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Johnsen relieves United anxiety
By Derick Allsop | |
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Man Utd (0) 2 Wimbledon (0) 0 MANCHESTER United picked up their championship mantle from around their ankles and defiantly draped it around their shoulders again, courtesy of two goals in a breathless final eight minutes from Ronny Johnsen and Paul Scholes. United, in danger of losing all from a season that promised everything, endured more frustration against the fabled anti-heroes. An all-too-familiar catalogue of spurned opportunities compounded the anxieties of a club destabilised by the continued absence of Ryan Giggs and Peter Schmeichel. United laid siege to Wimbledon's goal for much of the first half yet rarely threatened to ruffle the composure of their goalkeeper, Neil Sullivan. United's planned renaissance was undermined before a ball could be contested in anger, Alex Ferguson again having to eliminate Giggs and Schmeichel from his equation. Both failed fitness tests on strained hamstrings and Giggs's state of health is causing particular concern at Old Trafford. Some sources suggest he may be struggling to play any further part in this championship campaign. By way of pernicious irony, the Welshman did appear on the pitch yesterday to receive an award as scorer of Match of the Day's goal of the month. Nicky Butt was another injury casualty, while Teddy Sheringham was serving a one-match suspension. On the credit side for Ferguson, the Neville brothers, David Beckham, Scholes and Andy Cole were named in his starting line-up. United's whirlwind opening might have produced two goals in four minutes. Scholes turned on Gary Neville's long throw and thrashed the ball into the side-netting. Cole then raced on to Raimond van der Gouw's clearance only to shoot straight at Sullivan's legs. Wimbledon demonstrated similarly positive intent and Gary Neville was twice forced into hasty interceptions, while van der Gouw was given the opportunity to prove he is a worthy understudy to Schmeicel. United came back with a torrid spell midway through the first half. Beckham pulled a free-kick to the left of Sullivan's goal, Gary Neville dragged his shot to the right and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed across the face of the Wimbledon goal. The Norwegian squandered two more chances early in the second half, and Sullivan tipped over Beckham's chip. Eight minutes from the end, when it seemed United had run out of hope as well as ideas, they scored. Wimbledon were unable to clear Beckham's third corner in succession and although Sullivan got a hand to Johnsen's shot, he could not keep it out. Scoles banished the tension with a second for United in the final minute. _________________________________________________________________ Man Utd (0) 2 Wimbledon (0) 0 Johnsen 83, Scholes 90. Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, Irwin, May, Johnsen, Beckham, Cole (McClair 90), P. Neville, Scholes, Solskjaer (Thornley 81), Berg. Subs Not Used: Pilkington, Casper, Curtis. Booked: Berg, May. Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble, Thatcher, Earle, Roberts, Gayle (Euell 60), Perry, Hughes, Ardley, Leaburn. Subs Not Used: Heald, Reeves, Fear, Francis. Booked: Thatcher, Cunningham. Att: 55,306 Ref: D J Gallagher (Banbury). _________________________________________________________________ March 29 1998 FOOTBALL United stage late revival while Arsenal win again Joe Lovejoy at Old Trafford Manchester United 2 Wimbledon 0 IT WAS hardly a fixture to which anyone would have attached special significance at the start of the season but, make no mistake about it, wins come no bigger than this, and if Manchester United do hang on and retain their title, they may well look back upon yesterday's nail-biter as their most important result of all. With 82 minutes on the clock, the League leaders seemed likely to drop another two precious points to Arsenal, who won again, and are proving the most relentless of pursuers. United had pounded the Wimbledon goal, but finished like Mr Magoo in a coal cellar, and Old Trafford's biggest audience of the season had fallen silent, fearing the worst, before Ronny Johnsen finally put them out of their misery. Johnsen, more than any other player, has galled Alex Ferguson with his various injuries this season, but the United manager was first among the backslappers when the Norwegian defender-turned-midfielder left the field after this vital scoring contribution. Crowd and players alike were staring at a sixth match without a win, and a major nail in their title coffin, when Johnsen fastened on to the loose ball after a David Beckham corner and drilled an unstoppable half-volley past goalkeeper Neil Sullivan in the Wimbledon goal. Paul Scholes headed in the second at the death to ensure the scoreline more accurately reflected a one-sided match. But there was no disputing the man of the moment. After an in-and-out season, Rocket Ronny had made his mark. Ferguson, relief personified, said: "I can't disguise how delighted I am. For a long time it looked like we weren't going to get what we deserved, and that Arsenal were going to get a massive boost, but we persevered and got a break." The United manager insisted that Arsenal