European dream drives Fergie

WINNING the Champions League for only the second time as manager is what keeps Alex Ferguson motivated after 21 years at Old Trafford and he got another pointer as to his team’s potential to achieve that dream last night.

It wasn’t a performance the Scotsman will want to remember for long, given that it was lacklustre at best for at least 60 of the 90 minutes.

But the way his team came from 1-0 down to clinch victory with a stunning free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo in the final minute proves they have the hunger for European success that will make them real contenders this year.

That goal no doubt changed the mood of both fans and manager as they headed home at the end of a long evening.

You have to remember United were already through to the last 16 long before this match kicked off, and that goes some way to explaining why the levels of motivation were so low for a team that many regard as one of the favourites for the tournament.

But having lost 1-0 at Bolton in the Premier League last weekend it eventually became the kind of response a 75,000-strong crowd – who surely bought their tickets before they realised this fixture was a lame duck – were hoping for.

The added bonus of course, was that United eased through the match with no injuries, no bruises and certainly, judging by the tempo of the game, no physical exhaustion – and they now have the luxury of six whole days to rest and prepare for a home league game against Fulham next Monday.

United’s fans will also have been encouraged by Ferguson’s insistence, printed in the matchday programme, that he has targeted the Champions League as one of the trophies he must win again before eventually retiring – a prospect he clearly isn’t considering in the near future.

“I won’t be here forever, but I’ve no idea when I’ll retire,” he said. “Nothing inside tells me I want to quit. I’d love to win the European Cup again. I’ve got to win that cup again for this club. Considering the history of Manchester United we haven’t won it enough. It’s a definite weakness.”

Ferguson’s right, of course. For a club which such a rich heritage and proud history, the fact they have been crowned European champions only twice is not only a mystery but a disappointment.

So, can the current crop be the ones to do it?

Well, Ferguson’s insistence that he currently possesses the strongest and deepest squad of his 21 years at Old Trafford gives credence to that, even if the performance last night didn’t even go close to proving him right.

Having made six changes from the team beaten at Bolton in the Premiership and staring without the likes of Owen Hargreaves, Wayne Rooney or Carlos Tevez, United struggled to find the desire or momentum to take on a Sporting side who needed victory to keep alive their qualification hopes alive.

The Champions League group format often throws up games like these, in which one team has already qualified and has little or no incentive break sweat and it is hardly a recipe for excitement.

So when Sporting took the lead after 21 minutes it was not a major surprise, although the manner in which it was scored appeared to leave stand-in goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak bemused.

He was clearly expecting a cross from winger Abel but was comprehensively beaten at his near post when the Portuguese star went for goal with a fierce low shot instead.

Not even that set-back could raise United from their lull, and in fact they were fortunate not to go 2-0 down when Sporting had the ball in the net again five minutes later but saw it controversially ruled offside.

It is hard to remember a single chance at the other end for United, who went into the match sitting top of Group F on 12 points, eight ahead of their opponents — whose main target was surely to finish third and at least win a place in the UEFA Cup.

Fortunately, Ferguson was able to make changes at half-time and the arrival of Tevez and Ryan Giggs, for the anonymous Nani and Darren Fletcher, provided some much-needed impetus.

Nemanja Vidic had already headed a good opportunity wide when United equalised in the 62d minute, Ronaldo’s shot deflecting off the heels of Tevez who claimed the goal as the ball deflected into the net.

United enjoyed the majority of possession after that and carved out half-chances for the likes of Ronaldo, who chipped just wide, and Hargreaves, who just seconds after coming on as a substitute was denied by a brave save from goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

Even so, it all looked to be heading for a draw – until that man Ronaldo fired in his dipping free-kick with pin-point precision in injury time.

Perhaps it really is time for United to put history right and win another European Cup. As Ferguson will tell you, it is long overdue.

Match rating: ***

Ronaldo’s dramatic late goal adds one star but before that it was lacklustre and uninspiring for long periods

Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark) — Had a quiet game, which is always good for a referee! Disallowed a Sporting goal for offside which would have changed the shape of the game at 1-0