Champions League: Ferguson satisfied after United register first win

Rooney scores brace for English giants in Champions League .

BUCHAREST: Sir Alex Ferguson was a satisfied man after Wayne Rooney scored twice from the penalty spot as Manchester United notched their first victory of this year’s Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Romanian side Otelul Galati.

Ferguson admitted that the minnows had given his team a tough time.

“For these away games you have to work hard,” he said. “They made it difficult for us. But we were in control of the game. I’m satisfied with the result.”

But victory came at a cost, as fit-again captain Nemanja Vidic – making his first start since the opening game of the season – was given a straight red card.

Ferguson bemoaned Vidic’s red card as harsh but said United were unlikely to lodge an appeal.

Earlier, Rooney stroked home a 64th-minute penalty and a further spot-kick in injury time to give the English giants a vital win after draws in their opening fixtures.

We were lucky: Mancini

Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini was relieved after his team beat Villarreal 2-1 with Sergio Aguero scoring an injury-time goal.

“We were lucky because you need luck to score in the last seconds but we deserved to win,” he said. “We needed to win and I think tonight after this game we can do better.”

City got another boost as group leaders Bayern Munich drew 1-1 away at Napoli - a game more notable for Manuel Neuer letting in his first goal in 1,147 minutes of action. It took one of his own teammates Holger Badstuber’s boots to do so. Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said he was satisfied with the result.

“We played well,” he said. “But it wouldn’t have been unjust if we had won. The own goal was unfortunate.”

Real Madrid’s perfect start to the tournament continued as they steamrollered French side Lyon 4-0 to make it three wins from three matches.

Real coach Jose Mourinho said that the win had significantly eased the pressure on them.

“With three games left, Ajax or Lyon can still win the group, but there’s less pressure on us,” said Mourinho.

In other results, Inter Milan beat French champions Lille 1-0, while Russian side CSKA Moscow defeated Trabzonspor 3-0. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2011.