Manchester United FC moved level on points with SL Benfica at the Group C summit with a 2-0 home victory against FC Oțelul Galați. Antonio Valencia's early strike and a late Cristian Sârghi own goal ensured that United completed back-to-back wins against the Romanian UEFA Champions League newcomers and edged closer to reaching the knockout stage for the sixth year running. Oțelul's already faint last-16 hopes vanished altogether with this result. It was an industrious performance by a United side looking to "redeem ourselves", in Sir Alex Ferguson's words, for their 6-1 loss to Manchester City FC on their last Old Trafford outing. One intriguing feature from the outset was the manager's selection of Wayne Rooney in a deep midfield role. Sitting alongside Anderson in a 4-4-2, he sought to spray passes around like a quarter-back and one such ball to Dimitar Berbatov sparked the move for the opening goal. Phil Jones, on a surge upfield from his right-back berth, collected the Bulgarian's lay-off and fired over a deflected low cross that flicked off Michael Owen at the near post and provided an easy tap-in for Valencia. Sadly that was the last involvement for Owen, making his first UEFA Champions League start in 23 months, who limped off three minutes later with a thigh injury. Oțelul might have had an immediate equaliser but Marius Pena was off target with a glancing header from Cornel Râpă's cross. That was about it in terms of goalmouth incident for much of the half, despite the best efforts of United's full-backs. Fabio excited the crowd with one dash from his own half and then it was Jones's turn, the teenager cutting in from the right, exchanging passes with Valencia and firing in a shot that flew behind off the head of Sârghi. Oțelul skipper Sergiu Costin caught the eye with some well-timed challenges and Dorinel Munteanu's charges might have equalised when Ionuț Neagu capitalised on a moment of uncertainty in the United defence, only for his shot to deflect off Rio Ferdinand and force a save out of David de Gea. United managed only one shot on target despite 70% of first-half possession but stepped up a gear after the restart with Berbatov foiled by Branko Grahovac within minutes. Anderson then poked a shot past Grahovac but Costin got back to clear, while Berbatov hit the side netting when clean through. Oțelul's small band of supporters kept singing even after Rooney's shot from distance deflected off Sârghi and left Grahovac completely wrong-footed.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Man. United manager: "Winning was important. The opposition were very aggressive. They defended well, pressed us everywhere and made things difficult for us. The win makes it more comfortable for us at the top of the group and if we beat Benfica we win the group, it's as simple as that. It should be a very good night. [Wayne] Rooney was fantastic in central midfield. His awareness of people around him and choice of passing was really good. He did very well for us but I think it's a short-term thing at the moment. It's difficult to say."
Dorinel Munteanu, Oțelul coach: "Obviously, the better team won and we would be a little bit crazy to compare the two teams. I am totally unsatisfied because we lost and because we could have achieved something more in Bucharest, as well as in Manchester. Contrary to what plenty of people thought and wished, we did not make fools of ourselves. We had several very good moments, we were not afraid and had some opportunities; but we lost so I cannot be happy." [UEFA.com]
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