Momentum in football is a hell of a thing. The penalty (mistake or not) definetely played a part in that comeback, but Man U started that half (particularly with the intro of Tevez) a much hungrier team and it was just a matter of time before the pressure would of buss de pipe.
The fact that it was not just 1 or 2 goals Man U scored after the penalty, but 4, IMO, Spurs would have still wilted under the pressure.
In the second half alone it was 12 shots to 3 for United....5 goals!
That MIGHT be true.......but how many times u see games where a side dominating, chance after chance after chance and they just cah seem to get it in the net....but they finally break thru in like the 80th min, and then floodgates open and game end up like 3 or 4-0?
To me that's what happened here, except it was the ref who opened the floodgates. Had he not erroneously given that penalty, Spurs would have gained confidence as the match went on, and Utd wud have, in turn, become increasingly frustrated. They may have increased in desperation in the later stages, and leave openings in the defence where maybe even Spurs might have added to their lead on the counter. That penalty allowed Man U to relax and truly believe that they would overturn the deficit.
Now I am not saying that Man U would not have won the game if the penalty wasn't given. But just imagine if Man U were only able to break through in the 89th min, as opposed to the 57th min, when the penalty was awarded. What would be the likelihood of such a comeback then?
