By Soteris Charalambous
Nicosia’s GSP stadium last night witnessed Maccabi Haifa stun Manchester United with a 3-0 reverse as the lowest ranked team in the tournament, who have been prevented from playing in their own country, turned in a performance that will live long in the memory of their fans — and may also have earned them a place in the UEFA cup.
Sir Alex Ferguson reaped the rewards of fielding a weakened team, with a disjointed performance that reflected his players’ inexperience at this level.
Both sides made a good start, creating openings with United shading it on number of efforts but Maccabi testing debutant keeper Ricardo first.
In an unfamiliar line-up Scholes stood out for United, prompting with his passing, putting players through with his passes and rifling shots from outside the area.
By the mid-point United looked to have settled better and probed down the Maccabi right through Kieran Richardson, the youngster looking to test Avishay Zano on every opportunity.
For Haifa Giovani Rosso looked to be giving the United’s defence the greatest concern with his direct style, and it was his effort that forced Ricardo to save with his legs after his close range shot was deflected.
United’s response inevitably came through Scholes whose influence on the half was growing, a shot from 25 yards forcing Dudu Awate to tip the ball over his bar and into the crowd of United fans behind his goal.
The keeper was forced into making another save as Silvestre broke down the left with United looking to take control of the game. Haifa responded well to the challenge and hit back with swift incisive passing through the middle, trying to take advantage of United’s midfield unfamiliarity.
After a slick piece of passing Ayegbani was brought down by O’Shea, the challenge earning the young Irishman a yellow card. He was soon followed into the referee’s book by Silvestre after another clumsy challenge on the same player. United’s confidence started to shake, and Haifa had two good efforts saved after a period of intense pressure before they finally took the lead.
The ball broke to Yaniv Katan 20 yards out, the midfielder hitting a dipping shot that left Ricardo grasping air as it nestled into the top left corner.
Typically, United responded but Haifa held out until the break.
United started the second half eager to get back into the game and nearly pulled a goal back through Forlan, his effort clipping the crossbar. But it was Haifa’s players who passed the ball with greater confidence and accuracy as they started to control the midfield, powered on by the vocal support.
The Haifa fans were soon given even more to cheer about as their team extended their lead. Defender Raimondas Zutauttas finished off a sweeping move that switched from right to left, beating Ricardo with another long range effort that nestled into the top left corner.
Ferguson reacted by taking off the tiring Richardson and bringing on another youngster, Daniel Nardiello, but his contribution was minimal as Haifa’s command of the midfield grew.
United seemed to be running out of ideas and even Scholes seemed to be finding less and less room to work in as Haifa’s players eagerly denied their opposition space. United’s lack of fluency and inability to sustain any real response typified when Ferdinand’s simple pass out of defence to Gary Neville rolled under his foot for a throw in to Haifa.
United’s misery was complete when Haifa broke through again, forcing Ricardo to bring down Zuttauttas. The keeper’s personal debut nightmare compounded as he earned a yellow and was sent the wrong way by Yakubu Ayegbeni who made it 3-0.
Ferguson’s final roll of the dice was to replace Forlan with yet another youngster, Lee Roche, as his side tried to rally.
But United’s efforts so often faded into nothing, drowned out by a jubilant crowd who cheered every pass in the last 10 minutes, filled with the belief that their team have given themselves a real chance of progressing into the UEFA cup and continuing their journey through Europe.
