Man United progress

Manchester
United sealed its
spot in
the Champions
League's last 16
with a convincing
5-0 win at Bayer
Leverkusen on
Wednesday.
The Premier League
champions made a bright start at the
BayArena and took a deserved lead in the
22nd minute when Wayne Rooney's cross was
converted by Antonio Valencia at the far
post.
They doubled their advantage just eight
minutes later as Rooney's free kick was
nodded in by Leverkusen defender Emir
Spahic for an own goal.
Stefan Reinartz headed onto the post after
the break for Leverkusen, but the visitors
added a third when Jonny Evans tapped
home in the 65th minute.
Chris Smalling scored a fourth with 13
minutes left, firing Rooney's lobbed ball into
an open net, before Nani scored an exquisite
late chip to consign Leverkusen to third in
Group A with one match to play.
Leverkusen forward Sidney Sam – a major
part of the club's best-ever start to a
Bundesliga season – missed out with a thigh
injury, as Reinartz and Spahic came in for the
hosts. United boss David Moyes, meanwhile,
made four changes from the side that drew
2-2 at Cardiff City on Sunday, with Shinji
Kagawa, Nani, Ryan Giggs and Phil Jones all
drafted in.
The Germans immediately sat back and
allowed their opponents to force the tempo. It
suited the English side, which quickly settled
into its stride, with Kagawa impressing.
Nani had the game's first real chance in the
16th minute when he curled over after a
clever Giggs ball, while Spahic nodded wide
at the other end.
Stefan Kiessling – the Bundesliga's top
scorer last term with 25 goals – strolled past
Rio Ferdinand for the hosts and prepared to
shoot, with only a last-ditch block from
Evans saving the day.
And from the resulting counterattack, United
scored, as a move that involved Kagawa,
Giggs and Rooney ended with the latter's ball
being turned home by Valencia.
Buoyed by its opener, United pressed again
and it had another goal on the half-hour
mark when Spahic gave Leverkusen
goalkeeper Bernd Leno no chance with a
flicked header after he had been put under
pressure by Smalling.
Leverkusen continued to lose the midfield
battle and, although Reinartz went close in
the 60th minute, heading a corner onto the
post, Spahic saw his follow up well saved by
United goalkeeper David de Gea.
Evans more or less sealed the victory five
minutes later, pouncing quickly after
Rooney's close-range effort had been parried
by Leno following a corner.
There was still time for a fourth, as Rooney
chipped the onrushing Leno and
saw Smalling convert, while only a smart
save from the Leverkusen keeper stopped
Jones getting on the scoresheet himself.
Nani's delightful chip near the end of the 90
minutes saw United finish with five goals as
they sealed its knockout spot in fine style.