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Dopo il Chelsea, il quale ieri ha eliminato il Liverpool, anche Arsenal e Man U hanno raggiunto le semifinali; solo il Barcellona contenderà alle tre squadre inglesi il trofeo che verrà assegnato nella finale di Roma. I “Gooners”  hanno regolato facilmente il Villareal con un secco tre a zero. L’ accesso al penultimo atto della massima manifestazione continentale conferisce lustro alla stagione dei “Gooners” che sul fronte interno non stanno esaltando i propri tifosi. Il Man U (fans in foto ), invece, ha faticato non poco per imporsi sul campo di un ottimo Porto, rimasto in partita fino al triplice fischio finale. Ha deciso una rete di ottima fattura di Cristiano Ronaldo. Intanto, si è chiuso il capitolo relativo al ricordo dei 96 tifosi del Liverpool deceduti venti anni fa nella tragedia di Hillsborough; l’ apice delle commemorazioni si è raggiunto oggi con circa 25mila presenze nella più toccante delle cerimonie previste.

Ronaldo scored his second Champions League goal of the season

Cristiano Ronaldo struck a stunning goal as Manchester United saw off the threat of Porto to seal a Champions League semi-final tie against Arsenal.

Ronaldo’s thunderous early strike from just shy of 40 yards flew across goal and into the top corner.Nemanja Vidic missed a great chance from five yards late in the first half and Dimitar Berbatov had a shot saved.Lisandro Lopez might have scored a dramatic late goal for Porto but his shot was weak and Edwin van Sar saved.It was United’s first clean sheet since their FA Cup victory over Fulham on 7 March and it could not have been more timely as United became the first English club to win at Porto in European competition.With Rio Ferdinand restored to the side after a three-game absence there was an increased assuredness to the United backline and in truth Porto failed to create any clear-cut openings until Lisandro’s 85th-minute chance.However, United’s failure to score a decisive second goal ensured a nervous final few minutes to the tie as Porto pushed for the equaliser that would have put them through on the away goals rule.The first 20 minutes of the match must have been close to perfect for United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was presiding over his 150th Champions League game.

Wayne Rooney started on the right with Ryan Giggs on the left and Ronaldo supporting Berbatov up front. This formation allowed Ronaldo to occasionally drop deep in search of possession, which he did after six minutes before smashing his spectacular opener.United dominated possession, allowing them to play the game at a steady, controlled tempo, and there were few alarms for Van der Sar, who allowed a free-kick from Bruno Alves to drift wide of his goal.Porto gradually forced their way into the match, slowly pushing United towards their own goal, and Var der Sar was eventually forced into action to save Christian Sapanuru’s shot on the turn while Bruno Alves headed wide from a free-kick.The home team lost momentum when Lucho Gonzalez was stretchered off the field after a delay while he received treatment and United went on to create a brilliant chance to take full control of the match.John O’Shea flicked on Giggs’ corner and the ball dropped invitingly to the unmarked Vidic but the defender’s effort flew wastefully over the crossbar.Raul Meireles and Hulk shot over after the break while Berbatov collected a beautifully weighted pass from Rooney but his subsequent shot lacked power and Helton saved.By this stage it was pouring down in Porto but Van der Sar made no mistake with a Hulk free-kick as the home team continued to press while Porto’s Rolando headed wide beyond the far post.Porto continued to press as the match became increasingly tense as United dropped deeper and deeper.But it was United who went close to a second goal, with Helton making a good low save to claw away the forward’s shot” ( BBC Sport )

Up to 25,000 people have taken part in a memorial service for the 96 Liverpool football fans killed in the Hillsborough disaster 20 years ago.

The supporters were crushed to death on 15 April 1989 during Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final tie with Nottingham Forest at the stadium in Sheffield.Families, survivors and players were at Anfield for the service.Minster Andy Burnham was heckled by those angry that no-one has been held to account for the tragedy.

More than 20,000 fans are at Anfield to pay their respects to the 96 victims

As Mr Burnham, the Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport spoke, he was forced to pause as the crowd broke into song with “Justice for the 96”.He added: “Those who died will forever leave their mark on this city and this country.”Before the service started, the Kop and the Centenary stands were opened early and then part of the main stand was opened to the public.As victims’ families took their places on the Kop, the crowds gave them a huge round of applause and standing ovation.Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina led the first team out to huge cheers and applause, followed by the team’s manager Rafa Benitez, coach Sammy Lee and players Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard.There were also cheers and applause for Everton’s manager, David Moyes, with huge chants around the stadium for Kenny Dalglish.

“The service started at 1445 BST and a two-minute silence was held at 1506 BST, the exact time the game was abandoned two decades ago.At the end of the silence, church bells from around Liverpool could be heard ringing out 96 times.Thousands also stopped in Liverpool city centre to observe the silence.Sue Joyce, 43, from West Derby, Liverpool, said: “We’ve come here today to show the victims and the families of those who died that we have not forgotten what they have suffered.”It may be 20 years since the disaster took place but those that were there will always be in the thoughts of every Liverpool fan around the world.”

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, opened the service.”For many here today it seems still like yesterday. Those we lost always in our minds,” he said.”Never a day passes without a thought of what their tomorrow might have been, without that longing for justice for their sake as well as for ours.”Dalglish, who was Liverpool’s manager when the disaster took place, read a passage from the Bible, Lamentations of Jeremiah.Margaret Aspinall, vice-chairwoman of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, gave the second reading.

Trevor Hicks, a former chairman of the Families Group, said: “If ever the Government needed proof of our determination to get justice for the 96, they just have to look around this stadium today.

Mr Hicks mentioned the “7300 days of daily effort we have had to get through” since the 1989 tragedy.He echoed the shouts of one fan in the Kop, who interrupted Mr Hicks’ speech, saying “still together, still determined”, a poignant reference to their resolve for justice.Liverpool players Carragher and Gerrard presented Freedom Scrolls to Mr Hicks and a representative of each of the families.Meanwhile the first team were given a standing ovation and a rendition of “Liverpool we love you” for their performance against Chelsea in the Champions League tie on Tuesday night. The players had worn black armbands to remember the club’s dead fans.The service concluded with Gerry Marsden leading the crowd in a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, as 96 red balloons were released into the sky.Thousands of Liverpool scarves of past and present team strips were held high as fans swayed and cried while singing the club’s anthem.One man stood out in the Kop’s crowd holding high a framed photograph, presumed to be of a loved one killed at Hillsborough.Meanwhile about 2,000 Liverpool and Forest fans gathered in Nottingham’s Old Market Square to remember those who died.

On the day of the tragedy, Liverpool supporters were in the Leppings Lane end of the ground.South Yorkshire Police, which oversaw the event, opened a large exit gate which forced too many Liverpool fans on to the terrace, leaving the fans inside trapped between people entering the ground and the metal fences at the front of the stand.The families of the victims have kept up a campaign to have the events which led to the deaths fully investigated, despite previous inquiries.Mr Hicks, whose two daughters were killed, vowed the families’ fight for justice would continue.”Still together, still determined, still resolved as ever that the truth will defeat the lies and propaganda,” he added”

(BBC Sport )

Walcott scored Arsenal’s first and was the inspiration behind their victory

Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League semi-final after producing a dominant attacking display to beat 10-man Villarreal.

“Theo Walcott scored the first, collecting a Cesc Fabregas flick before running clear and chipping in.Adebayor put the Gunners firmly in charge, producing a neat finish with the outside of his right foot.Sebastian Eguren was sent off for disputing an Arsenal penalty that Robin Van Persie scored to seal the victory” (BBC Sport )