100 e 101 para Ronaldo

Resurgent Ronaldo scores 100th Man United goal

With a trademark free kick, Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name deeper into Manchester United folklore by becoming the club's latest goalscoring centurion on Saturday.

And to round off the 5-0 rout of Stoke, he registered his 101st goal with another dead ball.

"It's a great achievement, it's great to score 101 goals for this club," Ronaldo said. "I feel very proud, very good, very happy.

"This is the sixth season I've been with the club and I feel very proud to get 101 goals."

The winger took just three minutes to stun Stoke, swerving a blistering free kick from the left that completely beat goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to the awe of the Old Trafford crowd - very much like his first goal after joining from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, which came in a 3-0 win over Portsmouth.

On Saturday, Ronaldo left it until the 89th minute to curl another around a seven-man wall and past Sorensen. The intervening 86 minutes, though, witnessed the petulant side of Ronaldo amid growing frustration in front of goal and taunting by the visiting Stoke fans.

Neither goals nor modesty were in short supply from Ronaldo, who wasn't going to be upstaged by 17-year-old league debutant Danny Welbeck bending a fierce strike into the top right from 25 meters in the 84th for United's fourth.

"I'm very happy for him, he's a young boy, a new talent, and he scored a fantastic goal - (but) not better than mine," Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo missed the first month of the season while recovering from ankle surgery, but the greater struggle has been regaining the affection of United fans after seeing his dream move to Real Madrid vetoed by manager Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson bears no grudges and trumpeted Ronaldo's milestone.

"He's on fire now, he's back," Ferguson said. "His acceleration is marvelous and he has scored his first goals from free kicks this season. We have been waiting for that to happen. Today, we saw the real power of him.

"He's overcome his operation and he is getting quicker with every game. His fitness levels are fantastic. His speed has come back. He was taking his time, but every game he is getting better."

And chasing down last season's 42-goal tally.

"That is nine for the season now. I am sure he will be into double figures very soon," Ferguson said. "Overall, he has scored 101 times in 253 appearances, which is an unbelievable return for a winger."

There is a long way to go before the 23-year-old Portugal international can think about surpassing the 249 goals Bobby Charlton scored between 1956 and 1973 - especially with a move to Real Madrid not banished from his thoughts.

Texto: www.iht.com



Ronaldo celebrates his 100th United goal

Cristiano Ronaldo's 100th goal for Manchester United lacked only bows and a gift card to Sir Alex Ferguson.

On the day Ferguson was celebrating his 50th anniversary in professional football, Ronaldo scored twice as United overtook Arsenal to claim third place in the Premier League with the 5-0 destruction of Stoke.

The Portuguese star, who spent most of last summer agitating for a transfer to Real Madrid, produced two fantastic free-kicks to rank high in the catalogue of United goals.

His first from 25 yards, which brought up his century, swerved beyond Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, who was left punching fresh air in the fourth minute. His second also evaded Sorensen - plus a seven-man wall - two minutes from the end.

Last night Ferguson summed up the significance of Ronaldo's return to devilish form when he said: ‘Cristiano's back on song.

‘We've waited for it to happen and today we saw his real power and acceleration.'

Texto: www.dailymail.co.uk



Cristiano Ronaldo scores 100th goal for Manchester United as Stoke City are crushed

So that's the secret of putting Stoke in their place. Score an early goal, force them to come out and play and pick them off.

Manchester United effectively played the match to their own regulations and requirements from the instant Cristiano Ronaldo's early free-kick bedazzled Thomas Sorensen and registered his 100th goal for the club.

Ronaldo interrupted his sparring with Stoke's taunting supporters to torment their defence, while Berbatov exerted his sophisticated influence with ever increasing authority.

Ferguson, celebrating 50 years in football, said: "I didn't think we played that well in the first-half but in the second-half our performance was great. Welbeck will remember that goal for the rest of his life. Ronaldo is back on song and scored his first goals from free-kicks this season."

Ronaldo holed Stoke's customary strategy within three minutes. His free-kick, unleashed from wide on the left, and 30-yards out, moved in the air but perhaps not so much that it should have defied Sorensen's reach.

Far from subduing Stoke, it enticed them to adopt an unlikely plan B and venture deep into United's territory. Had Salif Diao made better contact with the ball they might have equalised almost as Ronaldo was wallowing in adulation. Instead he shanked the ball woefully off target.

United strived unconvincingly to reassert their superiority, but Sorensen comfortably fielded long-range efforts from Ji-Sung Park and Ronaldo. Every subsequent misdirected contribution by the Portugal winger induced derision from the travelling hordes. His exasperation became so palpable he was given the "calm it" word in his ear by referee Peter Walton.

Ronaldo retreated to the other wing and initiated an incisive move feeding the ball cleverly in from the left, Carrick steadied himself and beat Sorensen high to his right. Ronaldo pointedly directed his jubilation towards the Stoke corner of the stadium.

Ronaldo's second goal, with a more regulation 25-yard free-kick, completed Sorensen's demoralisation.

Texto: www.telegraph.co.uk



United are at their best but Ronaldo is at his worst

As has often been the case throughout so much of his Manchester United career, Cristiano Ronaldo dominated Old Trafford proceedings with two goals, including his centenary goal for the club, then pouted his way through the remainder of a match his team won at a canter.

The game told us nothing about United's championship credentials and the destiny of this season's title. As for Ronaldo? The petulance and frustration he showed for so much of this game suggest it will take time, and presumably another summer of Real Madrid courtship, before he looks content playing for United again.

Ironically, this was the afternoon when, probably for the first time this season, Ronaldo received the unequivocal backing of the United fans, in response to the constant verbal abuse he took from Stoke's vocal following.

Ronaldo blew a sarcastic kiss at those supporters and then gestured maniacally to them after setting up Michael Carrick for the second goal. He was also lucky not to get cautioned for a second-half altercation with Amdy Faye, while every shrug of his shoulders and every flailing arm spoke of his petulance.

Yet there was also the other side of the Portuguese. The one that has reached 100 goals in only 208 starts for the club, culminating in his two magnificent free-kicks yesterday. After three minutes, Amdy Faye tripped Carlos Tevez 25 yards from goal, at a wide angle, allowing Ronaldo to whip in a terrific shot that keeper Thomas Sorensen misjudged and allowed through his hands. His 101st goal came in the last minute, again from a free-kick, this time 20 yards out, which he buried with a trademark shot into the bottom corner.

'Fantastic. He's back, right on song,' Sir Alex Ferguson said. 'His speed has come back. He was taking his time, but every game he is getting better. That is nine for the season now. Overall, he has scored 101 times in 253 appearances, which is an unbelievable return for a winger.

'His acceleration is marvellous and he has scored his first goals from free-kicks this season. We have been waiting for that to happen. Today, we saw the real power of him.'

The power, yes, but also the deep-rooted immaturity that has led Ronaldo into so many testing situations in his brilliant career. For now, all that matters to Ferguson and the supporters who have quickly forgotten a summer in which Ronaldo likened his position at United to that of a slave is that he is back to his best.

Texto: www.guardian.co.uk
Imagem: www.football-wallpapers.com

15.11.2008 23:59h | Ocultar ou Mostrar Comentários | Noticias