How odd.

Going into Tuesday's final Group Stage game against Wolfsburg, Manchester United found themselves in a somewhat odd qualification scenario in Group B. Rarely does United root for teams to challenge their top spot, but faced with the possibility of a loss in Germany, United wanted CSKA to win in Istanbul to set up a three-way tie on 10 points. Such results would have allowed United to still top the group through their better results among the three teams, whereas Wolfsburg would have triumphed on goal differential between just those two teams.

Confused yet? Good. Because events only got weirder once the game began. Much had been made of United's defensive crisis before the game, and still nobody quite expected the announced defense of Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, and... Ji-Sung Park? The revelation eventually came that Park was actually a part of the 5-man midfield, reducing the number of scratched heads watching Fox Soccer Channel. Yet still fewer expected the remaining 3 defenders to perform so admirably. Though Wolfsburg's striking talents had made them the favorites in the press, Evra's performance was even more imperious than usual. Moreover, Carrick and Fletcher transferred their harrying presences perfectly into central defense, and Carrick's poor marking on Dzeko's goal was the defense's single hiccup. This near-flawlessness was what gave United a thoroughly unexpected but highly useful authority over this match.

Stranger still, as I remarked on my Twitter feed, an injury crisis didn't involve Michael Owen for the first time in recent memory. (It isn't a cheap shot, I swear. If it was, Owen would be out for 4-6 months.) What's more, in blinding contrast to his past 3 seasons, Owen undoubtedly defined the game with his hat-trick. In the absence of today's more established players, the superstar of yesterday provided United with a sorely needed striking instinct. Two of his goals came from a perfectly directed header and a deft chip of the goalie, and on such evidence, Owen still has the pace and skill that made him an English icon in the first place. While the media's overtures for an England recall may still be premature for a man who has struggled with consistency, he is showing that this elusive rhythm is all he currently lacks. Players like Darron Gibson are beginning to get more games and may have a brighter future, but at crucial moments like this, Michael Owen is proving his worth and justifying Sir Alex's continued faith.

United owe the first and third goals to Owen's finishing, but you might as well credit Gabriel Obertan with the winner. The young Frenchmen made about 3 Wolfsburg players look positively silly as he jerked his way through the German defense, before playing an effortless square ball to Owen for the finish. Personally, I can't help but think about Ronaldo when I see Obertan like this. As I've written before, Obertan was seemingly bought as the latest successor to United's #7, and his almost awkward way of jilting defenders positions him to rise to the heights of Best, Cantona, Beckham and Ronaldo in the shirt's history of misdirection. Ronaldo had more searing pace, but that was his trademark, just as Beckham's was his masterful passing, and Cantona's was, well, a unique mixture of traits. At least right now, Obertan is already distinguishing himself similarly, with a dribbling style that echoes Cantona but glides more and overpowers less. Stories such as Nani's teach us that we can't know just how a player will develop, but I will say one thing right now: I already love Gabriel Obertan, and I think he's going to become a world superstar.

By the way for those following at home, the madness in Group B didn't end even with the final whistle. Reports surfaced in injury time that two CSKA players had tested positive in random drug tests, prompting legitimate suggestions that CSKA could be thrown out of Europe altogether. Wouldn't this have shaken things up: CSKA would have been ejected from the competition immediately after qualifying for the group stage, and in all likelihood Wolfsburg would have been promoted from their Europa League slot to take their place. Hell, Besiktas would have found their way into the Europa League, despite having just blown their astronomically small shot at getting there! Unfortunately, UEFA ruined all my fun by letting CSKA stay in the Champions League. Thanks for nothing Platini, I guess it's back to the real world.

Finally, let me be the first to recognize that The Searching Cross has been barren lately, apart from the occasional tumbleweed. (Which have all originated in Manchester anyway.) Expect regular content to start up again next week, as I tackle a couple important themes of the last 2 months or so. If you check it out, in return I'll try my hardest to leave a certain Premier League champion unmentioned. No promises though.