Manchester United booked
their place in the last-16 of the Champions League with a convincing 5-0
victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Goals from Antonio
Valencia, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Nani were more than enough to sink
the Bundesliga side and all but secure top spot in Group A.
Following Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff, David Moyes made
four changes to the United side, including the return of Ryan Giggs who made
his 138th European appearance just days before his 40th birthday.
Phil Jones and Shinji Kagawa also came back into the starting
XI to play alongside Giggs, and were looking to impress after missing recent
games in the Premier League.
The visitors were not injury free though, and both Robin van
Persie and Nemanja Vidic were deemed unfit to play.
The game started in a good manor for United, and it appeared Wayne Rooney was in on goal after a brilliant through ball from Shinji Kagawa left him one-on-one with Leverkusen ‘keeper Bernd Leno. The chance was not to be though, and the linesman correctly raised his flag to signify offside against the United number 10.
The away side weren’t disheartened though, and they continued
to press during the first 15 minutes of the match.
As the pressure continued to build, a chance soon fell to
Nani on the inside of the 18-yard box. The Portuguese winger stepped onto his favoured
right foot before firing a dipping effort just over the crossbar - much to the
agony of the away crowd.
Minutes later, it was the home side who were on the front
foot, as Stefan Kiebling pushed forward into the United area. A last ditch
tackle from Jonny Evans, however, ensured the score would stay level for a
little longer.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 22nd
minute though, as Antonio Valencia slotted home his second goal of the group
stage.
Wayne Rooney again lofted a dangerous ball into the box and,
after dipping over Shinji Kagawa, the cross fell perfectly for Valencia to side
foot against the post and into the back of the net.
The first-half scoring wasn’t done here though, and bang on
the half-an-hour mark, United doubled their lead over the Bundesliga side.
A free-kick was won on the edge of the Leverkusen box, and
Rooney yet again fired a swirling cross into the box for Chris Smalling to
attack. The right-back was beaten to the ball by Leverkusen defender Emir
Spahic though, who agonisingly watched his header fly into the top corner of
his own net.
A number more chances followed for the away side, however,
the score stayed at 2-0 going into the break.
Half-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Manchester United
The second-half was a far more one sided affair, and it only
took 20 minutes for the visitors to all but end Leverkusen hopes of a comeback.
From a United corner, Patrice Evra rose highest to nod the
ball down to the feet of Wayne Rooney. The forward couldn’t quite force the
ball home though, and the chance instead fell to Jonny Evans. The defender
simply couldn’t miss and the ball was scrambled home to make the score 3-0 in
favour of the Red Devils.
The scoring wasn’t done here though, and as the game looked
to be fizzling out, Wayne Rooney was once again involved in a United goal.
This time, the England international picked up the ball just
outside Leverkusen’s six yard box after a wonderful pass from Shinji Kagawa. Unselfishly,
he played the ball back across the box and through the keepers’ outstretched
arms for Chris Smalling to tap home.
The scoring was finally completed in the 88th
minute, when 27-year-old Nani rounded Bernd Leno before audaciously
chipping home to add extra gloss to an already emphatic scoreline.
The win sees United secure qualification to the knockout
round and tightens their grip on top spot in Group A.
Full-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-5 Manchester United
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno, Spahic, Omer Toprak, Donati,
Reinartz (Hegeler 70), Rolfes, Bender (Kohr 81), Can, Castro, Son (Derdiyok 70),
Kiessling
Unused: Lomb, Stafylidis, Wollscheid, Kruse
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra
(Büttner 70), Giggs, Jones, Valencia (Young 80), Kagawa, Nani, Rooney (Anderson
80)
Unused: Lindegaard, Cleverley, Hernandez, Welbeck
Attendance: N/A
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