CRISTIANO'S A CRACKER! - World News - Mirror Online
CRISTIANO'S A CRACKER!
PREMIERSHIP FROM YOUR TOP SP TEAM BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP Ronaldo's magic moment rescues United at Reading
CRISTIANO RONALDO rammed the boos of Reading fans down their throats to spare Manchester United from humiliation last night.
World Cup villain Ronaldo, jeered every touch for his theatrics in Germany in the summer, struck a superb 73rd-minute leveller just when Reading fans were beginning to dream of the upset of the season.
The Premiership new boys had shown the audacity to take the lead early in the second half through a Kevin Doyle penalty.
And it's debatable who was happier - the scorer or his manager.
Doyle grew up in the Republic Of Ireland idolising United and hero worshipped Old Trafford legends like Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes.
And Reading boss Steve Coppell enjoyed nine glorious seasons in the red half of Manchester before injury cut short his career.
For much of the second half the shock of the season so far looked very much on the cards.
That was until Ronaldo took possession on United's left flank.
He immediately cut inside at pace and drilled a low right-foot shot into the far corner of keeper Marcus Hahnemann's net.
What a relief for United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in his 1,100th game in charge of the former champions.
After a demoralising defeat at home to Arsenal last week, United could not afford to drop points against the Premiership new boys.
And with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all picking up three points earlier in the day, Fergie will count this an expensive evening in Berkshire.
United had enjoyed a major boost when Gabriel Heinze returned for his first appearance for almost a year.
The 28-year-old Argentinian left-back missed the majority of last season with a knee ligament injury, but did appear for his country at the World Cup finals in Germany.
His impact on the left flank was immediate as he set up the first chance of the game after only two minutes, picking out Wayne Rooney with a neat pass.
Rooney, looking to break his scoring duck for the season, turned and fired in a low drive from 20 yards. Reading goalkeeper Hahnemann made the save at his near post but spilled the ball, then had to recover to block the follow-up as Kieran Richardson raced in.
Reading went on the counter-attack and Leroy Lita tried his luck from the right edge of the penalty area with a shot which flew wide of the far post.
It was end-to-end stuff and Hahnemann had to be alert to block another long-range effort, this time from Ronaldo.
Reading had beaten Middlesbrough, Manchester City and Sheffield United in an impressive start to their debut season in the Premiership.
But it was this clash with United that really brought it home to their fans that they'd arrived in the top flight. Out of the three teams promoted last season, Reading appear to have the best chance of surviving in the Premiership thanks to their shrewd manager, and they almost took the lead after 18 minutes.
Bobby Convey burst down the right and when he was challenged the ball came off a United defender to allow Doyle to beat the offside flag.
Fortunately for United, Doyle's close-range effort was blocked by keeper Edwin van der Saar.
There was a let-off for Reading after 24 minutes when Ronaldo - constantly taunted by the home fans as the World Cup backlash continues - won himself a free-kick just outside the box following some trickery.
Ronaldo went for goal from a difficult angle and, although Hahnemann again spilled the ball, it was hooked to safety.
United were looking dangerous and Ronaldo was left to wonder how his low cross from the left was not converted from a matter of inches by Paul Scholes, who slid in but just failed to divert the ball over the line.
Yet Reading finished the first half with a flourish and deserved to be on level terms.
And the new boys took the lead within 90 seconds of the restart when Reading skipper Graeme Murty crossed from the right, Gary Neville blocked the ball with his arm, and referee Peter Walton awarded the penalty.
Up stepped Doyle, the 23-year-old who has enjoyed a dramatic rise from Gaelic football in Ireland to Premiership football with Reading.
The striker kept his cool as he drove a low shot to his left and, although van der Saar got a hand to it, the ball ended up in the corner of the net.
Reading, little Reading, were beating the team Murty described before the game as the biggest in the world.
Doyle, who recently won his first cap for the Republic of Ireland, was touch and go to even face United as he missed training sessions after suffering a dead leg.
How United will have wish he hadn't made it.
But, with Reading fans dreaming of the upset of the season, Ronaldo broke their hearts with that lovely equaliser.
Reading were odds-on to be relegated when the season started but on this form Old Trafford old boy Coppell is a front-runner for manager of the season.
READING: Hahnemann 7 - Murty 7 (Bikey 89mins), Sonko 7, Ingimarsson 7, Shorey 7 - Seol 7 (Hunt 83mins), Harper 7, Sidwell 7, Convey 7- Lita 7 (Gunnarsson 76mins), *DOYLE 8.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Van der Sar 7 _- Neville 6, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 6, Heinze 6 (O'Shea 70mins, 6) - *RONALDO 8, Fletcher 6 (Solskjaer 70mins, 6), Carrick 7, Scholes 6, Richardson 6 (Saha 57mins, 6) - Rooney 7. Ref: P Walton 7.
