Neal Collins soccer
Three goals in his past four games; 12 in 15 this season. The man is a middle-aged miracle. He’s 34 and Teddy Sheringham can’t seem to stop scoring vital goals.
On Wednesday night SuperTed shot Manchester United into the last 16 of the Champions League while Leeds, with their oldest player eight years younger than Sheringham, survived a torrid night at the San Siro to take the point they needed against Milan.
All three English teams – Arsenal, Leeds and United, went through – but Sheringham’s talents make Alex Ferguon’s men England’s best bet when it comes to continental domination.
At Millwall as a youngster he was superb with Tony Cascarino but at what should have been his peak, he suffered White Hart pain with Spurs, where he was overshadowed by Jurgen Klinsmann and Paul Gascoigne.
At United the same applied – until this season. Sheringham, at an age when most are considering carpet slippers and dog walking, is now undisputed heavyweight champion at Old Trafford, leaving Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer firmly in the shade.
On Wednesday night he made, assisted in and scored the close-range goal which saved United an estimated 30-million in television fees, endorsements and gate money – there were a record 67 000 in attendance last night.
Sheringham wasn’t the only hero: the returning Roy Keane also helps put United ahead of the more impressive Arsenal with the bookmakers. Wes Brown continues to look England’s best young defender, David Beckham went close with a series of free-kicks and South African Quinton Fortune, on for the injured Ryan Giggs, did his share of Ukrainian bashing before, surprisingly, the sub found himself subbed.
Mind you there was one mistake he made in the 84th minute which created that moment when Georgian international George Demetradze looked certain to score the leveller which would have ruined the night for the Old Trafford faithful – but he fired wide from a few metres out.
Ferguson, who said before the game he wasn’t even considering failure, grinned: “That was close. But apart from that chance, we defended well. It was a long night. They were an awkward side to play against.
“It was a tense night, there was a bit of anxiety. But my players will learn from tonight, hopefully we’ll enjoy the next stage more than this. We’re through, that’s the important thing. Everyone’s telling me it would have cost us a fortune if we’d lost.”
In Italy, where there were rumours that Barcelona might have offered financial inducements to encourage Milan, Leeds United grabbed the point they needed to go through – but only just.
Their 1-1 draw puts David O’Leary’s young side through with Group H winners Milan and leaves Barcelona, semifinalists last year, to compete in the Uefa Cup despite their thumping 5-0 win against Besiktas.
It could have been different though. Milan missed a penalty when Gary Kelly was harshly adjudged to have handled in the box. The relief was evident when Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko, once Dynamo Kiev’s hero, hit the post.
Dominic Matteo, the former Liverpool defender just picked by Scotland for the first time, put them in front with a superb near-post header from Lee Bowyer’s 45th minute free-kick.
South African captain Lucas Radebe, back in charge of the side after his concussion problems, faced up to a pairing of Shevchenko and German striker Oliver Bierhof with some aplomb – though a sliced 59th-minute clearance nearly resulted in an own goal as it shaved the post.
There was little Radebe or anyone else on the Leeds team could do to stop Brazilian Serginho’s 68th-minute equaliser, as he beat Kelly and tucked the ball past the impressive stand-in keeper Paul Robinson.
Somehow Leeds hung on to keep the point though Barcelona, who did all they could with five goals at the Nou Camp against Turks Besiktas, may feel they were nobbled.
O’Leary said: “We have achieved a miracle. After that first game against Barcelona, where we lost 4-0, you wouldn’t have expected this. Look how far we’ve come. Our lads have learnt a lot. Anything can happen now.”
Indeed it can. The three English clubs join holders Real Madrid, Spartak Moscow, Lazio, last season’s finalists Valencia, Lyon, Sturm Graz (though the Austrians were beaten 5-0 by Scottish champions Rangers in their first game), Galatasary, Panathinaikos, Deportivo La Coruna, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain, Anderlecht (who brilliantly won at PSV Eindhoven) and Milan.
Lazio would be my favourites, if coach Sven Goran Eriksson hadn’t been attracted to the England job, so I’m going for United – in an all-English final against Arsenal. Or is that just wishful thinking?