Manchester United FC secured their passage to the UEFA Champions League last 16 with two games to spare thanks to a 4-0 victory against FC Dynamo Kyiv. After Gerard Piqué and Carlos Tévez had found the net before the break – the first for each in the UEFA Champions League – Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo added late goals as the dominant hosts made it four wins from four and confirmed Dynamo's elimination in the process.
Strength in depth
Sir Alex had reflected before this match on the strength of his squad and the fact United were able to win so comfortably while giving an evening off to Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Owen Hargreaves bore testament to this. At the same time, it also underlined the lack of confidence in the ranks of a Dynamo side playing their first match under temporary coach Oleh Luzhny but who never looked like getting their first points of an ill-starred campaign.
Slow start
United started with an unfamiliar-looking back four including Danny Simpson and Piqué – two players with ten minutes' action between them previously this term – and for the opening quarter, their play lacked its customary spark. Indeed Dynamo's Carlos Corrêa might reflect he could have done better than fire wide when allowed a clear sight of Edwin van der Sar's goal. At the other end Rooney showed some invention with a teasing ball across goal, leading to a Nani shot deflected behind, but otherwise United were making little of their abundant possession against opponents seemingly set on containment.
Opening goal
That changed with Piqué's 31st-minute opener even if it came with a slice of luck, Michael Carrick's header from a Ronaldo free-kick deflecting off the back of Tévez's head and to the Spaniard, who headed the ball back into the opposite corner. Tévez got United's second in the 37th minute, when, after winning the ball inside his own half, he raced forward, exchanged passes with Rooney and let fly. Olexandr Shovkovskiy got his hands to the ball but could not keep it out.
Chances aplenty
Although Ruslan Rotan blazed wide from close range just before the break, Sir Alex felt secure enough to remove Van der Sar in place of Tomasz Kuszczak for the second half. His faith was justified as the substitute soon made a fine stop to deny Dynamo replacement Diogo Rincón. There followed chances aplenty at both ends, not least for Tévez who could have had a hat-trick. At the other end Rincón just failed to connect with Marjan Marković's fierce cross-shot while Kuszczak denied Tiberiu Ghioane.
Rooney volley
Rooney added a third with a 76th-minute volley from Nani's cross before, in the closing moments, Ronaldo broke in from the left and found the far corner. The best Dynamo can hope for now is third place – a far cry from Luzhny's own days in the team when they were semi-finalists in 1999. That, of course, was the year Sir Alex first tasted UEFA Champions League glory and after his side's best start to a European campaign in five years he can already start planning with confidence for a renewed assault on his favourite trophy in the spring.
Sporting 2-2 Roma
A last-gasp own goal from Anderson Polga denied Sporting Clube de Portugal a vital victory against AS Roma and left the Italian side well placed to progress from UEFA Champions League Group F.
Late drama
The visitors made a spectacular start in Lisbon as Marco Cassetti gave them a fourth-minute advantage with a stunning shot but Liedson brought Sporting level midway through the opening half and when he headed the home side in front four minutes past the hour it looked as if Sporting would join their opponents on six points with two games remaining. In the 89th minute, however, David Pizarro collected a short pass and unleashed a long-range effort that Polga inadvertently headed into his own net to left goalkeeper Tiago helpless and Roma jubilant.
Roma reshuffle
Already without Francesco Totti and Christian Panucci, the Giallorossi were dealt another blow when Max Tonetto damaged a thigh in the warm-up so Ludovic Giuly came into the side with Cassetti moving across to left-back. Rather than hinder the visitors, the reshuffle seemed to inspire Roma, who took the lead with the first attack of the match as Cassetti made full use of his stronger right foot, cutting inside to rifle an unstoppable shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Liedson leveller
Sporting had also fallen behind early on at the Stadio Olimpico but drew level within three minutes on that occasion and swiftly rallied again, Doni spilling Abel's long-range shot and only being spared by the referee's whistle as Liedson challenged. The home side did not have long to wait for an equaliser, however, Philippe Mexes and Doni colliding as they attempted to cut out Marat Izmailov's low right-wing cross, leaving Liedson to roll his 100th goal for Sporting into the empty net.
Sporting chances
Sporting continued to press forward, Djaló heading João Moutinho's corner wide and the latter going even closer as another Izmailov cross unsettled the Roma defence, side-footing past the post. After his part in Liedson's equaliser Mexes had only been able to continue following lengthy treatment and failed to re-emerge after half-time, Matteo Ferrari coming on in an attempt to bring some stability to a defence which had conceded 18 goals in its last ten matches.
Well-worked goal
The change initially served its purpose as Roma held the home attack at bay in the early stages of the second period, although Miguel Veloso sliced wide having deftly worked a metre of space. Roma came unstuck four minutes past the hour, however, as a neat short corner gave the busy Izmailov the time and space to deliver a pinpoint cross to the far post, where the unmarked Liedson finished off with a fine diving header.
Last-gasp heartbreak
Izmailov nearly got the goal his tireless performance had deserved goal a few minutes later, but was just unable to gather the return pass after combining well with substitute Simon Vukčević. Mancini threatened an equaliser but, just as it looked as if Sporting would hold on, they were denied at the last and stay three points behind Roma in the race for second place behind Manchester United FC.
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