Manchester United came from behind to beat AC Milan 3-2 in Italy and take charge of their UEFA Champions League tie.
Striker scores twice in 3-2 thriller at San Siro
Manchester United came from behind to beat AC Milan 3-2 in Italy and take charge of their UEFA Champions League tie.
Wayne Rooney scored twice in the second half to add to Paul Scholes' earlier effort as the Rossoneri were made to pay for not ramming home their advantage after Ronaldinho had broken the deadlock after just three minutes.
United's position would have been even more commanding had Clarence Seedorf not netted late on to give Milan hope going into the second leg at Old Trafford on 10th March.
David Beckham had been the focus of media scrutiny ahead of his first game against United and the midfielder was involved in the opening goal as his free-kick was half-cleared to Ronaldinho, who struck a deflected effort past Edwin van der Sar.
Milan squandered a number of good opportunities to extend their lead against a shaky United defence and were then stunned in the 36th minute when Scholes equalised with a fortunate finish from Darren Fletcher's cross.
The hosts again made the stronger start to the second half but United threatened on the break and went in front after 66 minutes when Rooney headed home a pinpoint delivery from substitute Antonio Valencia.
Rooney escaped his marker to nod another Fletcher cross beyond Dida on 74 minutes but Milan responded with an audacious flick from Seedorf five minutes from time and United finished with ten men after Michael Carrick was shown a second yellow card deep into stoppage time.
Early strike
If Beckham had waited seven years to face his old club, United and Ronaldinho were hanging round for equally as long before their paths crossed after the Brazilian came close to moving to Old Trafford from Paris St Germain in 2003.
It took the former world footballer of the year just three minutes to remind Sir Alex Ferguson what he missed, after Beckham had done what everyone knows he can, produce excellent set-pieces.
Patrice Evra's acrobatic attempt to clear that one set Ronaldinho up, although Van der Sar had the shot covered before it deflected off Carrick and ended up in the opposite corner.
For an old team, Milan clearly had something left. Their passing had United twisting and turning, looking for all the world like a team on the edge of a very big cliff, not knowing precisely where the bottom was.
Ronaldinho, Luca Antonini and Klaas Jan Huntelaar twice came agonisingly close to finding Van der Sar's net again. If a couple of them had gone in, Ferguson could not have complained.
As it was, apart from Beckham, the only other 'Class of 92' graduate on the pitch was about to make a decisive contribution.
Scholes has peppered the intervening years with a number of howitzers, goals that will be admired decades from now.
This was not among them. Swinging at Fletcher's low cross from the by-line, Scholes missed the ball completely with his right foot, the ball striking him half way up the shin of his standing left.
What could only be described as a freakish deflection not only took it the six yards to Dida's goal, but right in the bottom corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance of keeping it out.
Admirable
Milan's response was admirable, given what a shattering blow that away goal was, United's first in five away games against a fellow European heavyweight.
Andrea Pirlo forced a one-handed save out of Van der Sar with a 30-yard free-kick, then the 39-year-old Dutchman required every inch of his massive frame to flick a goalbound Ronaldinho effort round the post.
Yet in that one stroke of good fortune for Scholes, it seemed the destiny of the tie had been shaped and a minute after what turned out to be an inspired substitution, Rooney scored.
Valencia, who had just replaced Nani, was the provider, sending over a cross from the right that allowed Rooney to steer a header back over Dida into the opposite corner.
Now the age in Milan's legs began to tell. And when Fletcher chipped another cross into the box, Rooney stole between defenders to head home once more.
It seemed victory and progress was assured, so Ferguson will be livid at the Seedorf effort five minutes from time that ensured an uncomfortable ending and gives Milan a flicker of hope for the return in three weeks' time, when Carrick will be unavailable following his dismissal deep into stoppage time.
| Milan |
Team Statistics |
Manchester United |
| 2 |
Goals |
3 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 6 |
Corners |
4 |
| 15 |
Fouls |
20 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
1 |
| 76.1 |
Passing Success |
81.7 |
| 15 |
Tackles |
15 |
| 60 |
Tackles Success |
86.7 |
| 49.7 |
Possession |
50.3 |
| 51.1 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.9 |
|
