Once again it is early in the a.m. -- 1:30 this time; those of us in this timezone prefer the early fixtures at least. Utd's match tracker now sports live pictures of the game taken every 10 sec. so I'll try and grab/put the goals up on my ftp space as well.
S P O I L E R S P A C E Utd (1) 1 - RVN 18 City (0) 1 - Goater 87 Pic of the goal: http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/snark/images/utd-city01.jpg [11KB] Team (4-4-1-1): Carroll; GNev, Rio, Brown, Silvestre; Becks, Keano, JSV (Butt 77), Giggs (Ole 88); Scholes; RVN. Subs: Ricardo, PNev, Butt, Ole, O'Shea. Bar Fab's knee keeping him out and with Giggy's excellent recent form this is Utd's current strongest lineup to start the game with. Fowler is starting for City but there's no Great Dane (poor Peter; would have loved to hear the noise as he ran out -- even if he is playing for Them). Forlan apparantly sat out the game in the directors' box -- poor sod, what'd he do to deserve that? In other gnus there's a new surface been laid on the pitch (looks good so far) plus there's a slight wind blowing? (thought they had all the gaps shored up at OT?) Start - Game starts with two Utd corners in the first 60 sec. 3min - Tracker-comm: "it's 100mph stuff" -- so fast Gary Nev is booked for tugging on Berkovic's shirt before he knows what's happening. 5min - Fast pace continues: Anelka and Fowler both caught offside within a min of each other. No shots on goal yet though, from either side. 10min - Scholesy volleys over from distance. 14min - Good quick passing move ends with Giggs shot but Not-Schmeichal saves. 18min - Great run and cross from Giggsy sees Rudd tap it in from 2 yards at far post for the 1-nil lead. "Utd's looking crisp and sharp when going forward". 60 sec later Becks goes down in the penalty box, but, as there's no horse to take the kick for him for him the ref doesn't give it. 24min - Veron shot is blocked by Sommeil. Roy Carroll tips it around the post from a defelected Anelka shot 30 sec later. Keane's clearing everthing up in midfield and Gary Nev is having a stormer on the right. Clean game for a derby... 32min - Veron goes just wide after Ruud tries to head it in from 2 inches above the turf. 38min - Giggs runs only to get fouled right on the edge of the penalty area for a fk. Too close for Beckham really -- he needs more room to have the shot dip in time. Deflected off the wall for a corner. 40min - Two shots: Giggs and Scholes. It's all Utd from the noise of the radio; constant building creating a lot of chances. City on the other hand can't even make the passes up front. 45min - Not-Schmeichal makes a great save; punching it clear off Ruud's head from a Beckham cross. 1st half ends with a long range shot by City going over. "Utd not out of second gear. City not firing at all". The general feeling in the commentary box appears to be that a second from Utd will kill City off. HT Stats: Total shots 7-3 Utd Shots on target 2-1 Utd Corners 7-2 Utd Free Kicks 9-5 Utd Offsides 2-1 City 2nd Half - No changes for either side. Amazingly the pitch hasn't cut up or turned into a quagmire yet, and they've played a full 45 min on it... 46min - Old Utd target Mark Vivien Foe booked for fouling Silvestre. 51min - Utd get a FK; 25 yards out in front of goal. Much closer to Becks's range but he just curls it wide. Scrappy plays mars the beginning of the 2nd period. 55min - RVN gets in a 1v1 break but is dispossessed by Distan as he bore down on goal. 57min - Carroll has to backpedal to make the save from a strange Foe shot which looked like it was going well over but it took a vicious last sec dip. Game picking back up again. 62min - Veron shot blocked at 6yard box by Howey; suspicion of handball, not given. 67min - Left footed shot from Becks (rarity; collector's item) after good build up saved at 2nd attempt by Not-Schmeichal. Game opening up. City's brought a sub on and shifted Sun Jihai back to cover Scholes. 75min - City now into the game. Utd making breaks. Giggs 1v1 but ball deflected clear as he went to round keeper. 15min to go and we're now entering Utd's best period (statistically speaking) for scoring. 76min - Becks heads wide from a Veron cross, which is JSV's last act; he's subbed off for Nicky Butt soon after to a standing ovation. 78min - Beckham bends it like whatsisname but it curls just wide again from 25 yards out. 83min - Carroll slices a clearance and has to stretch up to reach Berkovic's resulting chip shot. 85min - Bernabia and the Goat coming on. Even better news is that Berkovic is going off as he's been running it for them this second half. 86min - ... and the Goat scores for City with his first touch... :( 88min - Frodo steps onto the green fields of the Shire (Lanca) against the Bitter Orcs to try and find the winner for Utd. Giggs off. 90min - 3min to be added extra time. 91min - Nicky Butt shot blocked in area. 92min - City have it in the net again (after a shot against the bar besides) but it's pulled back for an Anelka handball. Any of you watching this live might wanna restart their hearts using shock treatment. FT stats: Total shots 15-9 Utd Shots on target 7-3 Utd Corners 10-3 Utd Free Kicks 17-12 Utd Offsides 4-2 City Basically Utd let them get back into in the second half. Berkovic was allowed space to play and had Utd stepped up the pace themselves after that first 45min it would have been a lot better result... Here's hoping that Newcastle can do us the favour later today. *************************************** Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe from the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
