New US Network For UEFA Champions League

It looks like the news came out on Monday, though it won't be officially announced until later this week that Fox Soccer Channel has wrested the US television rights to the UEFA Champions League away from ESPN.

HAPPY RED DEVILS

Jubilant Manchester United players celebrating their club's first European club crown in nine years. Getty Images Photo

UCL FINAL: Edwin Van der Sar Jubilant After Making Game-Winning Save

We see Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar celebrating after saving Nicolas Anelka's penalty kick to seal the Red Devils' European championship. Getty Images Photo

UCL FINAL: John Terry Dejected After Missing Championship-Winning Spot Kick

A dejected Chelsea captain John Terry after he missed the penalty kick that would have won the Blues their first European championship. Getty Images Photo

UCL FINAL: Petr Cech Stops Cristiano Ronaldo Spot Kick In Shootout

Here's Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech saving Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty kick during the shootout. Getty Images Photo

UCL FINAL: Frank Lampard at 45 Minutes

Here is Frank Lampard, equalizing the game at 45 minutes for Chelsea. Getty Images Photo

UCL FINAL:Cristiano Ronaldo at 26 Minutes

Here, we see Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the game's first goal in the 26th minute. Associated Press Photo

MANCHESTER UNITED WINS THIRD EUROPEAN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

At Moscow:

Manchester United won their first Champions League title since 1999 by defeating Chelsea to win the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League title. The match was decided in the penalty-kick shootout, with the Red Devils won 6-5 in seven rounds, after the match was deadlocked 1-1 through 120 minutes.

High drama
United had prevailed 3-0 in the FA Community Shield shoot-out on 5 August after a 1-1 draw and were on course to be crowned European champions when Cristiano Ronaldo headed them into a 26th-minute lead. Chelsea equalised 19 minutes later through Frank Lampard and appeared more likely winners thereafter, Didier Drogba and Lampard striking the woodwork. The former was red-carded for slapping Nemanja Vidić deep into extra time, before Petr Čech's save from Ronaldo's penalty put the prize within reach of the ten men only for John Terry to fire wide the potentially clinching kick. Three conversions later, Van der Sar outwitted Anelka and United were celebrating again.

One would wonder if Didier Drogba had not done his Moe Howard impersonation on Nemanja Vidic in that second overtime period.

Here's another account:

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was the hero with a penalty save to deny Nicolas Anelka after Chelsea captain John Terry had missed the chance to win the Blues the trophy by firing his own spot-kick hit the post.

The dramatic shootout looked to be going Chelsea's way after Petr Cech saved Cristiano Ronaldo's effort but Terry's miss opened the door for Sir Alex Ferguson to clinch his second Champions League crown.

It was United's third European club crown to go win championships in 1968 and 1999.

Champions League Final Update

At halftime at Moscow, Manchester United and Chelsea are deadlocked at 1-1. Cristiano Ronaldo scored at 26 minutes to give the Red Devils a 1-0 lead. Frank Lampard equalized for the Blues right before the end of the 45th minute.

UPDATE:
Neither team scored in the second half. The championship match will go into two 15-minute overtime periods, played to their conclusion, with no sudden death or Golden Goal.

ANOTHER UPDATE:
The game is going into the penalty-kick shootout. I will be the first such final to reach this point since the AC Milan-Liverpool final in 2005 at Istanbul.

One Chelsea player who won't take part is Didier Drogba, who was tossed out of the game during the second overtime period after he slapped Nemanja Vidic on the face during a fracas.

UCL: Didier Drogba Double And Frank Lampard Penalty Kick Punch Blues' Ticket For Moscow

At London:

After Fernando Torres' equaliser (64') forced Liverpool's semifinal series with Chelsea into overtime, the Blues' Didier Drogba (pictured here celebrating) scored with turned out to be the series winner at 105 minutes (to go with his earlier tally at 33') to send hosts Chelsea into next month's UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United by winning their two-game series with the Reds 3-2 in game two and 4-3 on aggregate. Frank Lampard, in his first match since the recent passing of his mother, converted on a successful overtime penalty kick (98') for the West London club.


Chelsea will play Manchester United in the first-ever all-England Champions League final on May 21 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Photo © Getty Images

UCL: Paul Scholes Punches Red Devils' Ticket For Moscow

At Manchester, England:

Paul Scholes (seen here celebrating with teammates) scored the game's (and series') only goal at 14 minutes of game two of their UEFA Champions League semifinal series, lifting Manchester United to a 1-0 home win (and series win on aggregate) over Barcelona. The two-time European club champions will play in the May 21 final at Moscow.

Photo © Getty Images

UCL Semis: Blown Cristiano Ronaldo Spot Kick Helped Assure Scoreless Draw

At Barcelona:

Manchester United and Barcelona battled to a 0-0 stalemate in game one of the two clubs' semifinal series in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. The Red Devils' Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured here showing his disappointment) blew what would be the best scoring chance for either team with his failed penalty kick in the third minute of play.

