UEFA Champions League: Manchester United vs. Glasgow Rangers – 0-0 at Half-Time
Manchester United were held to a frustrating 0-0 score line at half time by Rangers in the first game of Group A in the Champions League. It was a case of relentless United pressure coming to nothing, and the away side looked content to going home with a point in the bag.
Sir Alex Ferguson made a multitude of changes going into this game. The likes of Edwin van der Sar, Ryan Giggs and Jonny Evans dropped to the bench and there was not even a place in the squad for Nemanja Vidic, Dimitar Berbatov, Paul Scholes or Nani. Rio Ferdinand returned from injury to take the captain’s armband and partnered Chris Smalling in central defence. Rangers made three changes from their weekend victory at Hamilton as James Beattie, Kyle Lafferty and the ineligible Nikica Jelavic were replaced by Lee McCulloch, Kenny Miller and a fit-again Steven Whittaker.
Now for the action on the field. It was Manchester United who started brightly and were knocking the ball around nicely. Rangers had set their stall out very defensively, with Lee McCulloch sitting in front of the back four.
Almost the first time Rangers got hold of the ball they got a free kick. From a long way out, Steven Davis curled in the ball which David Weir got a head on to in the United area. But the ball was easily collected by Tomasz Kuszczak. At the other end, Javier Hernandez headed just wide after Fabio sent over a decent cross from the left.
The game had started with Rangers sitting deep but quite soon it was far more open. Wayne Rooney advanced to the corner of the Rangers area but elected to cross rather than go for goal himself. The ball deflected off David Weir, and rolled to safety.
Manchester United after the first fifteen minutes or so started to get total control of the match. The Scottish side were defending in numbers on the edge of their own area and were just about crowding United out. It was not all one-way traffic at Old Trafford, but Sir Alex Ferguson's side were very much on top. However the home side was still not able to get the all important breakthrough.
The pattern continued almost throughout the half and Rangers kept sitting deep and waited the home side come and get them. Darron Gibson let fly for United from about 25 yards out, and looked to the sky in frustration after seeing his shot fly just wide. It was turning into a frustrating night for United.
But it got worse just before the half time whistle; Wayne Rooney twisted his ankle, and was limping badly. Flashbacks of the Bayern Munich game from last year must have come flashing back for Ferguson and lots of United fans. Soon after the half ended, the extent of Rooney’s injury would be clearer as the United medical team examines it.
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