Champions League - United through despite draw

Eurosport - Wed, 26 Nov 09:31:00 2008

Manchester United were held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Villarreal in their Champions League Group E tie at El Madrigal.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Villarreal-Manchester United Cristiano Ronaldo - 0

But the result - the fourth straight goalless stalemate between the two sides - saw United, along with their Spanish opponents, progress to the last 16 of the competition.

As is often the case, United winger Cristiano Ronaldo provided the most memorable moment of the game, the Portuguese winger's rasping drive at the end of the first half forcing Villarreal keeper Diego Lopez into brilliantly tipping onto the cross bar.

And then with eight minutes remaining Ronaldo again took centre stage, Joan Capdevila felling him with a nasty challenge which earned the Spain international a straight red card.

With one eye on the weekend's Manchester derby, United boss Alex Ferguson opted to rest several key players - Nemanja Vidic and Carlos Tevez started on the bench while Edwin van der Sar did not even make the trip to Spain - but the defending European champions started brightly.

Wayne Rooney, playing a lone striker's role but supported by Ronaldo and Nani, had the ball in the back of the net after just eight minutes, but his side-footed finish was ruled out for offside against Patrice Evra, who had bombed forward to deliver a cross from the by-line.

Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla brought a smart save out of Van der Sar's stand-in Tomasz Kuszczak before United came forward again, Darren Fletcher bringing Diego Lopez into action with a well-struck first time effort from the edge of the box on 35 minutes.

Lopez proved to be United's nemesis for the rest of the evening, his excellent positional play denying United on several occasions throughout the course of the game.

But his most crucial intervention came just before the half-time break, the former Real Madrid extending an arm to divert Ronaldo's fierce drive onto the woodwork and behind for a corner.

It was to be United's best chance of the game as Rooney - excellent after the break - and Ronaldo were left frustrated for much of the evening.

Only Rooney really tested Diego Lopez again, the England striker's first time shot on the turn from Michael Carrick's through pass giving the hosts a fright on 66 minutes.

In the end, it was a deflected Rooney cross that nearly proved the decisive moment of the match, his ball into the box looping up over the keeper, only to be headed off the line by Capdevila.

Capdevila did not last too much longer after his lunge at Ronaldo on 82 minutes resulted in dismissal and, despite the entrance of Tevez as time ran out, United could not find a way to break down Villarreal's back line.

But despite United's failure to score, the Group E leaders will now head into their final match - at home to AaB Aalborg - as favourites to progress as group winners.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 72 - 91 of 111

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  1. I think fergie at the end of his career really transfering his hidden secrets for 20 twenty years to all man united player.i feel its not too long when van ser vart will dive and want a penalty from his own box and fergie backing him.
    Ronaldo is a good player but not great coz to be great you must have true personality which he is missing.Great players score goals with feet and he score with heads or dives.

    From muhammad, on Wed 26 Nov 7:30AM

  2. all United haters are twats !! seriously !!

    From Aliaa, on Wed 26 Nov 2:55AM

  3. Lloyd R. i feel you so intently.big up my man.
    GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED /3X
    AND THE REDS GO MARCHING ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

    From mineup2joy, on Wed 26 Nov 1:35AM

  4. alex the fool.look here if i'm to start with you................... however let me tell you this if you have a problem with ppl supporting winning teams i will recommend fifa court to you and if that will not do,quickly proceed to the court of arbitration for sport,try and get a verdict to stop ppl from supporting their beloved teams and you shd personally ensure that this is enforced by probably blocking the satellites from transmitting the matches to our cables as we can not watch the matches at old trafford best of lucks in your mad quest.

    2. sir alex has never won jack and this year will not be his first.but i know for sure that he wins trophies and the last one will not his last for united.

    From rotimi a, on Wed 26 Nov 1:15AM

  5. #85..

    IN UR DREAMS, MAN!!

    From dila, on Wed 26 Nov 1:13AM

  6. alex austin... I don't wanna rise to your worthless @#$% comments.... but there's many ways to support a club. I'm not bothered whether fans come to Old Trafford as local season ticket holders, or have travelled overseas to watch the Reds.For some fans it isn't possible to get to Old Trafford every home game, but their blood still runs Red... Its a fantastic club which all others are hoping to emulate.......Get off ya soap box ya jealous nob 'ed. 2 bob club fan

    From Lloyd R, on Wed 26 Nov 1:07AM

  7. POST NUMBER 80..TAKE MY ADVICE AND DONT SUPPORT MAN U...THEY ARE A TEAM FULL OF CHEATERS AND SCUMS WATCH BEAUTIFUL FOOTBALL LIKE ARSENAL!!!

