Park Ji-Sung's 5 Greatest Manchester United Moments

Max TowleAnalyst IJuly 6, 2012

Park Ji-Sung's 5 Greatest Manchester United Moments

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    If reports are to be believed, long-term Manchester United stalwart Park Ji-Sung is set to make a £5 million move to Premier League club Queens Park Rangers (via ESPNSoccernet.com).

    During his time at the club, Park has become widely recognised for his tireless energy and boundless enthusiasm.

    For his 205 total team appearances for United, this list will seek to pick the South Korean's top five moments in the red shirt.

    We'll miss you, Park.

1st Goal for Manchester United

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    Although it only came in the fifth round of the Carling Cup, Park Ji-Sung's first goal for Manchester United saw him become the first South Korean player to ever score for the Red Devils—a historic moment for both himself and the club.

    The goal itself was a classic finish, proving its scorer worthy of the £4 million fee United had paid PSV Eindhoven for his services months earlier.

    Park has gone on to score 27 goals for United in all competitions, but few will have meant more to him than his first.

Scores Against Chelsea, Wins Man of the Match

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    Early in the 2008/09 season, United came up against main foes Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in an early six-pointer.

    With the game tied at 0-0, the ball broke to Park Ji-Sung, who fired in a close-range shot past the helpless Petr Cech to give his team the lead.

    Unfortunately, Chelsea would fire a late equaliser to win themselves a 1-1 draw, but Park was duly recognised for his own performance and was given the prestigious Man of the Match award after the game.

    As the list will show, this was not the only time the South Korean scored a vital goal against the Blues.

Opens the Scoring in the Champions League Semis

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    Look away, Kieran Gibbs.

    It doesn't get much bigger than scoring in the Champions League semifinal second leg.

    But for Park Ji-Sung, eight minutes into his team's crucial clash with Arsenal, he struck to give his team a 1-0 lead and a vital two-goal advantage on aggregate, leaving the Gunners needing to score three on the night.

    The Red Devils would go on to win the match 3-1 and advance to a final in which Park would become the first Asian player to play in the competition's history.

    Just don't ask how United did.

Strikes to Beat Liverpool in 2010

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    Park Ji-Sung solidified his reputation for scoring big goals in big matches with his winner against Liverpool in March 2010.

    The goal itself also showcased the South Korean's tenacity—a diving header in a congested penalty area.

    At the season's end, United would be pipped to the Premier League trophy by Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea, but that doesn't diminish the importance of Park's goal against his club's traditional rivals.

Scores Winner in Champions League Quarters

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    With Didier Drogba having only just equalised in United's Champions League quarterfinal clash with Chelsea in April 2011, fingernails around Old Trafford immediately began to be gnawed away at.

    But cometh the hour, cometh the man, and only minutes later, Park Ji-Sung latched on to a perfectly placed pass from Ryan Giggs and neatly dispatched his shot into the far corner of Cech's goal to secure his team's place in the semis.

    The goal helped give his team a 3-1 aggregate win and further ensured the South Korean's place in the Manchester United history books.

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