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Cole completes United's quest for perfection
By Henry Winter | |
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Manchester Utd (1) 3 Kosice (0) 0 AFTER stumbling into last season's knockout phase of the Champions' League, Manchester United yesterday strode into this year's model, securing their fifth Group B victory on the spin with this simple defeat of Kosice. The vanquishing of Slovakia's European novices, a result that took United's Group B revenue to £7.1 million, had been expected, although Alex Ferguson's side initially made heavy weather of victory, relying on Andy Cole's 40th-minute strike before Lubomir Faktor's late own goal was followed by Teddy Sheringham's fine shot. If the quarter-finals opened up to embrace Ferguson's men last night, such progress had been underpinned by shows of character against Juventus at home and Feyenoord away. Both testing nights, when the physical approach was met by the turning of a bruised cheek, the English champions, young and eager, revealed their grit, their discipline and alacrity for taking chances. United now conclude the group stage with a trip to Turin, where they will be full of confidence against a Juventus side missing Alessandro Del Piero, suspended following his caution in Wednesday's remarkable 2-0 defeat at Feyenoord. When the draw was made, and the runes read, this Dec 10 assignment appeared daunting; now it will simply reflect how far United have come, how much they have learned, in Europe. And they could be sending last year's beaten finalists out at a humiliatingly early stage. After that there is a week-long wait until the draw to decide who plays who on March 4 and 18. Already through are Borussia Dortmund, Dinamo Kiev and Bayern Munich. United's confident campaign, their palpable intelligence whether in possession or simply seeking it, has already seen them installed as favourites for the European Cup. 'Bubbly On Ice' screamed the Manchester Evening News, stoking local expectation to fever pitch. Yet, when another full house had settled in, the early stages proved frustrating fare. United, normally such hungry competitors, struggled to break down a Kosice side who had thrown a six-man blanket across midfield. Cole's goal, which lent the half a rosier hue, was still 40 minutes away. There was little to admire, apart from the thoughtful, precise contribution of Sheringham, a ghosting presence exuding international class with his accurate distribution. Dropping deep behind Cole, Sheringham kept arrowing the ball forward or wide to Ryan Giggs in particular. Behind him, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt ensured Kosice's numerical supremacy in midfield was rarely apparent. Snapping into tackles, the midfield pair quickly saw possession return to United's domain. Slowly but surely, at last remembering the prolific streak that has brought them 23 goals in five domestic matches, Ferguson's side began to find their range. Giggs twice drilled ferocious shots parried away by Ladislav Molnar, Kosice's alert goalkeeper. As the game stuttered past the half-hour mark, Cole drifted a right-footed shot over, following Sheringham's low ball which had carved apart Kosice's midfield. The flow was with United but Kosice still hinted at danger, not least when the lively Vladislav Zvara, all long hair and longer breaks, tested a defence which saw Ronny Johnsen partnering Gary Pallister, Henning Berg having been left on the bench. When Zvara did create a glimpse of United's goal, Peter Schmeichel threw his considerable frame in the way. Back came United, perhaps fearing Ferguson's reception in the dressing-room. The passes became slicker, more confidently struck to feet. Five minutes before half-time Sheringham switched the angle of attack, from centre to the right where David Beckham, looking leaner than in recent months, delivered a swift reverse pass down the inside-right channel to Cole. The ball carried past Marek Spilar before Cole became involved, striking it powerfully through Molnar's legs to release a wave of euphoria around Old Trafford. Patently superior in technique and ambition, United should have added a second just before half-time but Sheringham missed horribly at the far-post. Chances came and went after the turnaround. As vast swathes of the crowd contented themselves with disparaging ditties about their English rivals, United attempted to build on Cole's breakthrough. Sadly, the final touch and a truly clinical edge, let United down. Cole, twice, and Sheringham wasted chances. Kosice, battered but unbowed, stood firm. To liven his attack up, Ferguson introduced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, which served to cede parts of midfield to Kosice, Butt having departed. Beckham and Giggs tucked in, a move which inevitably tempered United's threat down the flanks. Beckham still managed to head wide after 57 minutes, lifting in a cross which Solskjaer headed firmly goalwards only for Molnar to tip the danger over. Solskjaer fired wide and then Karel Poborsky, Giggs' replacement, hit the side-netting. The pressure finally told when, following a blocked Poborsky shot, the ball rebounded in off Faktor. There was more. Sheringham, the man of the match, sent United through to the last eight inside, gliding forward from midfield before unleashing a powerful drive, which carried enough to take it past Molnar's left-hand upright. __________________________________________________________ Man Utd (1) 3 FC Kosice (0) 0 Cole 40, Faktor 85 og, Sheringham 90. