MILAN UP THE ANTE ON ROMA
Loan striker is dreaming of a big Hollywood finish with United rather than returning to obscurity in China
ANTE REBIC and Hakan Calhanoglu struck late goals to give AC MILAN a 2-0 win – and deliver a crushing blow to ROMA’S hopes of a Champions League place.
Both teams struggled in the San Siro heat of 32 degrees but it was Milan, missing injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who took all three points.
The hosts broke through in the 76th minute.
Rebic (above) struck a post but the ball rebounded to him and he scored at the second attempt.
Calhanoglu converted a penalty in the 89th minute to give Milan their second straight win since the restart of Serie A.
They stay seventh with 42 points, six behind fifthplaced Roma.
In Spain, VILLARREAL beat neighbours VALENCIA 2-0 with two brilliant volleyed goals to boost their chances of a top-four finish, while further crushing their rivals’ hopes of returning to the Champions League.
Former Valencia forward Paco Alcacer opened the scoring with a superb volley on the turn in the 14th minute, but opted against celebrating against the club where he began his career.
Strike partner Gerard Moreno scored an even better goal a minute before the interval.
Goalkeeper Sergio
Asenjo launched the ball upfield and former Arsenal star Santi Cazorla controlled it in the air with an irresistible touch before Moreno’s ferocious volley.
Former European and German champions HAMBURG missed out on possible Bundesliga promotion, crashing to a 5-1 second division home defeat to SANDHAUSEN.
That meant they missed out on a play-off place.
HEIDENHEIM grabbed third place despite losing 3-0 to ARMINIA BIELEFELD and will face 16th-placed Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in a promotion/ relegation play-off over two legs.
Cantwell
Ighalo
Maguire
THE word on the street is that Odion Ighalo doesn’t even want to go back to China when his loan deal is up next January.
Why would he? The boyhood Manchester United fan is living the dream.
The critics who keeled over laughing when he was brought in six months ago as part of that late supermarket sweep are already backtracking.
If United and Solskjaer have any sense, they will start the negotiations now to keep him in England. The visa situation in China for foreign nationals is in a state of flux to put it mildly.
As for the Nigerian striker, you’re missing the point if you judge him just on his goals.
His opener provided a blessed relief for a United side playing horrendously during the first half and up against it.
Norwich were quicker, more creative and would have gone ahead had Teemu Pukki not been woefully out of form or Harry Maguire not blocked Lukas Rupp.
So when Ighalo scored with a superbly-improvised effort, it provided some much-needed breathing space for his United team-mates. Norwich had clearly forgotten about the fact that they are statistically the worst team in the Premier League and were here to play.
So much so that Todd Cantwell’s 75th-minute cracker came as no surprise. They were the better side.
It was Ighalo again, however, who underlined just why he is such an asset to United.
His movement, late in normal time, was such that Norwich defender Timm Klose was forced to panic late and wrap him in a bear-hug to deny him a goalscoring opportunity.
Once Klose saw red the Norwich momentum was gone.
So yes, Maguire absolutely deserves the plaudits for grabbing that late goal to prevent a nerve-shredding penalty shootout.
But Ighalo is already an inspired signing for Manchester United.
He gives their front-line depth, his movement is excellent, and – most importantly – he loves playing for the club.
Good strikers are not just worth their weight in gold when things are going well.
You tend to see what they are made of when the chips are down.
United surely can’t play this badly again, even allowing for the fact that Solskjaer had made eight changes from their Premier League win over Sheffield United on Wednesday.
You had to admire his spin, by the way, insisting it was only one change from the side that beat Derby in the last round – on March 5!
Honourable mention must go to Bruno Fernandes whose moments of skill once again will leave Spurs fans frustrated that the club couldn’t push the boat out to bring him in for former boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Paul Pogba also provided another cameo, starting the move that led to Maguire’s winner.
And United are once again perfecting that art of finding a way to win when they aren’t playing well. That’s now three FA Cup semi-finals for them in five seasons.
Solskjaer, let’s remember, is the man many fans wanted out of a job mid-season. Now he could deliver a top-four place and an FA Cup.
It isn’t just
Ighalo he could end up having the last laugh about.