were "still in the driving seat", courtesy of their three matches in hand but his face told another story. The champions have the bit between their teeth again and it will take some dislodging. The confidence rebuilt by this restorative result will be buttressed by the return of Peter Schmeichel, Gary Pallister, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs, all of whom are expected to be back by the time United play again, away to Blackburn Rovers next Monday. Ferguson said a 10-day break, for the midweek internationals, had given his players a welcome chance to regroup after the Richter Scale shock of defeat by Arsenal and elimination from the European Cup. Wimbledon, too, are in need of points, in their case to pull clear of the relegation dogfight. And the disappointment of Joe Kinnear, their manager, was reflected in his uncharacteristic unwillingness to comment after the match. The Dons defences were penetrated twice in the first five minutes. First Scholes turned neatly on Gary Neville's long throw, only to shoot into the side-netting, then Raimond van der Gouw's Route One clearance allowed Cole to burst past Ben Thatcher, but he drove the ball into the advancing keeper's legs. That was to be the way of it. Invigorated by their break, United were always dominant, with Cole's pace and determination the likeliest source of a goal. But of the fusillade of shots directed at the Wimbledon goal the best of the first half came, improbably, from the left boot of Gary Neville, who cut inside at pace before unleashing a skimming drive that was too close for Sullivan's comfort. The second half followed the same pattern: United surging forward, Wimbledon falling back in good order, with no Giggs magic to surprise and unhinge their stubborn defence. Twice in the space of a few minutes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should have put United out of their goalless misery but finished like a man bereft of confidence. Strange this, after his equalising goal for Norway in Belgium in midweek. Beckham had a centre-cum-shot touched over, Cole and Irwin tried their luck from distance. It was all United, but self-belief seemed to drain from them at the sight of the 18-yard line. To the relief of those of the red persuasion, Ardley caught the bug when Wimbledon managed a rare breakaway, shooting tamely over. United deserved a goal to reward their territorial supremacy, but the ball refused to go in. Irwin set up Cole but the striker was unable to get sufficient power behind his shot and, when poor Solskjaer got another chance, he infuriated the crowd by passing straight to Kimble. Time, and the crowd's patience, was fast running out when Beckham's corner from the left was cleared only as far as Johnsen, whose finish brooked no argument. Still it was not over, and Michael Hughes might have restored parity with a shot which took a wicked deflection, and Carl Leaburn contrived to head the ball off the line when it seemed easier to score, before United's second allowed their edge-of-the-seat following to relax. Ben Thornley, on as substitute for the hapless Solskjaer, delivered a good left-wing cross which Beckham met at the far post, nodding it back whence it came for Scholes to head home, close in. The bookmakers were quick to confirm United as 3-1 on favourites for the title, but Ferguson, a noted punter, said he would be having none of that: "I'm certainly not going to back us at those odds - after all, Arsenal have got to drop points for us to win it." More kidology. After this result, the smart money is on United. Manchester United: Van Der Gouw, G Neville, Irwin, May, Johnsen, Beckham, Cole (McClair 90), P Neville, Scholes, Solskjaer (Thornley 81), Berg. Unused: Pilkington, Casper, Curtis. Wimbledon:Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble, Thatcher, Earle, Roberts, Gayle (Euell 60), Perry, Hughes, Ardley, Leaburn. Unused: Heald, Reeves, Fear, Francis. Scorers: Goals: Johnsen 83, Scholes 90. Substitutes: Manchester United: Solskjaer (Thornley 81min), Cole (McClair 90min). Booked: Berg (16min), Thatcher (20min), Cunningham (27min), May (83min). Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury). Attendance: 55,306. Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Ltd. _________________________________________________________________ United win, but violence flares at English grounds (adds violence, match details, quotes,) By Simon Haydon LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Manchester United belatedly rediscovered some scoring form to beat Wimbledon 2-0 in the English premier league on Saturday and maintain a six-point lead over Arsenal who defeated Sheffield Wednesday 1-0. But soccer action was overshadowed by violence around English grounds. A fan died and several others were taken to hospital after a match between second division Gillingham and Fulham. There was also trouble at Barnsley and Everton. At Old Trafford, the reigning champions battered away at the stubborn Wimbledon defence for 83 minutes before Norwegian defender Ronny Johnsen rifled home a loose ball to break the deadlock. Paul Scholes added a second in the dying seconds to give United their first win in six matches. "We showed today that we have the stomach for a battle," said Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson. "With