Sports
United win despite a Ronaldo hat-trick
Manchester United's John O'Shea (bottom) battles with Real Madrid's Ronaldo during their Champions League, quarter final, 2nd leg match, at Old Trafford, Manchester, 23 April 2003. AFP PHOTO
MANCHESTER, England (AFP) A superb hat-trick by Brazilian star Ronaldo saw nine-time winners Real Madrid reach the Champions League semi-finals here Wednesday despite losing the second leg 4-3 in a thrilling encounter at Manchester United.
United never gave up the ghost as Ruud van Nistelrooy, an own goal by Ivan Helguera and then a double from David Beckham, who was controversially left on the bench until midway through the second half, gave them a Pyrrhic victory.
Ronaldo's third in the 59th minute was a superb goal which involved a magnificent period of passing stemming from Luis Figo's chip onto the bar.
It was worked back to Miguel Salgado, who released Roberto Carlos and his pass across the six yard line was tapped in by his Brazilian team-mate with Wes Brown standing still.
However United, despite needing three goals to take the tie, refused to lie down and struck back within minutes as the fragile Real defence cracked again and a total misunderstanding between Helguera and Iker Casillas saw the former turn it into his own net.
Casillas made up for that with two great saves in two minutes first from Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer and then from Juan Sebastian Veron.
Ronaldo then capped his golden night with a wonderful curling effort from 25 yards which beat a despairing Fabien Barthez dive. That finally moved Alex Ferguson to send on David Beckham for Veron.
Van Nistelrooy saw his rasping shot scrape the post with 24 minutes remaining and it prompted the exit of Ronaldo after his one-man destruction job had done the business.
Solakjaer should have done better two minutes later as his free header went wide of the post with Casillas beaten.
Real's former Liverpool star Steve McManaman
then exited to boos from his former bitter rivals' fans.
Beckham did get another for United with a stunning freekick with
20 minutes remaining leaving Casillas rooted to the spot and with
just six minutes on the clock added another as he slid in to make
it 4-3 on the night after another terrible mix-up in the Madrid
defence and leave Real hanging on by just one goal on aggregate.
Ronaldo had first struck in the 12th minute with a fierce shot, after being found by a beautiful pass from Guti shot, though Barthez could take some of the blame for being beaten at his near post.
The goal silenced the Old Trafford crowd after a bright opening which had seen Ruud van Nistelrooy break free inside the penalty area but saw his shot from a tight angle turned over by Iker Casillas.
Their depression was nearly deepened when Luis Figo got on the end of a pass by Ronaldo in the 21st minute but his lob was pushed over the bar by a scrambling Barthez for a corner.
United got few chances with Ryan Giggs going closest in the 35th minute twisting and turning outside the area before putting in a shot that beat Casillas but went the wrong side of the post.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also got on target four minutes later as he shot through the legs of Ivan Helguera but Casillas was equal to the task getting down smartly and though the ball bounced off him Roberto Carlos was on hand to clear it.
Finally their pressure paid off as van Nistelrooy bundled the ball home from Solskjaer's low cross for his 39th of the season minutes before the break.
The Dutchman was inches away from further reducing the deficit a minute later as a stretched Real defence failed to clear and he turned and shot only for Casillas to turn it away for a corner with his leg.
It was one of several missed chances too many.