Champions League - Berbatov topples Aalborg

Eurosport - Wed, 01 Oct 09:46:00 2008

Dimitar Berbatov opened his Manchester United account with a well-taken second-half brace in a 3-0 Champions League win over AaB Aalborg.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 Champions League Aab Aalborg v Manchester United Dimitar Berbatov - 0

Wayne Rooney also got on the scoresheet at the Energi Nord Arena as the defending champions went top of Group E on goal difference after Villarreal beat Celtic 1-0 in the other game.

It was a satisfying evening for United, although a knee ligament injury to Paul Scholes - who was forced off and replaced by Ryan Giggs after just 16 minutes - tainted celebrations.

The visitors started strongly and Rooney made United's early domination count with a neat finish after 22 minutes.

The striker has been accused of not pulling his weight in the goals department in the past, but he netted his second in as many games when he ran on to Ryan Giggs's neat through pass and fired confidently past Karim Zaza in the Aalborg net.

Rooney was in effervescent form throughout, although there was further cause for concern - not only for United but England as well - when he departed with a knock just before the hour mark.

But if United boss Alex Ferguson was pleased to see Rooney finding his shooting boots once again, he must have been delighted to see big money summer signing Berbatov finally open his United account.

The Bulgarian's two goals may have come from wildly contrasting sources, but both were finished with typical aplomb.

The first was presented on a plate following a comical error by Thomas Augustinussen on 55 minutes, the Aalborg captain horribly miscontrolling a pass and the ball skewing into Berbatov's path. The £30.75 million man did the rest, firing the ball into an almost empty net.

The approach play for his second could not have been more different, Cristiano Ronaldo getting to the by-line and sending a cross over to Berbatov, who let the ball bounce once before netting with a delightful scissors kick.

Two goals in the bag and the headlines were Berbatov's, but it all could have been very different had he let a glaring early miss - a sixth minute volley which was sliced wide of the mark - affect his game.

Two minutes after that chance had gone begging, Rio Ferdinand showed Berbatov just how to strike a volley, the defender connecting sweetly with a John O'Shea flick-on from a corner, only to see his effort repelled by the legs of Zaza.

Young full-back Rafael Da Silva - who impressed on the right hand side after Alex Ferguson preferred him to England international Wes Brown - also went close for the reigning champions early on.

Zaza found the 18-year-old Brazilian's long-range effort on 21 minutes too hot to handle - fortunately for him the ball fell to a red and white shirt, and not to the blue of United's away strip.

Rafael showed a willingness to get forward at every opportunity and went close again as the first half neared a conclusion. This time Zaza was forced into tipping over the bar.

United continued in an attacking vein after the break, and soon after Berbatov's first, Carlos Tevez - Rooney's replacement - bundled the ball into the back of the net, only to have the 'goal' chalked off for hand ball.

The Argentinian then fired a powerful drive just over the bar before Ronaldo nearly added a fourth late on - his effort hit the side netting after he was forced a little too wide when rounding the keeper from Berbatov's lovely through ball.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 16 - 35 of 55

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  1. Henry M is a Ginormous Loser!

    Berbatov did his job, he­ scored 2 goals thats what strikers do.

    From Lee, on Wed 1 Oct 9:34AM

  2. Henry M
    You have just made the biggest @#$% of your­ self,
    Seem astho he also scored against­ middlesbough,
    has just come back to months early from a­ major ankle opperation,
    and the fact he scored over 40­ last season

    your questioning the fact he didnt score­ against Aalborg,

    Smarten up mate.

    From Callum, on Wed 1 Oct 9:32AM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A lazy striker waiting for loosed ball,­ hahahahahahahahaha.......Where was­ ronaldo..hihihihihihihihihihi...never scored a goal­ except for the @$#% up penalty given by rob styles.

