The Hindu : Sport : Tenth title for Manchester United

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Monday, May 12, 2008
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Tenth title for Manchester United

Chelsea held by Bolton as the Blues finish runner-up

WIGAN: Manchester United won its 10th Premier League title in 16 years on Sunday, getting a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo and another goal from Ryan Giggs to beat Wigan 2-0 on the final day of the season.

Ronaldo put United ahead in the 33rd minute after Emmerson Boyce pulled down Wayne Rooney in the 32nd, and Giggs scored in the 80th off a pass from Rooney to ensure that the defending champion retained its league title.

Giggs, who has played in every Premier League-winning campaign, came off the bench in the second half to match Bobby Charlton’s club-record 758 games. The former United great celebrated Giggs’ goal in the directors box at the JJB Stadium.

“That doesn’t come into it — championships are what it’s all about,” Giggs said.

Charlton, who survived the 1958 Munich air disaster which decimated Matt Busby’s team, came down to the field to embrace the current team after Wigan had formed a guard of honour as it returned after the final whistle.

Giggs raised the trophy with artificial flames flickering behind and fireworks exploding around the stadium.

United finished the 38-game season with 87 points, two points more than Chelsea, which was held to a 1-1 draw by Bolton.

“We deserved it,” Ronaldo said. Alex Ferguson sprang a surprise by starting with Rooney despite suggesting he wouldn’t be fit until the Champions League final against Chelsea on May 21.

Taylor does it

Matthew Taylor scored a 90th-minute equaliser on Sunday for Bolton to draw 1-1 at Chelsea as the Blues finished the Premier League season as runner-up behind Manchester United. Substitute striker Andriy Shevchenko had given Chelsea a 1-0 lead in the 62nd minute at Stamford Bridge, but Taylor sent the ball through goalkeeper Petr Cech’s legs to seal the draw. Chelsea lost captain John Terry early on after he was carried off with a serious arm injury that looks set to keep him out of the May 21 Champions League final against Man United.

Chelsea pressed from the start as striker Didier Drogba headed one effort across goal and hit another high and wide from close range.

But the home side was hit in the ninth when Cech leaped to collect the ball and caught Terry in the head with his knee, sending the Chelsea captain crashing to the ground.

The crowd fell quiet as Terry thumped the turf in pain while Chelsea’s medical staff ran to treat him. Terry was carried off and replaced by Juliano Belletti before being taken to hospital for treatment.

O’Brien, McCann and Kevin Davies were all booked for late or rough challenges in the first half as Bolton restricted Chelsea to a handful of half chances.

Shevchenko replaced defensive midfielder Claude Makelele for the second half and, knowing that United was winning, Chelsea attacked relentlessly from the first whistle.

Florent Malouda had a deflected shot tipped onto the bar by Al Habsi and Belletti a shot blocked in the area, before Drogba forced the best chance so far with a surging run from the edge of the centre circle.

The striker burst through the visiting defence before drawing a save from Al Habsi with a rising shot. That brought the first in a string of corners, the third of which ended up with the ball breaking to Shevchenko about five metres from goal. The Ukraine striker hit it instinctively for his first goal since December. — AP

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