Man Utd exorcise Benfica ghosts
Louis Saha on target again
Also In The News
|
Wales boss John Toshack has opted to recall West Brom midfielder Jason Koumas for next month's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Slovakia and Cyprus. |  |
Tuesday, 26, Sep 2006 11:05
Manchester United went some way to avenging being dumped out of last year's competition at the same stadium with a 1-0 win at Benfica's Stadium of Light.
Louis Saha's crisp drive past Joaquim Quim secured the points for the Reds, but Sir Alex Ferguson will know that his side were rather fortunate to take victory after being far less than dominant in the tie.
The Benfica fans, fired up by the presence of former Sporting Lisbon winger Cristiano Ronaldo, provided a hostile backdrop to a tense, scrappy opening period that saw both Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick's names taken by an eager referee.
United were fortunate to make it back to the dressing rooms on level terms as the home side twice went close as the half drew to an end.
Giorgios Karagounis brought the best out of Edwin van der Sar with a dangerous run and shot, while Nemanja Vidic escaped punishment when Numo Gomes fired wide after his mistake.
Once Saha had cut in from the right flank to send his strike arrowing past Quim with an hour gone, it seemed the tonic Manchester United needed.
Rooney, marooned on the left wing for much of the first half, could have sealed the triumph when he nipped in behind the defence, but instead could only limply prod the ball against Quim.
It was even United who came closest to a last-minute goal as Quim displayed sharp reflexes to make three stops in rapid succession to deny Darren Fletcher Gabriel Heinze and Michael Carrick.