Robin van Persie’s first Champions League hat-trick helped Manchester United overhaul a two-goal deficit against Greek champions Olympiakos and make the quarter-finals with a 3-2 aggregate win.
Dutchman Van Persie set the tone for the Old Trafford comeback when he was fouled midway through the first half, converting the resulting penalty with aplomb before his second on the stroke of halftime and his third minutes after the break to secure the 3-0 victory.
Fellow forward Wayne Rooney was also influential for United, setting up Van Persie’s close-range second with an excellent touch from a raking Ryan Giggs pass.
“As you can hear now the fans wanted it… and they deserved it,” Rooney, flanked by Giggs, told Sky Sports with the Old Trafford faithful singing their hearts out post match and in no mood to vacate the stadium.
“This is a great result and hopefully this is going to start our season and be the start of something special,” added the England man, with United currently languishing in seventh place in their league defence, 18 points adrift of Chelsea.
United goalkeeper David de Gea made a superb double save moments before Van Persie’s timely second to ultimately book their last-eight slot, given an away goal would have left the three-times European champions needing four goals.
The hosts emerged from the tunnel in the second half in a similar attacking vein and after 52 minutes Van Persie became the first United player to score a Champions League hat-trick in the knockout stages when he struck home a free kick from 30 yards.
Van Persie also became the fourth Dutchman to score a Champions League treble, joining Marco van Basten, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay.
De Gea was again called into a smart stop with the clock running down and the Spaniard duly delivered to keep the Greeks at bay.
Veteran Giggs, 40, also became only the second player to reach 140 Champions League appearances after Spaniard and former Real Madrid great Raul (142).
“With the help of the crowd we got over the finish line,” said the Welshman, twice a winner of Europe’s top club competition in 1999 and 2008.
Only twice have United pegged back a 2-0 first-leg defeat in Europe, the last time coming in 1984 when they saw off Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate in the European Cup Winners Cup quarter-finals.
United will find out their next opponents in the draw on Friday. Also in the hat are defending champions Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea, Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
While United are unlikely to add to their two Champions League triumphs this season, their progress to the last eight will at least ease the pressure somewhat on manager David Moyes, who took on the hugely difficult task of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson last summer following the Scot’s 26-year, 38-trophy reign.
Moyes has been severely criticised in recent weeks, especially following United’s abysmal first-leg defeat against Olympiakos in Athens and then their comprehensive 3-0 loss to north-west rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Calls for Moyes to be booted out have gathered pace since then, with the Scot defiantly saying he has a six-year contract to fulfill on the eve of their stirring comeback victory.
If he can get the team playing like they did against Olympiakos however, there might just be an outside hope of pinching fifth spot and Europa League football next season with a top four finish now almost impossible.
Main image courtesy of MaxSoccer200, with thanks.
