Man Utd. squeeze past Otelul Galati

Manchester United secured their first victory in this season’s UEFA Champions League with an unconvincing 2-0 victory against Romanian side Otelul Galati at The National Stadium in Bucharest.

After a tepid first period the game burst into life in the second half with a string of penalties and red cards following a handball by the Galati defender Sergiu Costin.

Wayne Rooney scored from the penalty spot but the relief was short lived.

Two minutes later, Manchester United’s Serbian center back Nemanja Vidic was harshly sent off for a high tackle on Gabriel Giurgiu.

Galati pushed on but failed to make their numerical supremacy count, with Bratislav Punosevic guilty of missing the target when found unmarked in front of goal.

A second red card was flashed, this time for the Romanian side, when Milan Perendija picked up a second yellow card.

Deep in injury time Rooney was tripped in the Galati box and awarded a second penalty which he duly dispatched.

It was a far from convincing performance from Manchester United, who now sit second in Group C, two points behind Portugal’s Benfica who beat Basel 2-0 in Switzerland.

“We didn’t have the penetration first half,” coach Alex Ferguson told the cameras after the game.

“[Wayne Rooney showed] Composure with his two penalties, he took them well.”

He was less convinced by Nemanja Vidic’s red card.

“He’s raised his foot and in the context of the interpretation [of the rules] I can see why he [the referee] has given it,” he admitted.

“But it’s very harsh.”

Manchester City kept up appearances with the neighbors after they too secured their first UEFA Champions League win.

City have found life harder in the Champions League compared to the English Premier League - where they are currently top - and soon fell behind to Spanish side Villarreal after Ruben Cani scored within four minutes.

A Villarreal own goal leveled the match but Sergio Aguero scored with virtually the last kick of the match to keep City in touch with Group A leaders Bayern Munich, who drew 1-1 with Napoli

Real Madrid continued their perfect start to their Group D campaign by thumping French side Lyon 4-0. Karim Benzema scored against his old club before Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil and Sergio Ramos completed the rout. With Madrid all but through to the next round Ajax gave their chances of finishing second a boost with a 2-0 victory against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.

Group B, on the other hand, is much harder to predict.

Troubled Inter Milan went top after beating French side Lille on the road thanks to a first half Giampaolo Pazzini strike. Meanwhile CSKA Moscow beat Turkish side Trabzonspor 3-0. But only four points separate top from bottom at the half way stage.