World Player of the Year Ronaldo struck on the stroke of half-time and again in the second half to give Inter Milan a 2-1 away victory over Spartak Moscow yesterday and a place in the UEFA Cup final.
"Ronaldo has proved he is the best player in the world," said a relieved Inter coach Luigi Simoni, after his side battled back from a goal down to win the second leg on a freezing night in Moscow for a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Winger Andrei Tikhonov had put the Russians in the driving seat after weaving through a static Inter defence to crash home a spectacular effort in the 12th minute, levelling the aggregate score and putting Spartak ahead by virtue of their first leg away goal.
Ronaldo, sporting a skiing headband to fend off the bitter cold, at first looked uncomfortable on the soggy pitch.
Russian international Dmitry Khlestov kept him in check and, when Spartak goalkeeper Alexander Filimonov fumbled after denying Ivan Zamorana a header on the half hour, the Brazilian slipped and could only watch as the ball rolled free.
But all it took was a mistake by centre back Miroslav Romashchenko. He failed to clear a cross after Inter took a quick short corner and there was Ronaldo lurking on the penalty spot to stab home moments before half-time. "Probably that was the goal that broke us," Spartak coach Oleg Romantsev said.
Spartak continued to dominate midfield in the second half and won a succession of corners with a nine-man attack but could not find a gap as the Italians defended in the classic manner.
Then, on a rare Inter break, Ronaldo created the killer goal from nothing. He weaved past three players to slot home past Filimonov in the 76th minute.
"Spartak started well but we finished well," Simoni said.
Romantsev, who was forced to field his little-tried Brazilian signing Robson as lone striker in the absence of suspended first-choice Alexander Shirko, blamed a failure of nerve for his side's inability to turn pressure into goals after Tikhonov had given them the initiative.
"Milan deserved to reach the final but today we didn't deserve to lose," he said.
"After we scored the opening goal some of our players just got scared of beating such a powerful team."
Time and again the five-man Spartak midfield anchored by Dmitry Alenichev and Ilya Tsymbalar threaded neat patterns to the edge of Inter area, but Robson lacked the killer punch of celebrated compatriot while Inter's experienced Guiseppe Bergomi and Franceso Colonnese calmly mopped up a series of loose balls and corners.
Inter, who lost on penalties to Germany's Schalke 04 in last year's final, are seeking their third UEFA Cup title of the 1990s following their victories in 1994 and 1991.
Spartak were bidding to become only the second Russian club to reach a European final - none has ever won. Moscow's eyes will now be on Lokomotiv, who host VfB Stuttgart of Germany tomorrow , trailing 2-1 in a Cup Winners' Cup semi-final.
