Football
Reuters 17y

Soccer-United lament FA Cup goal that never was

By Clare Lovell

LONDON, May 19 - Manchester United lamented a goal
that never was and suggested the referee lacked courage on
Saturday after Chelsea beat them 1-0 to lift the FA Cup.

The Premier League champions had been aiming for a double in
the first final to be staged at the re-built Wembley Stadium and
thought they had scored in the first half of extra time.

Captain Ryan Giggs' effort, under a challenge from Michael
Essien, sent the ball into Chelsea keeper Petr Cech's arms and
it appeared to cross the line as the Welshman's momentum carried
him into the Chelsea keeper. No goal was awarded.

"It was a penalty kick," United manager Alex Ferguson said.
"That was the decision that should have been taken. I don't
think the linesman was in a position to see clearly if that ball
was over."

"But there's no question (about) Essien....the referee was
in a really good position and should have seen that. It was a
penalty on Giggs."

United winger Cristiano Ronaldo said the goal was not given
because referee Steve Bennett and his colleagues had been under
pressure from Chelsea.

"The ball was half a metre over the line and the referee saw
it but he did not give it," the 22-year-old Portuguese said.

"The referee was under pressure all week from Chelsea. But
it's over now," he shrugged. "That's football and we are still
champions."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had said earlier in the week
that he expected the officials to act "correctly" in the
showpiece final.

Ronaldo, whose scintillating form this season won him two
awards as footballer of the year voted by players and by
football writers, had a quiet game.

Mourinho said his compatriot was unable to shine because he
was kept quiet by another Portuguese, defender Paulo Ferreira.

"Paulo was magnificent," Mourinho said.
Manchester United's Portuguese assistant manager Carlos
Queiroz said because both teams were tired at the end of a long
season the game was tight and tactical rather than spectacular.

"The game was very balanced and equal because it was the two
top teams in the championship," he said. "We had opportunities,
we controlled much of the game."

"There were two weeks of great pressure on the referee and
when the crucial time came he did not have the courage to take a
decision. It was a penalty."

"But it's not Chelsea's fault," the Portuguese added. "They
constructed a good goal."

Didier Drogba scored Chelsea's goal four minutes before the
end of extra time after a clever passing move with Salomon
Kalou, John Obi Mikel and Frank Lampard.

"It was a good move and Didier got there and finished it
well under pressure," Lampard said.

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