Manchester United Crowned World Club Cup Champs
Wayne Rooney Takes the Plaudits, the MVP Award and a Toyota Prius
Dec 23, 2008
United's first trophy of what Sir Alex Ferguson expects to be another successful season came thanks to their 1-0 win against South American champions Liga de Quito in Yokohama, Japan. The game promised to be a one-sided affair until Nemanja Vidic, the United central defender, received a straight red card for elbowing an opponent in the 49th minute. Thereafter, United’s superiority still told, but their South American opponents weren’t without goal-scoring chances.
Goalie Cevallos Thwarts United
Perhaps the 5-3 cricket score-line from United’s semi-final tie against Gamba Osaka raised expectations too high for a game that was – truth be told – a dire affair. United were always the better side, but the game followed a familiar pattern this season as the English team were frustrated in front of goal. Fine stops from the Quito goalkeeper Jose Cevallos coupled with some seasonal generosity from United in the final third made for an unnecessarily tense affair as the unpromising South American champions took heart from their opponent’s profligacy.
Liga de Quito's Early Misses Prove Costly
Quito’s forays into their opponent’s half were few and far between, but they should have gone ahead as early as the fourth minute when Jairo Campos met a Manso free-kick only to put the ball inexplicably wide of the goal. Manso again proved troublesome with two long-range efforts that the United keeper Van der Sar did well to parry. However, as United’s superior footballing nous came increasingly to the fore, their opponents began to see less and less of the ball; with Carrick flinging the ball forward with unerring accuracy into the proximity of Rooney’s cute runs and ballon d’or winner Ronaldo offering scintillating cameos in the latter half of the field, Quito unadvisedly fell back on to their 18-yard line.
United took full advantage of the extra space ceded to them by their receding opponents; their slick inter-passing and incisive movement proved fruitful for Park Ji-sung and Carlos Tevez, both of whom had opportunities to score but met manly resistance from the Quito goalkeeper, Jose Cevallos. It became increasingly a duel between the United forwards – Rooney in particular – and the South America goalkeeper. Clever link-up play and incisive runs from Rooney provided him with two opportunities to shoot on goal. The second – a rasping effort that stung the goalie’s fingers – announced that he had found his range.
United 1 - 0 Liga de Quito
With two goals in the previous game and ample opportunity in this one to wear in his shooting boots, Rooney began to influence the game in the way he has done sporadically in the Premiership this season. His goal – when it came – was taken with such aplomb that it seemed inevitable as soon as it had left his boot. A quick change of feet from Ronaldo in the box nudged the ball toward the oncoming Rooney, whose body position and angle of approach were so expertly arranged that he found the corner of the net despite the goalkeeper’s outstretched frame.
Rooney Wins MVP and Toyota Prius
The goal was a knock-out blow for the Copa Libertadores champions. After the game, the opposition’s negative tactics proved a mystery to goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who claimed “I don't think they really wanted to play. When they broke, only four players came out.” Man-of-the-Match Rooney wasn’t complaining, however. His stellar display was rewarded with plaudits from an adoring Japanese public and a Toyota Prius from the tournament's sponsors.