CRISTIANO'S A CRACKER! - World News - Mirror Online
CRISTIANO'S A CRACKER!
PREMIERSHIP FROM YOUR TOP SP TEAM BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP Ronaldo's magic moment rescues United at Reading
CRISTIANO RONALDO rammed the boos of Reading fans down their throats to spare Manchester United from humiliation last night.
World Cup villain Ronaldo, jeered every touch for his theatrics in Germany in the summer, struck a superb 73rd-minute leveller just when Reading fans were beginning to dream of the upset of the season.
The Premiership new boys had shown the audacity to take the lead early in the second half through a Kevin Doyle penalty.
And it's debatable who was happier - the scorer or his manager.
Doyle grew up in the Republic Of Ireland idolising United and hero worshipped Old Trafford legends like Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes.
And Reading boss Steve Coppell enjoyed nine glorious seasons in the red half of Manchester before injury cut short his career.
For much of the second half the shock of the season so far looked very much on the cards.
That was until Ronaldo took possession on United's left flank.
He immediately cut inside at pace and drilled a low right-foot shot into the far corner of keeper Marcus Hahnemann's net.
What a relief for United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in his 1,100th game in charge of the former champions.
After a demoralising defeat at home to Arsenal last week, United could not afford to drop points against the Premiership new boys.
And with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all picking up three points earlier in the day, Fergie will count this an expensive evening in Berkshire.
United had enjoyed a major boost when Gabriel Heinze returned for his first appearance for almost a year.
The 28-year-old Argentinian left-back missed the majority of last season with a knee ligament injury, but did appear for his country at the World Cup finals in Germany.
His impact on the left flank was immediate as he set up the first chance of the game after only two minutes, picking out Wayne Rooney with a neat pass.
Rooney, looking to break his scoring duck for the season, turned and fired in a low drive from 20 yards. Reading goalkeeper Hahnemann made the save at his near post but spilled the ball, then had to recover to block the follow-up as Kieran Richardson raced in.
Reading went on the counter-attack and Leroy Lita tried his luck from the right edge of the penalty area with a shot which flew wide of the far post.
It was end-to-end stuff and Hahnemann had to be alert to block another long-range effort, this time from Ronaldo.
Reading had beaten Middlesbrough, Manchester City and Sheffield United in an impressive start to their debut sea
son in the Premiership.
But it was this clash with United that really brought it home to their fans that they'd arrived in the top flight. Out of the three teams promoted last season, Reading appear to have the best chance of surviving in the Premiership thanks to their shrewd manager, and they almost took the lead after 18 minutes.
Bobby Convey burst down the right and when he was challenged the ball came off a United defender to allow Doyle to beat the offside flag.
Fortunately for United, Doyle's close-range effort was blocked by keeper Edwin van der Saar.
There was a let-off for Reading after 24 minutes when Ronaldo - constantly taunted by the home fans as the World Cup backlash continues - won himself a free-kick just outside the box following some trickery.
Ronaldo went for goal from a difficult angle and, although Hahnemann again spilled the ball, it was hooked to safety.
United were looking dangerous and Ronaldo was left to wonder how his low cross from the left was not converted from a matter of inches by Paul Scholes, who slid in but just failed to divert the ball over the line.
Yet Reading finished the first half with a flourish and deserved to be on level terms.
And the new boys took the lead within 90 seconds of the restart when Reading skipper Graeme Murty crossed from the right, Gary Neville blocked the ball with his arm, and referee Peter Walton awarded the penalty.
Up stepped Doyle, the 23-year-old who has enjoyed a dramatic rise from Gaelic football in Ireland to Premiership football with Reading.
The striker kept his cool as he drove a low shot to his left and, although van der Saar got a hand to it, the ball ended up in the corner of the net.
Reading, little Reading, were beating the team Murty described before the game as the biggest in the world.
Doyle, who recently won his first cap for the Republic of Ireland, was touch and go to even face United as he missed training sessions after suffering a dead leg.
How United will have wish he hadn't made it.
But, with Reading fans dreaming of the upset of the season, Ronaldo broke their hearts with that lovely equaliser.
Reading were odds-on to be relegated when the season started but on this form Old Trafford old boy Coppell is a front-runner for manager of the season.
READING: Hahnemann 7 - Murty 7 (Bikey 89mins), Sonko 7, Ingimarsson 7, Shorey 7 - Seol 7 (Hunt 83mins), Harper 7, Sidwell 7, Convey 7- Lita 7 (Gunnarsson 76mins), *DOYLE 8.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Van der Sar 7 _- Neville 6, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 6, Heinze 6 (O'Shea 70mins, 6) - *RONALDO 8, Fletcher 6 (Solskjaer 70mins, 6), Carrick 7, Scholes 6, Richardson 6 (Saha 57mins, 6) - Rooney 7. Ref: P Walton 7.