    From henry, on Wed 1 Oct 5:53AM

  4. BRACE YOURSELF LADS,MEN AND WOMEN AND STAND UP FOR THE­ CHAMPIONS.. ONE UNITED!!!

    From kevin_lynn70, on Wed 1 Oct 5:46AM

  5. Man, the goals were beautiful, but his passes are even­ better. That's just unbelievable for a striker.­ Very unselfish, intelligent and inch perfect!

    From mariuskrazic, on Wed 1 Oct 5:20AM

  6. watever y'all say, bottom line is Man U RULES!!!!!!

    From titoperre, on Wed 1 Oct 3:14AM

  7. this is just the smoke, the fire is comming

    From emmanuel jm, on Wed 1 Oct 3:08AM

  8. Do you think they were real RED DEVILS..... to me they­ looked like BLUE ...., c'om Man U, why did you have­ to wear like CHELSEA ?...., don't tell me that you­ wanted to look like them ....., I didn't like it...­ what about you ?...

    From pk-one, on Wed 1 Oct 2:26AM

  9. sad people,try watching a real sport where the people­ playing care about their fans,football players think­ the fans are idiots

    From DAVID, on Wed 1 Oct 1:51AM

  10. stevekowalenko, although Berbatov seems to be subpar­ performer, in term of the running and chasing thing,­ but essentially, this is not what he is here for.. We­ DO need a calm composed striker, who knows how to­ direct the ball when he gets the chance.. And by the­ way, he is not performing like that because he­ "wants" to perform like that, this is his­ style of play, which is also needed.. Remember?­ Nistelroy wasn't a chaser kind of guy either, but­ boy he is a goalscoring machine.. Just give Berba the­ time to adapt, and I hope and expect the goals to start­ flowing.. By the way, did you see the quality and the­ accuracy of the two volleys (the two goals)? Especially­ the second one.. We need a calm and focused player that­ have the right mind to hit those. I hope Berba will be­ the one we look for..

    From Danny J, on Wed 1 Oct 1:45AM

  11. to all u liverpoo fans , chelsneeze and @#$% fans ,­ your all qwick enough to put the devils down ? but­ scince the 90s none of your misfit teams have come­ anywhere close 2 geting as much silver as what united­ have , just go check the facts 4 yourself ? the best­ team in london r spurs and the best team in liverpool r­ everton . love u man u , keep it going boys and prove­ em hippocrits wrong . man u 4 eva

    From sqwideee999, on Wed 1 Oct 1:32AM

  12. Excellent win for the red devils tonight Well done­ berba your off and running.........only down side is­ that nani cant seem to cross a ball mre practice needed­ all we need now is the 6 points from the double header­ with the celtic and its next round no problem

    From irnbru_rebel03, on Wed 1 Oct 1:01AM

  13. oh i say

    From Valentino, on Wed 1 Oct 12:54AM

  14. Baring in mind the fact that Man United are simply the­ Best team on Earth,Berbatov is just a bonus.We are­ proud of you and we love you,man.

    From vanya, on Wed 1 Oct 12:50AM

  15. C`MON UTD, WE CAN FINISH 2ND TO VILLAREAL! IF CELTIC­ KEEP THEIR RECORD GOING.

    From tictoc67, on Tue 30 Sep 11:38PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    liverpool al the way!!!!!!!

    From CRAIG T, on Tue 30 Sep 11:25PM

  17. babar u are toomuch but have to be strong. u made your­ way today boy keep going.

    From JEAN, on Tue 30 Sep 11:16PM

  18. just reported abuse from rich.allison
    leeds my @#$%­ arse have a word fc united would beat you

    From interfit, on Tue 30 Sep 11:09PM

  19. Not great but job done was a stroll in the park wont do­ Berbatovs cofidence any harm.He has this lazy style but­ i`m sure he will gel just fne.

    From red, on Tue 30 Sep 10:42PM

  20. Well done,boy.You've done what you do best-scoring­ goals and shutting incompetent mouths.Keep going.

    From vanya, on Tue 30 Sep 10:36PM
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