Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties to become European champions

Filed in archive Champions League on May 21, 2008

The 42nd goal of a quite remarkable season for Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled out by an emotional goal for the phenomenal Frank Lampard saw the Champions League final go to a tense extra thirty minutes and then the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.

In a game in which Manchester United dominated the first half, Chelsea dominated the second half and the extra-time period was fairly even, we should have all realised how the game would end.

Although Chelsea will feel hard done by and will point to Didier Drogba hitting the post and Frank Lampard hitting the underside of the bar, they should realise that Manchester United should have had the game sewn up in the first half. Twice Carlos Tevez was presented with great chances, the first of which was saved by Cech which gave Carrick a great chance on the follow up, but he too was foiled by Cech, and the second time Tevez missed the ball altogether when it looked easier to score.

United will also point to a chance created for Ryan Giggs whereby he was presented with an open goal with which he could celebrate scoring the winning goal in the champions league semi-final in his record breaking Manchester United performance. He mishit the shot and gave John Terry the chance to head clear.

It was a fine game of football between the best two teams in Europe and in the end, I believe justice was done as the best side throughout the entire season emerged triumphant.

It was fate that Cristiano Ronaldo should miss his penalty after such a fine season and likewise that John Terry, the very spirit of Chelsea, would miss his. Ryan Giggs duly scored with ease to put the pressure on Nicolas Anelka who continued his failure in a Chelsea shirt by having his shot saved by an ecstatic Van Der Sar who saved diving away to his right and sending the trophy to Old Trafford for the third time.

Congratulations to Manchester United, you thoroughly deserve the double you have won.