BELIEVE all the way

It was approximately 3 in the morning of the 22^nd of may,08 when Edwin Van Der Sar dived brilliantly to his right to save Nicholas Anelka’s spotkick to spark of wild celebrations world over from the Red Devil’s fans. It was a sight to behold, a moment to cherish for all of us who have learnt to “BELIEVE”. The antics of the united players on the field of the stadium was a doppelganger to the many scenes around the world in homes, pubs, lounges n even offices.

There were many emotions swirling around in those minutes just after the victory…euphoria, ecstasy, exultation, pride, relief, etc. But for me, it was a sense of payback….payback for all those 8 seasons of European disappointment. In an instant all those memories came back flooding….Diego Forlan’s effort hitting the crossbar late in the 2^nd half against Bayer Leverkusen, the great Brazilian Ronaldo scoring that wonderful hattrick @ the “theatre of dreams”, thereby breaking our hearts, FC Porto’s Costinha’s almost last minute goal knocking us off, then inexperienced young guns Ronaldo n Rooney coming a cropper against Milan’s fortress of a defence n off course Kaka ravaging our hearts in the rain last year.

I still remember Nou Camp ’99 as vividly as yesterday. It was the 1^st United game that I watched. I had a high running fever but was absolutely determined to see the game. So I switched on the idiot box n muted it. Following 90 minutes of disappointment, I was almost feeling let down but then in the space of two minutes , it all changed. Sheringham n Solskjaer scored, United snatched victory from the jaws of defeat n I was hooked on for life.

It was a night full of poetic justice. How apt it was then that final penalty was rammed home by Ryan Giggs *legend* , a player who has serviced all his life for one club giving a new name to loyalty. How apt also that the missed kick which brought doom to Chelsea FC was struck by Nicholas Anelka, a player who has had more transfers than the number of years his career has spanned, always on the lookout for more lucrative pastures without an iota of loyalty to the cause. How apt that Didier Drogba should pick this occasion to ladle heaps of scorn on himself, once again proving himself to be what we always knew he was.

How apt of course that it was this free flowing United side which won thereby tributing probably it’s greatest side(Busby Babes), not only in spirit but also in the manner of playing that they so cherished. Also, how relieving it was that for once the tears from Cristiano Ronaldo’s eyes were tears of joy n victory. Too often, he has had to endure the ignominy of defeat on the biggest stage.

How sweet a victory this was for Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been haunted by his side’s failure @ the European stage time and again. These are all questions which cannot be answered in words. You have to be a Manchester United fan to feel those answers within you.

Here’s a cheer to this sweet victory which may or may not herald an era of dominance for United on the European stage. However, what this victory has done is to provide all of us quenched fans a tonic of success. It has provided a moment for all of us which will be preserved forever in the annals of our mind. It has provided one more taste of glory which will linger for eternity and will keep coming back in the face of adversity. It’s a moment which will make us keep “BELIEVING”.