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Goal of the Day: Nani's sumptuous chip

Tuesday 03 December 2019 02:00

Ahead of our match against Tottenham, today's 'Goal of the Day' is a sublime finish by Nani against the Londoners...

Date: 24 April 2010, Old Trafford, Premier League

Background: Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were trailing Chelsea by one point with four games left of the 2009/10 Premier League season and a tricky encounter against top four contenders Tottenham at Old Trafford awaited. The Reds took the lead through Ryan Giggs’ second-half penalty before Ledley King’s header drew the away side level on 70 minutes.

The goal: Spurs’ equaliser led to an attacking change from Sir Alex, with Federico Macheda replacing Rafael as the game entered the closing stages, and it was the Italian who played a key part in the Reds’ second goal two minutes later. Darren Fletcher’s tidy footwork on the right wing found Macheda in space outside the box and the Italian took one touch before slipping the ball into Nani’s path. The Portuguese winger raced away from King before delicately dinking the ball over the onrushing Heurelho Gomes to swing the game back in our favour.

What happened next: Shortly afterwards, Wilson Palacios curtailed Nani’s mazy run from his own half by bundling over the Portuguese trickster, allowing Giggs to convert his second penalty of the day and wrap up a 3-1 win. The Reds temporarily moved back to the top of the league but just fell short in pursuit of a fourth consecutive title – finishing one point behind Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea.

Reaction: Afterwards Sir Alex beamed with delight at Nani’s late winner, stressing: “Not many players would have dared to do that at that stage of the game from that angle. That audacity shows his courage.”

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