| By Sam Fox,
on 27-09-2008 22:17
|
Views : 421 |
Favoured : 37 |
 A penalty that never was gave Man Utd the much needed goal to go on and claim 3 points. A perfectly adjudged tackle by Samuel was deemed a foul by referee Rob Styles, much to the surprise of everyone including Ronaldo who contary to reports did not dive. Then the win was wrapped up minutes later, Rooney coming on as a substitute recieved a delightful back heeled pass from Ronaldo and a drop of the shoulder opened up the space to place the ball beyond the despairing dive of Jussi Jaaskelainen.
A controversial penalty scored by Cristiano Ronaldo set Manchester United on their way to victory over Bolton.
Ronaldo put United ahead after referee Rob Styles awarded United
a penalty even though Jlloyd Samuel's tackle on the Portuguese winger
was a fair one.
The incident proved decisive because up until then United had been thwarted by Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Wayne Rooney curled in United's second after a Ronaldo back-flick as Bolton were left seething over the penalty.
The incident could spark renewed debate about video
technology but in all honesty the official should never have given a
penalty.
United eventually ran out comfortable winners and deserved the
three points but had the penalty not been awarded the result could have
been different.
Although another refereeing decision will grab the headlines following this game, United were superior in every department.
Sir Alex Ferguson rotated his side ahead of the Champions League
trip to Aalborg in midweek but it was Bolton - with Johan Elmander
operating as a lone striker - who took the game to United.
Ricardo Gardner saw an early shot blocked before Kevin Nolan tried his luck from long distance.
Jaaskelainen was Bolton's busiest player and his first save was
a comfortable one when Darren Fletcher picked out Dimitar Berbatov but
the £30m striker headed meekley at the Finnish keeper.
United - playing their first 3pm kick-off at Old Trafford since
New Year's Day - began to find some rhythm and Ji-Sung Park scooped a
close-range shot over the top.
Ronaldo went close with a trademark 25-yard free-kick which Jaaskelainen did well to push wide.
Bolton were pushed further and further back as United took total
control and the visitors packed all 11 players into their own penalty
area for a corner which Nemanja Vidic headed over.
Anderson saw his well-placed curling shot from wide on the right tipped away for a corner after Fletcher's perfect pass.
But for all of United's possession, it was Bolton who delivered a stark warning moments before the break.
Gretnar Steinsson did well down the right and crossed for
Fabrice Muamba who carelessly shot wide from eight yards when he really
should have sent Bolton in 1-0 up.
Bolton immediately served up another warning after the restart
when Ricardo Gardener fired a shot inches wide of Van der Saar's right
post.
United finally got the breakthrough that they deserved - but it came from an inexplicable decision from referee Styles.
He awarded United a penalty when Ronaldo was fairly tackled by
Samuel even though none of the home players or supporters appealed for
a spot kick.
Ronaldo stepped up to slam home a routine penalty but it was
hardly surprising that Bolton's dismayed fans were soon singing "1-0 to
the referee".
Bolton were devastated and were unable to get back into the
game as United brought on Paul Scholes for his 400th Premier League
appearance while Rooney replaced Tevez.
And as the home side surged forward their second goal had an air of inevitability about it.
It duly arrived when Ronaldo charged into the left side of the
penalty box before stopping and flicking the ball back to Rooney, who
checked inside before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the far
corner.
United could have doubled their lead in the closing stages but the only main point was that incredulous penalty decision.
BBC.co.uk
Last update : 27-09-2008 22:17
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