Fired up from the weekend match, Lyon was made the underdogs of this tie and to me it wasn't a good thing!
On and on reports streamed in with "morale and confidence boosting" comments from various United players but still, i was weary about our french opponents..
True enough, the match started on a high as being the underdogs, Lyon tried to do their best and get the first goal in front of their home support! They tested the defence early on and lucky breaks got United off the hook!
Nevertheless, United managed to do a little attacking of their own and chances were there but were wasted. The best chance of the half was indeed the excellent goal-kick from Edwin van der Sar that set up Rooney only for Rooney to shoot the ball off the keepers leg!
Frustrations were brewing as United found it very hard to break the Lyon defence! Players were almost everywhere and Ferguson's tactic of the day clearly failed as the midfield was not performing well together.
It could be that time has finally dawned on old Giggsy and Scholesy as they definitely was outpaced and outclassed by their counterparts. They never really looked aware and there was a moment when Brown threw in the ball only for it to rebound an unknowing Giggs' back and out for a Lyon goal kick! Chance? Wasted!
The second half started well as United dominated early on... It seemed it would be another display like the one Old trafford on the weekend but, no matter what they did, the chances were there but all failed to convert those chances!
The wake up call for United came in the 54th minute as Fergie's targeted striker, Karim Benzema squeezed in a shot between FOUR, yes FOUR United players and got the Lyon fans estatic! It was a blow... with United playing like that... where is the goals going to come from?
No matter as Lyon dropped back and defended for dear life! And Fergie did the right choice in taking out Giggs and Scholes replacing them with Nani and Tevez respectively in order to bring a new sense of creative attack that these two normally produce!
Immediately the two substitutes linked up and tried a couple of shots which were either wide or saved by the French keeper, Coupet! The man of the match that day would have easily been Jean-Alain Boumsong from Lyon as he slid in for tackles at the exact moment to block out every single United shot.
The 80th minute dawned and it looked like a lost hope as United attacked and Lyon defended... Then there was a moment of hope as Nani, whose crosses seemed very accurate at the perfect moment, crossed in one of those crosses and Tevez was there to scoop it up and place it at the top right hand corner of the Lyon goal! Jubilant? Yes! Happy? Yes!
It was the Tevez factor once again where so many times this year he has scored at the right moment and prooves to Mr. Rooney that you can't always do it alone! United could have added more to that goal but decided to play it out for a draw which was frustrating as no one knows what could happen next! well just hope for the best and hopefully we progress through in the next match!
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