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Butt (Solskjaer 55), Cole, Sheringham, Giggs (Poborsky 75), P. Neville (Berg 75), Scholes. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, McClair, Curtis, Twiss. FC Kosice: Molnar, Spilar, Kozak, Dzurik, Janocko (Rusnak 30), Lubarskij, Toth, Kozlej (Bochnovic 84), Semenik, Zvara (Faktor 80), Sovic. Subs Not Used: Benko, Telek, Kral, Cvirk. Att: 53,535 Ref: A Cakar (Turkey). Feyenoord (0) 2 Juventus (0) 0 Cruz 66, 88 P W D L F A Pts Manchester Utd 5 5 0 0 14 4 15 Juventus 5 3 0 2 11 8 9 Feyenoord 5 2 0 3 7 10 6 FC Kosice 5 0 0 5 2 12 0 FIXTURES.- Dec 10: FC Kosice v Feyenoord, Juventus v Manchester Utd. __________________________________________________________ Man Utd cruise into Champions' Cup quarter-finals (Adds quotes, details) By Alan Baldwin MANCHESTER, England, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Striker Andy Cole scored his fifth goal in five Champions' League games on Thursday as Manchester United cruised into the European Cup quarter-finals with their 100 percent record intact. United boss Alex Ferguson later gave his most confident hint that he saw United, 1968 winners and losing semifinalists last season, going all the way this time after a relatively low-key 3-0 victory over Slovakia's Kosice. "I think they have a good chance of going far in it," he said. "They have definitely improved on last year." His Slovak counterpart Karol Pecze agreed: "I think today we lost to a team that could without any major problem go on to be champions of Europe," he said. Cole, who opened his Champions' League tally in a carbon-copy 3-0 win in Slovakia last September and then scored a hat-trick against Dutch team Feyenoord this month, broke the ice in the 40th minute after several missed chances. Reportedly the highest paid player in United's history after signing a new five-year contract last week, Cole drove the ball through Slovak goalkeeper Ladislav Molnar's legs after a pass through from David Beckham. Before that, Welsh international Ryan Giggs had a powerful shot stopped at full-stretch and then floated a shot just over the bar with the keeper beaten. United went close repeatedly in the second half but had to wait until the final five minutes for more. Kosice substitute Lubomir Faktor gifted the second five minutes after coming on as he tried to tackle Teddy Sheringham. That looked to be it but, after failing to break down the Kosice defences and missing one great chance in the last minute of the first half with the goal gaping, England striker Sheringham made it 3-0 two minutes into injury time. It was a genuine case of saving the best to last, Sheringham picking up the ball and running into the Kosice box before lashing a curling shot around Molnar at the far post. Kosice, who had lost 3-2 to Juventus this month, had hoped for their first point in the Champions' League but managed only a few snatched shots at goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. Ferguson changed the team around in the second half, introducing Czech Karel Poborsky and Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and injecting fresh pace into the attack. He was happy overall but lightly critical of United's finishing: "Having to wait so long for a lucky break for a second goal made a tighter game than it should have been." "It could have been a really comfortable second half," he said. Pecze acknowledged that the English club were a cut above the rest in the group. "For the first time in the Champions' League we have also come up against a crowd that put a lot of pressure on us. We had to come to terms with that," he said. The 53,500 capacity crowd at Old Trafford, who have yet to see United lose at home this season, went away roaring "champions" into the night. The win at Old Trafford left United with a maximum and unassailable 15 points in group B with one match remaining against Juventus, who have nine points, in Turin. Juventus dashed their hopes last season round but this time are themselves in danger of going out after losing 2-0 to a resurgent Feyenoord in Rotterdam on Wednesday. They must beat United on December 10 and even that might not be enough to make them one of the two best runners-up. Ferguson was clearly