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 32 - 51 of 111

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  1. p.lynch1, u are very correct. 4k man u....cows

    From henry, on Tue 25 Nov 3:53PM

  2. Good to see him playing he is a great player. Shame he gets booed by jelous fans though.

    From wb, on Tue 25 Nov 2:27PM

  3. oh you jealous people. we have the best player in the world. i say WE i am a mancunian who has never lived less than 5 miles away from old trafford. get over it we are the biggest club in the world

    From Brian H, on Tue 25 Nov 2:14PM

  4. p.lynch1, well said fella!

    From JASON, on Tue 25 Nov 1:28PM

  5. jesus P_lynch1...Man Utd has caused you some serious hurt over the years. Poor lad

    From , on Tue 25 Nov 1:19PM

  6. p.lynch you are a typical example of whats wrong with society, you would rather make negative comments about Ronaldo than find a thread that you can make positive comments about someone. Ronaldo is a great player and Man U a great club. Go away and SUPPORT someone you like.

    From mgodsall, on Tue 25 Nov 1:18PM

  7. p_lynch, you are an idiot

    From Podolski, on Tue 25 Nov 1:14PM

  8. Ronaldo should be rested for the next two matches. He will feel better suiting up against the likes of Blackburn, Sunderland and Aalborg !!

    From Tim, on Tue 25 Nov 12:49PM

  9. yeah!!ronaldo can play..he will score a goal to give man utd win..

    From arif_isateenagerboy2625, on Tue 25 Nov 12:24PM

  10. Ronaldo the grease benny is a disgusting cheat. He was a disgrace on Saturday, falling about the place withoout contact, then going in like a coward with his studs up. On the rare occasion he actually gets kicked he goes missing. Of course the fickle Manc fans cannot see any of this nor the fact that he doesn't want to be there anymore. When he does leave 'the theatre of cheats' he will go the same way as his namesake and his fleeting star will vanish.

    From p.lynch1, on Tue 25 Nov 11:34AM

  11. wat do u expect from a world class striker like cristiano ronaldo.yes indeed every opponent he plays wants him out but my friend once a player always a player.more skills to ur physic cistiano ronaldo,well done.

    From emebochinonso, on Tue 25 Nov 11:32AM

  12. Messi maybe, definately not Torres. He has been well off the pace since his injury.

    From andrewjonharrison, on Tue 25 Nov 10:45AM

  13. babi butuh

    From mat_alif07, on Tue 25 Nov 10:42AM

  14. Im a lovely cheerleader with beautiful eyes and great skin. Give me your comments on my photos. I am always showing up at """""" K issMill ionair e S Co m """""" waiting 4 your love

    From sexymodeeeer, on Tue 25 Nov 9:20AM

  15. diving @#$% !!!!!!!!!!!!1

    From jaxctm, on Tue 25 Nov 6:42AM

  16. ok,now all i can hope is that ronaldol can find his last season's form or else,he might lose the award to messi or torres.

    From yong hoe p, on Tue 25 Nov 3:38AM

  17. hope that united can somehow find a way to make rooney and tevez partner ship come back like last season cos,the pair was one of the most strongest partners last season,now man u has a lousy striker berba,and the put tevez on the bench,which makes them unable to score some important goals which tevez usually is the one who scored.

    From yong hoe p, on Tue 25 Nov 3:37AM

  18. They have to have Ronaldo with them because even if he does not play well, he's got so much influence over the referees that if he tells a ref to send a player out, the ref will do that straight away...
    get over it losers, when a player stomps on an other player's groin deliberately, its red and out. The golden boy Rooney, that turned out not to be that golden after all, was the one who damaged your team on that game, not Ronaldo!

    From paulo, on Mon 24 Nov 8:04PM

  19. you see, in the summer he could not get away from OT, now he is trying to get everyone to hate him so he can go. personally I despise him

    From Michael, on Mon 24 Nov 7:56PM

  20. the guy is a complete jerk, id let him go for 130mil cos he's not irreplaceable, nobody is. im a villa fan but the amount of times he went down on saturday was a joke. he's a complete cheat and i know utd fans who are season ticket holders who hate him too. such a sore looser and so disloyal its unreal. as soon as utd wont give him the money he wants he'll soon f+*k off to real. and you know its true utd fans!

    From alex.austin, on Mon 24 Nov 7:55PM
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