United Rides Out Mistakes

Manchester United 2 - Inter 0
Scorers
Manchester United: Vidic (4), Ronaldo (49)

Team: Van der Sar, Rio, Vidic, O'Shea, Evra, Scholes (Anderson 70), Carrick, Giggs, Ronaldo, Berbatov, Rooney (Park 84)

Goals four minutes into either half by Vidic and Ronaldo settled a nervy second leg. Had Inter, in particular Ibrahimovic, been sharper, we would have a harder game than the scoreline suggests.

We wasted no time to signal our intentions with Vidic opening the scoring from a corner. Our supporters hardly had time to warm their seats before standing and cheering the lead. We probably could have scored with chances falling for both O'Shea and Berbatov.

Then in uncharacteristic fashion, we began to make mistakes all over the pitch, allowing Inter to come back into the game. Ibrahimovic was menacing, hitting the crossbar and missing a hatfull of chances. Had Inter had a striker of any worth, we would be staring at a totally different scoreline and a probably exit from the Champions League.

We somehow survived a frantic end to the first half. We started the second period in the exact same way as the first. This time it was Ronaldo who got on the end of Rooney's delightful cross to head us into a 2-0 lead. Even with a 2 goal advantage, we still looked terrible and allowed way too many opportunities for Inter to snatch it. I shudder to think if we allowed a team like Barcelona that kind of space and time.

In the end, I suppose the difference between the teams is finishing. We made the most of our opportunities while Inter fluffed theirs. This was one of our poorer performances in Europe this season. I'm not sure if we have the pedegree to take it all the way.

That said, I'm hoping to meet Barcelona in the next round. If we want to be the best, we've got to beat the best, and they don't come better than Barcelona. It would be good on two counts. If we prevail, we'd know that we're the best team in Europe, if not the world. However, if we do lose, it's to a better team, a much better team. At least we would be able to concentrate on completing the domestic treble.

As the way things are going our way right now, we're on a crash course with destiny, with immortality awaiting at the end of the journey.