MIDDLE EAST CRISIS

Last updated : 30 October 2002 By Editor

Alex Ferguson has no regrets about sending out the team he did last night.

"There is not even a hint of remorse about it," Ferguson said.

"We played really well in the first half and dominated the game. But three or four minutes prior to them scoring, they put on a bit of pressure for the first time and once they got the second we were chasing the game."

"You can't deny them their victory,"

"We should have won the game but if you don't take your chances you make life difficult for yourself."

What a crap second half

"Well I don't think it was a fair result but they scored two fantastic strikes from outside the box and from that point we were chasing the game really. It was a bit disappointing in the second half, the first half I thought we played well."

"They were two tremendous strikes, they were out of nowhere. We were never in the game really. Once the second goal went in it was very difficult, they just put ten men behind the ball and played counter attack which they did very well in fairness and you can't deny them the victory at the end of the day."

Well done lad

"Well I think Kieran Richardson had a terrific debut, I took him off in the second half, you would expect him to tire anyway, and he's done his bit - he's done very well. We decided to play young Nardiello because he is a good finisher young Daniel. There was an opportunity for him to come on, but the chances never came to him. He did ok, but it was a bad night for us in the second half."

It doesn't matter that much

"We went behind to two great strikes from them, but I don't think they made any chances apart from that. I haven't really got any complaints about the result. We were always in the next phase anyway and maybe it was a difficult game after we went behind but the important thing is that we are there."

Lifting the nation

Maccabi manager Itzhak Shum looks at the victory from a different perspective

"For two wonderful hours, everyone in Israel can forget all the problems we have,"

"I am proud we have managed to do that.

"Maybe United thought it was going to be easy but we have faith in our own ability."