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United are through
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2):
Bosnich; G Neville, Stam, Berg, Irwin; Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs; Cole,
Yorke. FIORENTINA (5-3-2) Toldo; Torricelli (Tarozzi, 75),
Repka, Adani, Pierlini, Heinrich; Rossitto, Rui Costa, Di Livio (Amoroso, 75);
Mijatovic (Chiesa, 63), Batistuta.
But at Old Trafford, after Batistuta had lit the blue touchpaper for a remarkable evening with a goal of scintillating quality, the United skipper picked the perfect moment to banish the ghosts of that error with the goal that took the holders into the last eight of the Champions League. Keane's ferocious volley, his sixth goal of the European campaign, proved decisive as United demonstrated their powers of recovery. Even Sir Alex Ferguson would have been tempted to applaud Batistuta's sensational opener. Yet United responded with Andy Cole levelling from distance within minutes before Keane lashed in the second after Henning Berg had headed against the bar and Dwight Yorke made it three 20 minutes from time. Ferguson had urged the crowd to play their part, but the this was the sort of night when the fans needed no encouragement to get carried away. Fiorentina's quality of movement was outstanding, proof that the Italians were here to play, with Batistuta and Predrag Mijatovic giving them a cutting edge ready to take advantage of any errors from a United back line which included Berg alongside Jaap Stam. But set against that was United's determination, and the blistering form of Ryan Giggs. From the start, the Welshman lit up a night that had been delayed for 15 minutes by a power failure with his brilliant running, teasing and tormenting Moreno Torricelli to distraction. One run by Giggs ended with a pull-back to Cole, whose left-footer was parried by keeper Francesco Toldo straight to Yorke. A goal seemed certain only for Jorg Heinrich to pop out of nowhere and block. The home fans were in their element, even though Fiorentina had fired a warning shot with a superb move which ended when Mijatovic slipped in Manuel Rui Costa for an effort that Mark Bosnich was unable to hold. They were off their feet prematurely acclaiming a goal again when a brilliant five-man United move ended with Cole's superb cross from the left which David Beckham was poised to nod home before Fabio Rossitto made another outstanding intervention. But those roars were stuck in their throats when Batistuta proved why he is one of the world's great strikers. For mere mortals, there would have been nothing on as 'Batigol' picked up possession 30 yards out. Such rules do not apply for the South American, and after nipping inside Stam he thunderously let fly with a shot that seemed to move in half-a-dozen different directions before ripping into Bosnich's net. It was simply magnificent, a goal that would have finished off lesser teams. But United are not a side to weaken, whatever the circumstances, and within five minutes they were back on terms. It was not in the same class as Batistuta's opener, and Toldo will not enjoy the replays, but Cole was happiness personified as he finally equalled Denis Law's 30-year-old United European Cup record with his 14th in the competition. Found by Gary Neville 20 yards out, Cole span to set himself up, and while his right-footer did not appear to carry much power, it deceived the Italian keeper to nestle in the bottom corner. But Batistuta was not finished, making a near-post run to meet Rui Costa's left-wing corner and flick towards goal with Bosnich happy to hold on this time. It was a save that seemed even more valuable as United went in front from Beckham's well-delivered corner after 32 minutes. Berg rose unchallenged to float his header past Toldo and against the bar. But before Fiorentina could sigh in relief, Keane hammered the rebound on the volley inside the angle of post and bar. It was the perfect way to make amends for that costly error in Florence although the United fans were then angered when Polish referee Ryszard Wojcik brandished a card at Beckham after he downed Heinrich. It means the midfielder will miss next week's game in Valencia. The crowd was firing everybody up, seeking vengeance, with Torricelli falling foul of the Pole after being bamboozled by Giggs again. Fiorentina coach Giovanni Trap-patoni had warned that defeat would spell death for his side and they might have levelled twice within as many minutes of the restart. First Beckham's sloppiness presented Mijatovic with a shooting chance he spooned over the bar and then Rui Costa burst from half-way before firing into Bosnich's grateful arms. After 62 minutes the Italians were reduced to 10 men when Rossitto scythed through Yorke from behind to receive an instant red card. Both Keane and Giggs, fittingly, were involved in the coup de grace, exchanging passes on the left before the Welshman swung in the most inviting of crosses for Yorke to head past the stranded Toldo.
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