Manchester United vs Real Madrid 4-3 Ronaldo de Lima Hat-Trick | UCL 2002/2003

Ronaldo kills United's dreams
Manchester United 4 Real Madrid 3 (agg 5-6)

In losing this quarter-final there was still vindication of all that Manchester United have stood for down the decades. In the closing moments, even the Real Madrid players seemed to believe that Sir Alex Ferguson's side were capable of the two further goals required.

Despite being 3-1 down from the first leg and behind by the same margin here, conviction and flair carried United to a 4-3 victory on their own ground, with David Beckham emerging to score twice as a substitute. The English club, however, could never curb Real Madrid and Ronaldo's hat-trick was decisive.

With an excited purposefulness, United sought an early goal but conceded one instead. Although the drastic damage of the first leg weighed on the players' minds, the thoughts of any impartial spectator lingered on the beauty with which Real had met the challenge. In a normal side, everyone is instructed to clump the ball away from the corner of their own area, but these visitors are licensed to caress it.

In the 12th minute, Steve McManaman, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane created a little triangle of movement before the latter, with a perfectly weighted pass, picked out Guti in the centre. His through ball released Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand, who had left him in too much space, could not make up ground before the Brazilian lashed a low drive that beat Fabien Barthez at his near post.

It is testimony to United's indefatigable nature that they ended the first-half with a barrage that included an equaliser. This was a match with no compromises. Ferguson, did not shirk his duty picking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has been in telling form, even if Beckham had to be demoted to the substitutes.

His opposite number had novel views of his own. The cat-calls in Madrid had their effect at last as Vicente del Bosque dropped Flavio Conceicao. In a search for a replacement to join Claude Makelele in constructing a midfield barrier McManaman might have been ruled out by most coaches. If the Englishman were a bricklayer he would set about his work with a golden trowel.

Del Bosque had redesigned the formation slightly to take account of the absence of the appendicitis-stricken Raul. Real were as dangerous as ever. A dipping cross by Roberto Carlos, a lay-off from Zidane and a volleyed lob by Luis Figo might have had them 2-0 in front if Barthez had not stretched to put the ball over the bar.

United harassed Real and were bold on the attack, with the excellent Ryan Giggs raising Old Trafford spirits by nutmegging Figo, but it took a while for them to prise open fully the cracks they faced.

For a while they had to cling to the recollection of Ruud van Nistelrooy's effort in the fourth minute. The Dutchman will always bet that his shot is faster than the goalkeeper's reflexes and his wager was close to succeeding as Iker Casillas just raised his fists to turn the angled drive for a corner.

Gradually, though, United found that they could make space for their elan. Despite being out injured for seven weeks, Juan Sebastian Veron had the strength to make a perceptive contribution. Real were flustered enough for Zidane to head weakly to Giggs, who had been shuffled into the middle of the attack after the opening goal, and he fired wide.

Two minutes from half-time, the Welshman played an excellent pass to Solskjaer and the Norwegian forced the ball across the six-yard box for Van Nistelrooy to record his 14th Champions League goal of the season. Before the interval, the endlessly menacing Dutchman was close to adding to that total.

When Ronaldo recorded the second part of his hat-trick, after 51 minutes, little delicacy was required. Zidane set Roberto Carlos running free and his careful cut-back was turned in from close range. United knew then that the tie was beyond them and Casillas made expert saves before a Veron drive was turned past him by a deflection off Ivan Helguera.

Real still trusted in their ebullience and there was no trace of self-doubt in Ronaldo as he ran, steadied himself and crashed a 25-yarder high beyond Barthez. If he has had any need to vindicate himself to suspicious Real fans, he has rehabilitated himself now.

The reaction to his substitution reflects gloriously on United's supporters. They watched a man who had dashed their dreams yet the crowd rose to surround his exit with a standing ovation.

The team also rose to meet the stature of this tie. With 19 minutes left, Beckham, on for Veron, bent one of his imperious free-kicks past the left-hand of Casillas. The semi-jocular chant was for the six goals that would put United through. The team strove for that tally, especially once Beckham had jabbed home Van Nistelrooy's shot with six minutes left.

This was a night that testified to United powers and, above all, to the glory of football in its ideal state.

Видео Manchester United vs Real Madrid 4-3 Ronaldo de Lima Hat-Trick | UCL 2002/2003 канала Football Flashback