Manchester United 3 (Van Nistelrooy 2 {43, 60}, Forlan
6) Rangers 0
It was a defeat that all too cruelly highlighted the
limitations of the current Ibrox squad, weakened so
desperately by the financial mismanagement of former
Chairman David Murray.
Injury-stricken Rangers could scarcely have arrived at
this so daunting of venues more ill-prepared than they
were for tonight’s tie, making four changes from the
eleven that had been less than impressive in
overcoming Partick Thistle on Saturday, with Zurab
Khizanishvili, Stephen Hughes, Paulo Vanoli and Shota
Arveladze replacing Fernando Ricksen, Christian
Nerlinger, Nuno Capucho and Egil Ostenstad.
For their part, Manchester United made two changes
from the Ibrox game with Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego
Forlan replacing John O’Shea and Paul Scholes.
Renowned Italian Referee Pierluigi Collina – rated the
finest in the world – had previously taken charge of
three Rangers’ games, namely the 4-1 home defeat of
PSV Eindhoven in Season 1999-2000, and two defeats in
Istanbul at the hands of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce by
2-3 and 1-2 respectively. His credentials are
impeccable – the 2002 World Cup Final, as well as the
1999 Champions’ League Final when United so
dramatically defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 in Barcelona.
Tonight was Collina’s fifth time involving the ‘Red
Devils’ – as well as that unforgettable night in the
Nou Camp, he had twice officiated at United’s clashes
with Real Madrid at Old Trafford – 2-3 in 1999-2000,
4-3 last season. Add a 3-2 win over Olympiakos Piraeus
in Athens, and it is clear that there are goals around
when the Italian takes charge.
The Light Blues’ were unbeaten in two previous visits
to Old Trafford, drawing 1-1 in 1924 and winning 3-2
half-a-century later, but there was never the remotest
possibility of that record being maintained tonight.
Rangers wore all blue, as indeed they did on the
occasion of their record European defeat (0-6 to Real
Madrid, 1963-64), and at times there were many friends
of Rangers who feared that a similar scoreline was on
the cards tonight.
United had scored early at Ibrox – and lightning does
indeed strike twice for they did exactly that at home,
Diego Forlan netting with a magnificent sixth minute
volley from a Roy Keane cross.
Three minutes later Ruud van Nistelrooy, without a
goal in five games, almost made it two when his header
from a Cristiano Ronaldo cross flashed just over the
bar.
Rangers were up against it, yet might have levelled
matters in eighteen minutes when a long pass from
Michael Ball found Michael Mols only for the
Dutchman’s first touch to let him down.
The pressure was all one way however – seven minutes
later it was Craig Moore to his side’s rescue when he
scooped the ball off the line after Ryan Giggs had
gone through on a Keane pass.
Keane was dominating the midfield, and tested Stefan
Klos with a low 25-yard shot from Ronaldo’s cross in
38 minutes, then three minutes later saw a thirty-yard
drive whiz just over the bar.
Rangers were creating precious little, although
Arveladze did test Howard with a back-header from a
long Henning Berg ball, but seconds later the ‘Red
Devils’ were at the other end, Ronaldo shrugging off
Moore and Hughes to fire in a low drive that was held
by Klos.
United finally made it 2-0 in 43 minutes when Forlan’s
drive from a Keane pass struck the underside of the
bar, the rebound striking Van Nistelrooy and trundling
into the net. However fortuitous, they all count, and
the Dutchman had ended his drought.
The game was effectively over, and a long, long
second-half was in store for the Scottish Champions.
The home fans in the 67,000 capacity crowd taunted the
‘Gers support with “Premier League – we’re having a
laugh,” overlooking the fact that many visiting
Premiership clubs are similarly embarrassed at Old
Trafford.
Van Nistelrooy almost started the second-half as his
team had the first, a shot on the turn being just
inches wide.
Rangers were soon on the offensive however, Michael
Ball’s twenty-yard angled free-kick being beaten out
by Tim Howard and scrambled clear, but it was 3-0 on
the hour when Ronaldo’s cross was turned home from
close range by Van Nistelrooy.
With thirty minutes left on the clock, the blunt and
unacceptable truth was that Rangers were at the mercy
of their opponents, and twice within seconds Klos
denied Van Nistelrooy his hat-trick in 65 minutes.
Craig Moore limped off two minutes later, being
replaced by Maurice Ross.
Arveladze was posing something of a threat to the Old
Trafford defence, forcing his way through in 73
minutes only to see his shot deflected wide.
Former Ranger replaced Ruud Van Nistelrooy three
minutes later, but the visitors never gave up and
might even have netted a consolation goal in the dying
seconds when Peter Lovenkrands sliced a Capucho cross
wide of the target.
The final whistle brought a certain relief to the
travelling Light Blue legions who must at times have
feared an absolute drubbing, but the blunt and
unacceptable truth is that Rangers tonight were found
wanting.
The Ibrox men now face the daunting task of having to
win in Stuttgart if they are to have a chance of
progressing in the Champions’ League.
Sir Alex Ferguson was delighted with the win, but
refused to attack the quality of the SPL.
“Old Trafford is a very difficult place for visitors.
Teams like Real Madrid and Juventus have lost three or
more goals here. That doesn’t mean that the quality of
the Spanish and Italian Leagues is lacking.”
‘Fergie’ also pointed out that Rangers badly missed
the experience of Ronald De Boer and Fernando Ricksen,
and paid tribute to his captain Roy Keane as “the best
player I’ve had here.”
Alex McLeish was honest in his summing-up:
“We were well-beaten by a top side – we performed
better at Ibrox. The start set us back a mile. We can
win in Stuttgart if we play to our full potential, but
Stuttgart are the form team of Europe.”
MANCHESTER UNITED Howard; G. Neville, Ferdinand,
Silvestre, Fortune; Ronaldo, P. Neville, Keane, Giggs
(Bellion 67); Forlan (Kleberson 67), Van Nistelrooy
(Fletcher 76)
UNUSED SUBS Carroll, Butt, Djemba Djemba, O’Shea
RANGERS Klos; Khizanishvili, Moore (Ross 67), Berg,
Ball; Lovenkrands, Arteta, Hughes, Vanoli (Burke 83)
Arveladze, Mols (Capucho 56)
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Emerson, Ostenstad, Dowie
REFEREE Pierluigi Collina (Italy)