delighted at the prospect of a stress-free journey to Italy. "We can go to Turin, relax and enjoy it," he said. "There's going to be no disappointment this time." © Reuters Limited 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thursday, November 27 1997 MANCHESTER UNITED 3-0 KOSICE Cole (40) Faktor (og 85) Sheringham (90) Manchester United confirmed their qualification for a second successive Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford against Kosice by maintaining the only 100 per cent record in the competition. But Alex Ferguson's players are now so used to completing his exact instructions, win the group, keep your discipline, score in every game, that he may regret his off the cuff remark that '1-0 will do me'. He was quite correct of course and United have now become the team to beat, but it stayed at 1-0 for too long against a Slovakian side who were fortunate, given the deluge of chances, not to depart with a six or seven-goal thrashing. At least Andy Cole, with 13 goals already this season, has transferred his attention to single-handedly winning United the Champions Cup having already won himself a lucrative new contract. His goal, five minutes before half time, settled what nerves there were. The evening was rounded off when two substitutes made their dramatic interventions. For United Karel Poborsky had a fierce shot beaten out by Ladislav Molnar, the goalkeeper. But as Teddy Sheringham attempted to profit Kosice substitute Lubo Faktor ran on to the ball and stabbed it beyond his own goalkeeper. And at last, in stoppage time, Teddy Sheringham applied the killer touch with a vicious curving right foot shot which sent the ball into the net and the crowd home in ecstacy. With this, yet another victory, Manchester United have now fulfilled their self-set mission by winning the group and grabbing what Ferguson himself admits is a moderate advantage. United's quarter-final gives them what is traditionally considered the better option of the home leg second and if the best second-place team comes from this group, United cannot be drawn against them. Other than that it is an open draw and United are just as likely to be paired with a stiffner like Real Madrid as with novices like Rosenborg. Where they have given themselves a really juicy prospect is that they can now go to Juventus without any pressure. For some of the night United lacked the ruthless streak for which they have become known. They started with a spring in their step, certainly, but spring had reverted to winter before long. The chill factor probably started with Ryan Giggs' inability to convert excellent posession into a telling cross. Within the opening seconds, at a time when a goal would have helped put Kosice to the sword, Paul Scholes threaded a smashing ball through the gap to Giggs on the wing. His tempting cross was well saved by Molnar but in the following minutes United's No11 was to use the ball less and less clinically. Scholes hit a 60-yard beauty on to Giggs' shoelaces but the winger hit Robert Semenik not Cole with the cross. Quite what one of Slovakia's leading scorers was doing at sweeper was another question but the surprise deployment worked well - obviously Semenik is an adaptable 24-year-old. The same pattern had re-occurred from a Phil Neville pass before Giggs left his best chance unconverted. Semenik lay injured as Sheringham swept a crisp ball to his team mate yet with Cole begging to be supplied, Giggs hit Peter Dzurik with his attempt. While that work was wasteful, and helped take the sting out of the crowd's anticpatory chanting, the Welshman at least had two vicious shots of his own - one of which Molnar could only punch away. Vladislav Zvara, the Kosice playmaker who has been performing below his ability in the Champions League, started to look creative and he linked well with Miroslav Sovic on the right wing. Dusan Toth's early swerving shot had been the only threat until, in the 15th minute, Kosice might well have opened the scoring. The first indication that United were ready to produce the tempo Ferguson had demanded finally came after half an hour when Giggs lobbed the ball in and Cole's reactions allowed him to pop the ball out of Molnar's grasping fingers but Ivan Kozak, the captain, who had defended well already, booted away. The breakthrough came 10 minutes later from Cole, of course, via his 10th goal in six games. Teddy Sheringham started the move from midfield and David Beckham's ball down the right allowed Cole to turn his marker, Marek Spilar, with style and hammer in the opening goal through Molnar's legs. Suddenly there was a blitz on Kosice's goal and United should have gone in at the break with several goals to the good. Seconds after the re-start, Sheringham cut the defence open but Giggs stumbled over the ball on the penalty spot. Then Cole and Giggs exchanged their provider and finisher roles but from an excellent cross the winger sliced a left-foot volley over the bar when an empty net beckoned. Before departing for the break, Cole had one more thumping shot beaten away by Molnar and Giggs offered Sheringham a gilt-edged chance which he put wildly over. This frustrating habit which United also showed at Old Trafford against Feyenoord continued in the second half when Scholes capped a fine run forward by smashing a right foot shot off the post from 25 yards. And, 60 seconds afterwards, Beckham's rampaging cross found Sheringham heading past from close range and then Cole ran on to his England team-mate's probing ball only to shoot into Molnar's hands. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the immediate antidote, for Nicky Butt, Ferguson having promised that the young Norwegian international would get some game time. Immediately he joined the profligacy by heading Beckham's cross towards Molnar, who admittedly produced a fine save, instead of to either side of the 37-year-old goalkeeper. _________________________________________________________________ United on the threshold Man United v Kosice, Old Trafford, 7.45 By David Lacey Soccer: Manchester United should leave Old Trafford tonight with spring in their hearts as well as bounce in their step. Victory over Kosice will guarantee them a place in the quarter-finals next March, and it is hard to foresee any result except a home win. A comfortable, disciplined 3-0 win against the Slovakian champions in September embarked Alex Ferguson's team on a further quest for the prize which still eludes him. The memorable 3-2 triumph over Juventus a fortnight later, followed by two victories over Feyenoord, have brought United back to the threshold of the quarterfinals in a style utterly more convincing than their fitful progress to the last eight a year ago. All along the United manager has been convinced that the lessons learned in reaching the semi-finals last season would give his side a better chance this time, and events have yet to prove Ferguson wrong. The team are a much tighter unit now, less given to those lapses of concentration which are apt to be punished rather more severely in the Champions League than in the Premiership. Last season much, too much perhaps, rested on the form of Ryan Giggs and the mood of Eric Cantona, who was rarely at his best in Europe either for Leeds or Manchester United. Giggs remains crucial to Ferguson's chances of reaching the final but Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, now play like seasoned Europeans instead of English innocents abroad. This has enabled Ferguson to withstand the loss of Roy Keane from his midfield and, after the match in Rotterdam three weeks ago, Denis Irwin from his defence. Butt and Ronny Johnsen have proved more than adequate covers for Keane, who will need the rest of the season to recover from damage cruciate knee ligaments, and while Irwin hopes to be back playing before Christmas Phil Neville is maturing fast as a left-back of international quality. The team Ferguson is expected to field tonight will have a settled look about it despite the absence of some familiar names, which is a reflection of the strength in depth of United's squad. Gary Pallister, still feeling the odd twinge from the recurrence of a back injury, will almost certainly be replaced at centre-back by the versatile Johnsen although all Ferguson would reveal yesterday was that the Norwegian would appear somewhere. Beckham, a second-half substitute against Wimbledon last Saturday, will start the match and so should Andy Cole, the principle conqueror of Feyenoord with his hat-trick in Rotterdam, although Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to be brought on at some point. This will be Scholes's last appearance for United before he begins a three-match domestic ban as a result of five yellow cards. Scholes misses Sunday's Premiership tie against second-placed Blackburn Rovers, who are a point behind United, the visit to Liverpool a week tomorrow and the home encounter with Aston Villa on December 15th. But he will be available for the return match against Juventus in Turin on December 10th which winds up the Champions League group. By then, for United, the quarter-finals should be a comfortable thought to accompany their renewed efforts to retain the Premiership title. And the two goals Kosice recently pulled back against Juventus in the Stadio Delle Alpi, after going three down in the first hour, should be sufficient to banish any complacent thoughts from United's minds which might somehow have escaped Ferguson's attention. Manchester United (probable): Schmeichel, G Neville, Berg, Johnsen, P Neville, Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, Sheringham, Cole. FC Kosice (probable): Molnar; Semenik, Telek, Kozak, Toth, Kral, Sovic, Zvara, Janocko, Kozlej, Lubarskij. |
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