that kind of stomach we've got a real shout for the championship." His opposite number Joe Kinnear accused referee David Gallagher of being afraid to give decisions against Manchester United and said three home players were offside when they scored their first goal. "We have to suffer because the referee does not have any bottle. It (the goal) was a turning point for us. Up to then we were coasting...he had a pathetic game, I am bitterly disappointed," said the outspoken Kinnear. Manchester United now have 63 points from 32 games, Arsenal are on 57 from 29 and Liverpool have 54 from 31. Fourth-placed Chelsea play Middlesbrough in the final of the League Cup on Sunday. Arsenal, unbeaten for nine matches, kept up the pressure on the champions with a 35th minute goal fired home by Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp, his 19th of the season, after a cool through ball from compatriot Marc Overmars. Bergkamp will miss Arsenal's next three games through suspension. Third-placed Liverpool featured in the most dramatic game of the day against struggling Barnsley, where the Yorkshire club ended the game with no points and just eight players on the field after three were sent off. Play was interrupted in the 65th minute when Chris Morgan became the second Barnsley man sent off after elbowing a Liverpool player. The visitors were winning 2-1 and a spectator, who ran onto the pitch in an apparent effort to get at referee Gary Willard, had to be restrained by players. Scuffles broke out on and off the pitch. Players clashed and match officials had to be escorted from the pitch before play could resume. Barnsley, with nine men, managed an equaliser to make the score 2-2 before Steve McManaman grabbed a 90th minute winner. Seconds later Barnsley's Darren Sheridan was sent off. At the other end of the premier league Tottenham Hotspur drove bottom-placed Crystal Palace deeper into trouble with a 3-1 away victory. Second to bottom Bolton beat Leicester 2-0, Alan Thompson scoring two second half goals. Bolton's Icelandic defender Gudni Bergsson and Leicester's Robert Ullathorne were both sent off. Palace remain bottom, with 26 points, Bolton have 30 and Barnsley 31. Everton drop to fourth from bottom after a 4-1 thumping at home to Aston Villa. Newcastle, after a turbulent two weeks in which Sir John Hall returned after a boardroom scandal involving the chairman and deputy chairman of the club, flopped 2-1 away to Southampton, Matt Le Tissier scoring an 85th minute penalty to deepen the northeastern club's problems. In the lower echelons, Notts County became the first league side since World War Two to be promoted in March when they beat Leyton Orient 1-0 to take an unassailable 19-point lead in Division Three. © Reuters Limited 1998 _________________________________________________________________ Ferguson's ruling passion By Russell Thomas Saturday March 28, 1998 The status quo was rigorously if belatedly enforced, much to the relief of red legions who were also reassured by Alex Ferguson's message that he will continue ruling from his Old Trafford dais well into the next millennium. But what of football's poor? They are always with us, victims of harsh decisions mocking their efforts to rise from the bottom of the pile. Joe Kinnear did not need the unfolding drama at Barnsley to support his long-held view; he perceived injustice at first hand here. Unusually Wimbledon's manager declined to comment at the post-match press conference but his words to television still reverberated. United, in terms of territorial advantage and chances created, deserved the two late goals noisily acclaimed by Old Trafford's biggest crowd of the season. It was a triumph of the defending champions' will but it was nail-chewing stuff. For Kinnear it left only the taste of bitter aloes. Bitter? "Very bitter." The first goal, he insisted "was a massive boob by the referee. He bottled it; he was like a muppet for them". Wimbledon always had to give way at free-kicks, he said. "We went 10 yards back for them; they went back four yards for us." It is a familiar Kinnear lament when confronted by the Premiership's big guns and one that again will be scrutinised by the FA's disciplinary department. Yet Kinnear has a point about the refereeing of Dermot Gallagher and the linesmanship. Wimbledon's Robbie Earle was being generous when he claimed that two United players were off-side when the outstanding Ronny Johnsen fiercely struck home after 83 minutes. Television replays show three and Gallagher well placed to question the linesman. Kinnear was five-sixths correct in his forecast that the United contingent withdrawn by Ferguson from England's squad in midweek would be miraculously restored to fitness. Nicky Butt (calf) was the only one of that band missing. Teddy Sheringham was allowed to travel to Berne but was serving a one-match suspension on Saturday. Ferguson must be privately concerned about Andy Cole - one goal in 12 games - and Ole Solskjaer - missing so many chances. Cole, who was carried off with an ankle injury at the end, is so quick to see and take advantage of defenders outside the area, but often cannot transport that quality inside. Neil Sullivan twice saved well from him but both opportunities should have