Schalke 0-2 Man Utd: Neuer Forced To Shine As United Dominate (With Photos)

Chris Wright

27th, April 2011

5 Comments

By Chris Wright

http://youtu.be/gPY1nIdf3xs?hd=1

“See you next summer kiddo”

Watching last night’s Champions League semi-final in Gelsenkirchen raised but one questions to my mind: How in blue blazes have this Schalke side made it through to the last four – laying waste to the reigning champs en route?

Excuse my French, but they were piffle. Much has since been made of Manuel Neuer’s stirring performance, and quite rightly so, but the Schalke stopper was forced into last-ditch action far too many times by the shonky defence deployed in front of him – if they play that poorly at Old Trafford then I’d wager that we can probably expect a mauling.

United dominated the almost completely one-sided semi, emerging victorious by way of two uncontested goals from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney but, in truth, could and perhaps should have won by a landslide – with lapse/unlucky finishing and an excellent, eye-catching outing from zeitgeisty ‘keeper Neuer (how Fergie would love to recruit him this summer) proving to be all that kept the away goal tally in check.

Any thoughts on the game peeps?

Photos…

Manchester United line up for a team photo before kick-off

Raul hits the deck under pressure from Fabio

Jefferson Farfan sees one fly narrowly wide early in the game

A concerned Sir Alex Ferguson looks on as Wayne Rooney gets to his feet gingerly

Nemanja Vidic leads with his forearm in an aerial battle with Edu

Manuel Neuer stops Javier Hernandez by any means possible

Ji-Sung Park is felled by Kyriakos Papadopoulos’ challenge

Javier Hernandez sends a bristling shot goal-wards

Wayne Rooney is sent sprawling by Christoph Metzelder…

…then lets the German centre-back know all about it

Ji-Sung Park dispossesses Joel Matip with a sliding challenge

Manuel Neuer foils Javier Hernandez from close range

Ryan Giggs slides United in front with the opening goal of the tie…

…only to be mobbed by his teammates

Two minutes later, Wayne Rooney guides a shot past Manuel Neuer to double United’s advantage…

…and runs to celebrate with Javier Hernandez

Peer Kluge takes to the air in an attempt to stop Wayne Rooney in his tracks

Atsuto Uchida and Ryan Giggs battle for the ball in the air

Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick looks on from the sidelines

Christoph Metzelder and Ryan Giggs go shoulder to shoulder

Manuel Neuer saves at the feet of Ji-Sung Park

Dejected Schalke players sink to their haunches at the final whistle

Raul leaves the field wearing Ryan Giggs’ United shirt

Photos courtesy of the PA.

Posted in Bundesliga, Champions League, Man Utd

Share this article: Email

5 Comments

  1. TravisKOP says:

    FIRST!

    and now for commentary, jeeze what happened to shalke today, they not only got thrashed but now my fantasy of seeing a Madrid v. Shalke final where Raul scores the game winner in perfected irony is ruined! stupid Utd. messed everything up -___-

  2. Eckpfosten says:

    Yes, Schalke was squashed bei ManU and saved from more goals bei Manu (Manuel Neuer).

    There were so few balls to the front, that you even couldn’t be sure if Raul is on the field.

    I hope the “Königsblauen” will lose some of their respect in Manchester, so it will be more fun for us to watch the game.

  3. emmy mu says:

    It was a good match to watch we could of scored few more goals but good 2 goals from rooney and giggs xx

  4. Luke says:

    Schalke really disappointed me, I was expecting to see end to end attacking with at least 1 goal for the Germans. Inter must’ve really been having an off day because Schalke looked tactically fragile, lacking versatility and any managerial foresight. Although (obviously) Neuer was a spectacle.

  5. Michael D says:

    Wow, Schalke’s coach is either a strategic genius or out of his depth: perhaps he’s lulling United into a sense of ease and comfort only to barnstorm them at Old Trafford? Good luck with that…mind you, I don’t like United at all (England’s answer to Inter Milan) but I guess what else where they supposed to do? Schalke allowed 2-to-1 possession and with Rooney, Giggs and Hernandez it was only a matter of time. On the bright side, Neuer just earned himself a MASSIVE contract with that display…my goodness that boy is good. I’m sure quite a few clubs started reaching for their checkbooks after that game.
    Well, we know how the second leg plays out: ManU parks the bus (unless Schalke decides to gift them possession again) and Schalke throws everything at them. Should be good but ManU should be going through at this point…I can see the next leg finishing 2-1 or 1-1. Now if the San Siro version of Schalke show up at OT then all bets are off

Leave a Reply to Luke