After the pre-match ceremony was completed, the players from both sides quickly took their positions.
Clattenburg, standing in the center circle, glanced at his watch and then blew the whistle to start the match!
"Alright! Clattenburg has blown the whistle to start the match, the first leg of the Champions League final is officially underway." Lineker, with a smile, joked, "Ladies and gentlemen! The 38th round of the 2007-2008 English Premier League season, Leeds United vs. Manchester United, is officially starting! In ninety minutes, the result of this match will determine who will ultimately win this season's title! In the first half of the season, Leeds United defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford. As a Leeds United fan, I hope they can do the same today, defeating the visiting Manchester United and defending their Premier League title..."
"Yes, since last season, Leeds United and Manchester United have faced each other four times in the league and League Cup, with Leeds United holding a slight advantage with two wins, one draw, and one loss." Jon also raised his voice appropriately for the moment, "Statistically, Leeds United has some advantage... but don't forget, Manchester United is also in very good form this season... since the 20th round of the league, they haven't tasted defeat... so in my opinion, today, no historical data is of any value; what matters is the two managers' ability to adapt to the situation and the players' form!"
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After the match began.
There were no exciting, high-scoring attacks on the field; instead, both teams played rather conservatively.
Although both Li Shiguang and Ferguson gave passionate speeches in the locker room before the game, which aroused the players' fighting spirit.
But before the game actually started.
These two are arguably the most cunning managers in the Premier League, and they both told their players that once the game starts, they should not rush to attack, but first observe whether the opponent will reveal any weaknesses due to impatience.
then.
At the specific request of the two head coaches.
The game had been going on for almost ten minutes, and there hadn't been a single shot on goal yet. Most of the time, both sides were trying to pass the ball into the opponent's penalty area through short passes between two or three players, and neither side was willing to easily give possession of the ball to the opponent.
But no matter what.
Manchester United are the ones who absolutely need to win to clinch the title today, so their mentality will inevitably be more anxious than Leeds United's.
The match was in its thirteenth minute.
Feeling they had tested the waters sufficiently, Manchester United launched their attack first.
Scholes, who received the pass near the center circle, did not combine with Park Ji-sung or Carrick as he had done before. Instead, he played a through ball to the left wing.
Cristiano Ronaldo received the ball on the wing, used his speed to get past Alonso, and then stopped abruptly at the edge of the penalty area to get past Alves who rushed up to defend, before dribbling into Leeds United's penalty area.
"Ronaldo! After such a long silence, the pitch is finally stirring up some excitement!" Jon exclaimed, raising his voice.
Ronaldo has been using this attacking style for almost a season.
Everyone knows what Ronaldo does when he gets the ball on the wing: he uses his speed to get past the defender, then cuts inside and shoots. This is basically Ronaldo's basic strategy in attacking down the wing this season.
Actually, during pre-match training...
Li Shiguang even gave special training to the defensive players on both sides specifically targeting Ronaldo's technical characteristics, but training is one thing, and on the field of the game, it's another.
After breaking into the penalty area.
Cristiano Ronaldo looked up and saw Berbatov in the middle and Rooney, who was slightly behind at the far post, waving at him for the ball.
But it was clear that the Portuguese player chose to ignore his two teammates, his eyes quickly scanning over them before finally settling on the far post of the Leeds United goal.
He dribbled laterally for one step.
As expected, Ronaldo did not choose to pass the ball, but instead curled a shot with his right foot, attempting to shoot himself.
Unfortunately, that's a shame.
Kompany deduced Ronaldo's thoughts.
Not far from Ronaldo's feet, Kompany's thick leg appeared in the ball's path.
"Bang!!" The football slammed into Kompany's thigh with a loud thud before being deflected out of bounds...
"Oh dear! What a pity!" Jon's face was full of regret. "Cristiano's play... he handled everything beautifully up to the end, but that final choice... even though Berbatov was closely marked by Silva, Rooney had clearly made space! If he had passed the ball... would the result have been different!?"
Lineker was quite shaken by Ronaldo's tackle, patting his chest a few times before commenting with lingering fear, "But that's Cristiano Ronaldo for you. He's improved a lot this season, but you have to admit, watching him play, not passing the ball is the norm..."
Although the ball didn't go in, it marked the official end of the trial period.
After about ten minutes of silence, Elland Road Stadium is about to enter its truly exciting mode!
Two minutes later.
Leeds United launched an offensive, determined to retaliate against Manchester United's earlier blunder.
Modric, Alonso, and Rodriguez passed the ball to each other in midfield. When the ball finally came to Rodriguez's feet, he suddenly passed it with the outside of his foot, sending the ball to the wing.
Alves immediately came up to assist.
Because Ronaldo was positioned closer to midfield, he didn't catch up with Alves immediately. The Brazilian also used his speed to overtake Evra and then delivered a cross with only half his body exposed.
Inside the restricted area.
Adriano was in position, and facing Alves' cross, he overpowered Vidic, who was marking him, and unleashed a powerful header. The ball instantly changed direction and headed straight for the top left corner of the Manchester United goal.
"A precise cross! Adriano's header in the penalty area—!!" Lineker half-squatted up, his fists clenched.
Behind the goal.
The Leeds United fans in the stands cheered!
But just when everyone thought Adriano's header would change the score...
Standing in front of the goal, Schmeichel leaped into the air, quickly extending his right arm and using one hand to block the ball off the goal line and back into the penalty area!
Seeing this scene.
The fans in the stands sighed in unison, many with expressions of extreme regret.
But soon.
Cheers erupted again.
Many fans who had already returned to their seats stood up again, looking excited.
The reason is simple.
The ball, blocked by Schmeichel, didn't fly very far; it landed inside the penalty area, and quite coincidentally, right in front of Kaká, who was running in that direction...
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