head home a pinpoint Neville cross and put the game out of reach for the visitors.

United withdrew Ronaldo, Rooney and Carrick, and after Saha had again been denied by James, substitute Fletcher cut inside Sean Davis, before firing wide with his left foot. With United’s substitutions Pompey were able to seize a little of the host’s initiative, and had chances in the closing stages, with O’Neil’s free-kick tipped wide by van Der Sar.

The win was United’s fifth in a row in the Premiership, and their 9th from 11 games in total. After their Carling Cup trip to Southend on Tuesday, two tough away fixtures follow. Next Saturday sees United visit a troublesome ground in recent years, with a trip to Ewood Park and Blackburn Rovers. After that, the Red Devils meet newly promoted Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Manchester United:
Van Der Sar, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick (Silvestre, 71), Scholes, Giggs, Ronaldo (Fletcher, 75), Rooney (O'Shea, 75), Saha
Yellow Cards: None

Portsmouth:
James, Pamarot, Taylor, O’Brien, Stefanovic, Davis, Mendes, Fernandes (Cole, 45), Kranjcar (Hughes, 84), O’Neil, Benjani (Lua Lua, 66)
Yellow Cards: Davis (44)

Goals:
[1-0] Saha (pen), 3
[2-0] Ronaldo, 10
[3-0] Vidic, 66