been accepted. Solskjaer mis-kicked a chance horribly. All this does not seem to bother Ferguson. But of whispers that he was contemplating retirement after 12 years in charge he wrote in the match programme: "Frankly it bugs me. I am 56, feel as fit as a I ever did and have a lot more to achieve. I intend to work into my 60s because Manchester United is my life... There is important work to do." Such as justifying the bookmakers' odds on United winning the title for a fifth time in six years. Ferguson has been this way many times before. "Arsenal are in the driving seat," he said. "They've got to lose points for us to win it." His expression, and tone of voice, told a much more confident United story Guardian _________________________________________________________________ Man United v Wimbledon 28/03/98 3.00 Man United (0) 2 Wimbledon (0) 0 FT Johnsen 83 Scholes 90 Ronny Johnsen scored his first FA Carling Premiership goal eight minutes from time to keep Manchester United in the title hunt as the reigning champions won 2-0 at Old Trafford. The Norwegian's timing was perfect as he popped up to break the deadlock just as it seemed the champions would be frustrated by Wimbledon in their attempts to collect all three points. Paul Scholes headed home United's second in stoppage time to give the scoreline a truer reflection of the game. Manager Alex Ferguson admitted that he had never felt as down has he had after their Champions' League exit against Monaco, but this result and performance will have gone far to lift his spirits again. The victory was no less than United deserved after they dominated proceedings from start to finish. But their hopes of recording their first win this month ran into Wimbledon's nine-man defence until Johnsen's timely intervention. The win was United's eighth in succession over the Dons in the league, but few of those other victories were as vital as this one. United desperately needed all three points to get their title challenge back on track after a disastrous spell, which had seen Arsenal haul themselves back into the championship race. Before the match Ryan Giggs came out to receive his award for winning the February Goal of the Month competition, but unfortunately that was the closest he got to playing. The Welshman suffered a reaction to his hamstring injury in training yesterday and was sidelined again. United began determined to put their poor March form of two defeats and three draws behind them. Scholes fired into the side netting after only two minutes before Dons goalkeeper Neil Sullivan saved Andy Cole's powerful shot with his legs. David Beckham then curled a free-kick just past Sullivan's far post before Gary Neville went close with a left, yes left, foot shot. Still United maintained the pressure, but still the Wimbledon defence refused to yield and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed just wide. On 32 minutes, Beckham was not far away with another free-kick, which he curled into the side netting from 25 yards out. The visitors were restricted to very little at the other end, but two minutes before half-time Michael Hughes released Marcus Gayle with a long ball. As Gayle connected with it Raimond van der Gouw collided with him and Henning Berg hoofed the ball clear. Within seconds of the restart, Chris Perry fouled Cole for a free-kick on the edge of the area and up stepped Beckham once more and this time his right-foot effort was deflected for a corner. On 52 minutes Sullivan sliced his clearance to Solskjaer, but the goalkeeper recovered to save the Norwegian's shot. Four minutes later Solskjaer was presented with a great chance on 56 minutes when Phil Neville played the ball across to him on the left in front of goal, but he completely missed his kick. United were becoming increasingly frustrated by their failure to break down the Dons' defence. Even when they did manage to penetrate Wimbledon's back line they came up against a defiant Sullivan, who produced a wonderful save to tip Beckham's curling effort away for a corner. Cole then had an effort deflected into the side netting as United continued to dominate. Cole should have scored after 73 minutes when he was released on the right, but again Sullivan blocked his shot. Then came the break through which looked like it would never come. Wimbledon failed to clear Beckham's corner from the right and Johnsen drove the ball home past Sullivan. The Dons almost snatched an equaliser two minutes later when Hughes' shot was deflected just past the post for a corner. In stoppage time substitute Ben Thornley, who had replaced Solskjaer nine minutes from time, crossed to Beckham who nodded the ball back for Scholes to head home the second from close-range. Man United: (4-4-2) Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, Irwin, May, Johnsen, Beckham, Cole (McClair, 90), P. Neville, Scholes, Solskjaer (Thornley, 81), Berg. Subs not used: Pilkington, Casper, Curtis. Booked: Berg, May. Wimbledon: (4-4-2) Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble, Thatcher, Earle, Roberts, Gayle (Euell, 60), Perry, Hughes, Ardley, Leaburn. Subs not used: Heald, Reeves, Fear, Francis. Booked: Thatcher, Cunningham. Attendance: 55,306. Referee: D J Gallagher (Banbury). |
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