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UEFA Champions League: Matchday Commentary

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Manchester United takes on AC Milan today (2:45pm, Fox Soccer Channel) in the marquee match-up of this round of the UEFA Champions League.

David Beckham returns to Old Trafford with AC Milan, which needs to overcome a 3-2 first-leg loss by beating Manchester United at home. Beckham is on the bench to start today's match.

Man Utd-Milan is one of two Champions League matches today. Real Madrid is at home vs. Lyon in a match it must win.

I will be providing some live commentary throughout the match so please feel free to follow the match here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions (and some play-by-play of Real Madrid-Lyon) in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action:

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HALFTIME– Okay folks, I'm going to have to wrap up this live commentary to deal with some other responsibilities. Please continue to use this post to share thoughts and play-by-play on today's Champions League matches. Thanks for following along. 

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HALFTIME– Manchester United 1, AC Milan 0, and United leads the series 4-2 on aggregate. Will David Beckham come on at halftime? Not sure what Leonardo has to lose. His team looked awful. 

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45th minute– Fletcher sends a long shot wide left. Nice run down the middle and decent look. He's such an underrated player.

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43rd minute– It's Real Madrid 1, Lyon 0 at the Bernabeu. The series is now tied 1-1 after Lyon's first-leg 1-0 victory in France.

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41st minute– Milan finally earns a corner thanks to a great Pirlo pas, but the corner is cleared from danger.

United's team defending, from the wingers tracking back to the central midfielders moving non-stop, is making it VERY tough for Milan to create much.

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37th minute– Milan's offense just looks flat lost today. Three goals? Just don't see it happening today.

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34th minute– Flamini and Vidic clash heads and Vidic gets the worse of it. Flamini is a fiesty Frenchman, not sure there are many tougher French guys than him.

Vidic really could be a villain in any Bond movie, couldn't he?

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32nd minute– Neville absolutely shanks a cross, that's more like it Gary.

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31st minute– This game has gone flat. Anybody else interested in following Real Madrid-Lyon instead?

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28th minute– Could David Beckham do tonight what he did for Manchester United vs. Real Madrid in his last match at Old Trafford and come off the bench and score some goals? Probably not. Would make for a great storyline, but don't see it.

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25th minute– Can Ronaldinho make something happen. He's looking like the only Milan player capable of finding a goal now that Pato is out injured.

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24th minute– Can Milan find one goal, let alone three? Ronaldinho must be dreading that early chance he missed.

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21st minute– Milan still trying to find a rhythm after that Rooney goal.

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17th minute– Alex Ferguson's decision to start Gary Neville drew some criticism before the match. It's looking like a stroke of genius right now.

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16th minute– United now leads 4-2, so the plan hasn't quite changed for Milan, which can still go through with a 4-3 win. Milan doesn't look like a team that can get that result, but one goal would change things considerably.

(Yes, Milan needs a 4-3 win to advance or 3-1 win to advance, not a 2-1 win as I wrote earlier.)

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13th minute– GOAL MANCHESTER UNITED!! And it's Wayne Rooney heading home a Gary Neville cross. Great header. United 1, Milan 0. United leads 4-2 on aggreggate.

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12th minute– AC Milan is finding some room to attack, but United's lineup can burn them on the counter if they're not careful.

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8th minute– Ronaldinho JUST wide with a header.

Here is Manchester United's lineup:

———————Rooney——————–

Nani—————Scholes————-Valencia

————-Fletcher—–Park——————-

Evra——-Vidic——–Ferdinand——-Neville

——————Van Der Sar———————

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5th minute– United has started fast and has Milan on the back-foot early.

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3rd minute– United knocking on the door as Rooney misses just wide from the top of the box.

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1st Minute– We're underway.

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PRE-GAME- No David Beckham in the starting lineup tonight.

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Comments

  1. I am right there with you… the Champions League has lost it’s luster completely.

    Is anyone shocked Madrid are out? Nope… Anyone shocked Porto and Milan got thumped? Nope…

    Bored bored bored.

    Reply
  2. Don’t feel too bad; I ordered a big ole case of schadenfreude and am drinking it down to the last drop–I LOVE IT when Real’s galacticos flame out.

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  3. I know that it doesn’t speak well of me as a human being that I’m presently reveling in schadenfreude. But I am. Galacticos, huh?

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  4. Does anyone know have the link for the nytimes soccer blog article that mentioned that the USMNT needed to be poked at with a hot stick to get moving in a match? I need it for a citation. Thanks!

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  5. ironic really

    beckham has easily been milan’s best player since coming on

    and seedorf has controlled the middle

    really mind boggling why neither of them started

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  6. I am seeing a lot of green and yellow in the stands, whether it be those scarves or other clothing.

    I know that many of the manunited fans are upset with Glazer’s financial handling of the club by ladening the books with heavy loads of debt resulting in high interest payments. But in all honesty, how can they crib and complain after three yrs as EPL champions and a champions league trophy in there as well!??

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  7. For anyone keeping track of the amazing Ligue 1 story about Montpelier being tied for 1st, well guess what? Bordeaux lost at home today to Auxerre. 3 teams, 1 point separating them. Good times.

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  8. Bah It’s slowed down some and plus because Milan need like t3 goals. I don’t see Man U giving up 3 goals.

    Hey Ives, what happed to your Copa Libertareos stories. I watched some games last night and it was good to see the Chile teams playing.

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  9. you are incorrect sir…it’s definitely the sound guys. Go to youtube and look up some stuff. Besides Andy Gray there is no one better.

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  10. So, I’m trying to listen to the game as I watch it on FSC. The announcer is Martin Tyler — the guy ESPN was so psyched to land as their flagship announcer for the World Cup. I’m wondering if there’s something wrong with the sound mix, or if it’s just the way they speak. I can barely hear the announcers over the crowd roar. It sounds like two people muttering to each other. I’m sure Tyler would be a wonderful announcer for a tennis match, or cricket. I have to say that he is not for an American audience. ESPN has made a big mistake.

    Reply
  11. ya i was confused when ives said that. man u has 3 away goals and 1 home goal. AC Milan has 2 home goals. now ac needs to get 3 to go through on 5-4 aggregate. I could be wrong.

    With that said, Man U isn’t losing.

    (SBI-Yes, I wrote that wrong. Milan need a 4-3 or 3-1 result now to advance, not 2-1.)

    Reply

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