Manchester United has portrayed the match as a moment for risk-taking. Instead, they went tactically about the business of becoming the first English club to beat Porto on their own ground in European competition. Porto love a late goal and Manchester United rarely make life easy for themselves in Europe, but come the final whistle at the Estádio do Dragão last night, Sir Alex Ferguson was able to reflect on a job well done. They finally seem to rediscover their self-belief that have been terribly lacking in past few weeks.The outcome is beneficial for holders who are now in better shape to make a successful defence of the Champions League, even if they will have to deal Arsenal in a semi-final whose first leg is at Old Trafford. United appear gradually to be regaining authority, and spectacle was confined last night to the remarkable long-range goal from Christiano Ronaldo in the sixth minute.
Arsenal will certainly beware the wounded animal. Ferguson’s reward for this victory, in his 150th Champions League match as United manager, is a mouthwatering semi-final showdown against his old rival Arsène Wenger. Their rivalry may not be what it once was, but if ever there was a tie that could rekindle old fires, it is this, and given the cavalier tendencies of both teams, it is a contest that will be almost impossible to call.
Come to the last night, United flaunted maturity by imposing control. Nemanja Vidic may have headed away several crosses in the second half but it is hard to bring to mind vivid images of Edwin van der Sar pulling off a taxing save. One of Porto's spasmodic moments of clarity did leave Cristian Rodríguez with a real opportunity in the 25th minute but his shot asked little of the goalkeeper.
United were, however, masters of their own fate again. After conceding 11 goals in their previous five games, resilience was resurgent. Rio Ferdinand's comeback from injury contributed but dramatic exploits were never essential. Perhaps his presence simply spreads confidence in the ranks and there was only one name on everyone’s lips last night.
With Dimitar Berbatov again flattering to deceive and Wayne Rooney looking unhappy marooned on the right-hand side, it is doubtful. Fresh speculation about Ronaldo’s future had surfaced before kick-off when Ramón Calderón, the former Real Madrid president, claimed that a world-class player, understood to be Ronaldo, had a formal agreement to join the Spanish champions in the summer, but it is easy to see why Ferguson is prepared to put up with all manner of irritability to keep the forward. Ronaldo did not have his best game, but his twentieth goal of the season — a remarkable tally given that he has performed with an apparent indifference for much of the campaign — would nonetheless prove decisive, a telling reminder of just what he brings to this United team.
There was nothing on when Ronaldo collected Anderson’s pass 40 yards from goal, but within seconds, the ball was fizzing its way past Helton into the top left corner to the astonishment of everyone in the ground. Even by the Portugal forward’s high standards, it was a stupendous strike, one that he celebrated wildly while manhandled by his team-mates.
The visitors, of course, had no need to swagger over being 1-0 up. United knew that a leveller would put Porto ahead on the away-goals rule. Such a turn of events was theoretically within the scope of a side that had, predictably, located a trace of conviction at the interval.
Efforts that missed the target still stirred the crowd. United had no intention of retreating, but they were forced to look a shade more passive. The risks were apparent when Patrice Evra committed an ungainly foul close to his 18-yard line. The set piece came to nothing, yet Porto would have grown in conviction if they had caught a glimpse of fallibility.
Ferguson will hope it is onwards and upwards from here, even if Wenger might have something to say about that.
