Arsenal see off Hoops

EDUARDO DA SILVA had better not visit Glasgow any time soon.

Not unless he has developed a taste for hospital food.

Arsenal's Croatian international striker has already spent more than enough time in plaster following his horrific leg break last year.

But that would be nothing compared to the damage he would suffer if the angry Celtic fans could get their hands on him.

For those travelling supporters will return to Scotland this morning convinced their team have been cheated of the chance to compete with Europe's elite.

And who can blame them, after Eduardo's outrageous first-half dive to con Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez?

All 2,600 Celtic supporters in the Emirates' away end had a bird's eye view of the appalling act of simulation which led to Arsenal's decisive penalty.

Unlike Senor Gonzalez, they could clearly see there was no contact between Eduardo and keeper Artur Boruc before the Brazilian-born lightweight threw himself to the ground.

It was so blatant even the infamously myopic Arsene Wenger conceded it was never a penalty.

No wonder Boruc went loco when Gonzalez pointed to the spot. It was almost enough to make you feel sorry for our Caledonian chums. Almost.

To add insult to injury, it was Eduardo who dusted himself off to send Boruc the wrong way with his unerring 27th-minute penalty.

It was a travesty of a goal and one which allowed Celtic to claim they had been the victims of an appalling miscarriage of justice.

A deflection and an own-goal in the first leg and a dive in the second. That is what they will swear has sealed the Gunners' Champions League place for a 12th successive season.

The truth, of course, is that Celtic were comprehensively outplayed by Wenger's young team over the two legs of this qualifying tie.

They hardly threatened Manuel Almunia's goal until Massimo Donati's stunning angled volley with the final kick of the game.

But that consolation strike was as good as it got for the pride of Scotland. William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen were once again outstanding at the heart of Arsenal's back four, while Denilson and Abou Diaby totally ran the midfield.

Even Nickolas Bendtner looked a potential world-beater when his clever back-heel allowed Emmanuel Eboue to finish off a sublime Arsenal move in the 54th minute.

And it was the same sorry story for Celtic 20 minutes later, when Andrey Arshavin exchanged passes with fellow sub Aaron Ramsey to score within seconds of his introduction.

Yet the undisputed reality of Arsenal's superiority has still been tainted by Eduardo's gamesmanship.

The sad thing is he did not need to resort to skulduggery. He more than had the beating of Celtic's defence with his God-given ability.

He should have put this tie beyond Celtic's reach in the opening minutes but stabbed the ball wide after Boruc had clawed out Bendtner's shot.

And he was denied by another flying save from Celtic's giant Polish keeper shortly before the break.

Tony Mowbray's team were already well beaten by then, the last remaining stuffing knocked out of them by that contentious penalty.

All they had to offer after that was Scottish pride and a burning sense of grievance. Yet what they lacked in quality they more than made up for with commitment and effort. Like an angry swarm of radioactive wasps in their day-glo hooped shirts, they snapped and flapped in Arsenal's ears.

Gary Caldwell and Aidan McGeady were both yellow carded for industrial-strength challenges on Eboue and Diaby. Denilson and Scott Brown were also booked for a late bust-up.

No one would have relished those meaty tussles more than watching Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson, ahead of Saturday's visit from Arsenal.

Wenger insists that qualification for the Champions League is far more important than any Premier League trip to Old Trafford.

But Saturday's encounter with United will tell us just how good his youngsters really are.

No one at the Emirates has forgotten the ruthless manner in which they were taken apart in the semi-finals of last season's Champions League.

They are determined to show they are now genuine trophy contenders, after far too long without silverware.

And today's draw in Monaco will confirm Arsenal's place among Europe's top-seeded high-fliers.

Qualification for the league stages will be worth £20million, more than enough to satisfy the bean-counters.

Wenger is above such financial concerns. For him, the Champions League is more a matter of pride and prestige.

What a pity his sense of moral superiority has been tainted by Eduardo's chicanery.

Chelsea's Euro Dream Crush into Blue

Barcelona booked their place in the champions league final with Iniesta’s stunning injury time winner in west london.

Ghanian midfielder Michael Essien's stunning 9^th minute strike looked to be enough for Chelsea to set up a repeat of last season's final against Manchester United, but two minutes into added time, Andres Iniesta scored the most dramatic of away goal of his life.

Chelsea were furious at the final whistle as they felt they should have been awarded up to three penalties over the 90 minutes, with Didier Drogba particularly vocal and furious in his criticism of the referee.

Chelsea v Barcelona

Barcelona had dominated in terms of possession, but Iniesta’s effort, which followed a costly error by Michael Essien, was, incredibly, their first shot on target. Pep Guardiola’s team had shown that they had substance to fortify their style, refusing to accept defeat even after being left to play the final quarter of the game a man short when Éric Abidal was sent off for a perceived professional foul on Nicolas Anelka. Chelsea’s regrets will centre around Ovrebo’s performance, which Guus Hiddink, not one for exaggeration, called the worst that he had witnessed in his long career, but it should also be noted that Barcelona were wrongly denied a penalty in the first leg.

Chelsea had taken the lead when Essien beat Víctor Valdés with a superb left-volley that crashed in off the crossbar from 25 yards, and, by the time the game entered its closing stages, it seemed that the relentless strength of Essien, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda had won the day, along with their devotion to a game plan that had neutralised Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and the rest.

Two unsuccessful penalty appeals Chelsea could tolerate, at least while they were leading, but their agitation grew in the second half as Ovrebo continued to give them short shrift. The next two were less sound, as Yaya Touré stayed just within the laws with two excellent tackles to nick the ball off the feet of Drogba, then Anelka. Less understandable was Ovrebo’s intransigence when Gerard Piqué blocked Anelka’s flick with a hand, which, intentionally or not, was raised away from his body.

None of this would have mattered had Drogba not shot straight at the legs of Valdés but, after Abidal’s red card, Chelsea sat back and paid the price. Essien’s slip allowed Eto’o and then Messi to set up Iniesta for a shot that faded away from Petr Cech at the last moment.

Even then there was time for another penalty appeal, Ballack’s shot hitting the outstretched arm of Eto’o, leaving Chelsea to wonder if they will ever lift the European Cup. Terry and his team-mates are not getting any younger and there could come a point when they wonder if it is just not meant to be.

Manchester United destroyed Arsenal at Emirates

Champions League - United dominate Arsenal to make final

Manchester United booked their place in the Champions League final thanks to two early goals against Arsenal at the Emirates which helped them to a 4-1 aggregate victory.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The home fans' raucous cheering had helped boost their team to a lively start in the first five minutes, but optimism quickly turned to gloom for the Gunners when Kieran Gibbs slipped in the box to allow Ji-Sung Park to slot home the opening goal on eight minutes.

The goal gave the visitors a commanding 2-0 aggregate lead that meant Arsenal needed to score an improbable three goals; yet just three minutes later, the highly improbable target of three became all-but-impossible four as Cristiano Ronaldo fired in a 41-yard free kick that beat Manuel Almunia purely for pace.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s madcap risk-taking rewarded in stunning fashion

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.