    IN OTHER NEWS:
    FERGUSON SAID HE WILL QUIT IF RONALDO DOESNT WIN BALLON D'OR..NOW VOTE FOR MESSI...HURRY

    From Unknown U, on Wed 26 Nov 12:37AM

  8. Seemed like Rooney was auditioning for the Olympics today ... in DIVING!!! Ronaldo gave him an STD!! What a shame!!!

    From TT0 SWE0, on Wed 26 Nov 12:36AM

  9. 75 - mineup2joy. what the fuuk are you on about? let me guess... your a little upset because you live 300 miles from manchester and have never been to a utd game. how many utd fans here have actually been to a utd game or even live in manchester?
    im just sick of all this bull @#$% glory support. man city will be next now they have all this cash. its about time people actually supported a local team and not just the team whos top of the league.
    i dont think utd will win jack this yr to be honest, i think sir alex's last yr in charge maybe a trophyLESS one!

    From alex.austin, on Wed 26 Nov 12:33AM

  10. Lucky ManU. But they don't look like a team who can win it again..

    From Half A Brain, on Wed 26 Nov 12:30AM

  11. Bull s**t, all of ya... Its anyone's trophy. That's the beauty of any cup competition... All the English clubs are strong, but who would put proper money on it. Don't forget Barca all you knobs..... especially you Chelsea mugs. Heard it all before.... All I remember last season was talk of "the Quad". What did they achieve.......Shhhhhh.... Mugs! We'll never die, Keep the RED flag flying high.........

    From Lloyd R, on Tue 25 Nov 11:59PM

  12. Rooney...Stop your diving like Ronaldo! Twice you did it as did that git to get the man sent off..How do you sleep at night getting your fellow colleagues in trouble! Stay on your feet! Good player but cheating, faking injury, diving, takes all the shine off it.....spoiling the game...

    From D, on Tue 25 Nov 11:35PM

  13. uncle cameron,pls i think i'm missing something here the sole financier of your club chelski abrahamovic is from which country?you are abusing the internet just go and sleep naughty boy (or whatever you are)

    From mineup2joy, on Tue 25 Nov 11:02PM

  14. Manchester united isn't from Ireland cameron w! Just shows how mental Chelsea fans really are..

    From CJ, on Tue 25 Nov 10:49PM

  15. cameron you need to stop sniffing glue, mate.

    From mike s, on Tue 25 Nov 10:48PM

  16. Chelsea to win the Champions' League - absolute certainty.
    ps
    Why don't you manchester united supporters support football in your own country of Ireland instead of leeching on to an English club? You never know, your national side may improve if football was supported back home; you really are an unpatriotic joke, the lot of you.

    From cameron w, on Tue 25 Nov 10:32PM

  17. alex is the latest fool in the blog,the guy is talking from his @#$%,you know how that smells alex,simply thats you.

    From mineup2joy, on Tue 25 Nov 10:29PM

  18. this p lynch deserves nothing but to be lynched along with his innumerable host of compound fools.

    From mineup2joy, on Tue 25 Nov 10:25PM

  19. plinch.1 how many times have you said or heard united will win nothing this season. its said every year.yes he falls over . yes tevez wants away. it matters not they will be replaced. as was beckham. cantona .etc.look at the match stats for the game tonight. once again who was the most fouled player on the pitch? dont you think every club is in debt? theres only man cit who isnt but its just a new toy to the arabs. they will walk away when they get fed up just as chelski now are putting the breaks on the spending.i agree its not good when man u wins everything every year. it was boring when liverpool did it in the 70s.everyone hated them . now its man u . so come on lets have a decent challenge this year

    From Brian H, on Tue 25 Nov 10:17PM

  20. rugby tackled! haha dont make me laugh, hes a clear cheat. and vidic didnt take gabby down in the box?? if they go 2 games then fair enough, but most people support utd cos their history and not their local team cos there not european champions.

    From alex.austin, on Tue 25 Nov 10:12PM
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