Photo © Getty Images

UCL Semis: Reds Blow Series Opener

At Liverpool, England:

John Arne Riise's own goal (90'+5) enabled Chelsea to gain a 1-1 road draw with Liverpool in the opening game of the two clubs' two-game semifinal series on Tuesday night. Dirk Kuyt scored the Reds' goal at 43 minutes. Pictured here celebrating is the Blues' Ashley Cole.

Photo © Getty Images

Red Devils and Barca In UCL Semis

The two remaining UEFA Champions League quarterfinal series concluded Wednesday:

At Manchester, England:

Carlos Tevez (pictured here, battling with Roma's Philippe Mexes) headed in the only goal of the match (70'), lifting Manchester United to a game-two 1-0 home win over AS Roma, securing a semifinal berth for the Red Devils as they won their series 3-0 on aggregate.



At Barcelona:

Yaya Toure (seen here celebrating with Samuel Eto'o) scored the game's lone goal at 43 minutes as Barcelona handed visiting Schalke a second 1-0 setback in the series that Barca took 2-0 on aggregate.

Photos © Getty Images

Reds and Blues Reach UCL Semis

Two quarterfinal round series concluded Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League:

At Liverpool, England:

Goals from Sami Hyypia (30'), Fernando Torres (69'), Steven Gerrard (PK-85', seen here celebrating with Fernando Torres afterward), Ryan Babel (90'+2) enabled Liverpool to defeat visiting Arsenal 4-2 in game two of the clubs' two-game series. The Reds advanced to the semifinal round on aggregate, 5-3.

At London:

Goals from Michael Ballack (4', pictured here) and Frank Lampard (87') lifted Chelsea to a 2-0 game two home win over Fenerbahce, enabling the Blues to take the two-game set 3-2 on aggregate.


Photos © Getty Images

UCL Semis: Reds and Gunners Draw Opener With Big Away Goal For Liverpool; Canaries Take Opener Against Chelsea

Two quarterfinal round series started play Wednesday in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League:

At London:

Dirk Kuyt scored a key goal on the road (26', pictured here;
© Getty Images) that enabled Liverpool to draw 1-1 in game one against Arsenal. Emmanuel Adebayor scored at 23 minutes to give the Gunners a short-lived lead.

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Deivid's game winning score (81', seen here celebrating;
© AFP) enabled Fenerbahce to bounce back from his early own goal (13') to defeat Chelsea 2-1 in game one at home. Kazim Kazim (65') scored the Yellow Canaries' other goal.

Road Wins For Red Devils and Barca

The 2007-08 UEFA Champions League entered the quarterfinal round Tuesday as two two-game series opened:

At Rome:

Goals by Cristiano Ronaldo (39') and Wayne Rooney (66') propelled Manchester United to a 2-0 game-one road win over AS Roma. Both goal scorers are seen here celebrating.

At Gelsenkirchen, Germany:

Bojan Krkic (pictured here celebrating) scored the game's only goal at 12 minutes, lifting Barcelona to a 1-0 series-opening road win over Schalke 04.


Both Photos © Getty Images

Results From UCL and UEFA Cup Quarterfinal Round Draws

Here are the results from Friday's draws:


UEFA Champions League quarterfinals:

Arsenal vs. Liverpool

Manchester United vs. AS Roma

Fenerbahce vs. Chelsea

Barcelona vs. Schalke



UEFA Cup quarterfinals:

Rangers vs. Sporting

Fiorentina vs. PSV Eindhoven

Bayern Munich vs Getafe

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Zenit Saint Petersburg

Reds Finish Off Inter

At Milan, Italy:

Fernando Torres (seen here celebrating with Steven Gerrard) scored the lone goal (64') of game two of the two game set that saw visiting Liverpool defeat Inter Milan 1-0 to take the series on aggregate, 3-0. This means that four teams from England will reach the quarterfinals of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, the first time that four teams from one country made it to the tournament's Elite 8.

Photo © Getty Images

Royal Blues Win Shootout With Dragons; Blues Smother Legend; Roma Qusts Galacticos

Three more round-of-16 series in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League concluded Wednesday:

At Porto, Poturgal:

Despite losing game two 1-0 on the road, FC Schalke still advanced to the quarterfinals by winning the penalty-kick shootout 4-1. Goalkeeper Michael Neuer is pictured here being hugged by teammates after his shootout saves placed the Royal Blues in the Elite 8.



At London:

Goals from Michael Ballack (5'), Frank Lampard (25', pictured here celebrating after scoring), and Salomon Kalou (48') enabled Chelsea to manhandle visiting Olympiacos in game two, 3-0, to take the two game series on aggregate, 3-0.



At Madrid:

Goals from Taddei (73', pictured here celebrating) and Mirko Vucinic (90 + 2') lifted AS Roma to a second straight 2-1 win over Real Madrid, this time on the road, to finish off the Galacticos 4-2 on aggregate.

All photos © Getty Images