Man. U. - FCK 3-0 (1-0)
The Danish champions played a better game than against Celtic, but the opposition was stronger. Copenhagen fans might be a bit disappointed about how and when United scored, but the overall result was a fair picture of the game. But in regard of vocal support, the visiting fans at Old Trafford easily overwhelmed the 20 times bigger opposition!
Copenhagen started with the same 11 players as in the last league-game against Randers, while United had to make two late changes in the pre-announced line-up, when Rio Ferdinand (neck-injured during warm-up) and Ryan Giggs (illness) were replaced with Wes Brown and Darren Fletcher.
United opened with a great chance after 30 seconds, when Rooney – captain of the night in the absence of Giggs and Neville - caught the Copenhagen defence off guard and sent Louis Saha completely alone with Jesper Christiansen, but the keeper brilliantly blocked the shot from the Frenchman.
In the following ten minutes United came forward with tremendous pace and skill on a much higher level than Copenhagen is used to in the domestic Superleague, but gradually the guests managed to get their organization to work in order to establish some kind of pressure on Uniteds half.
Cheered on by their singing and chanting fans, Copenhagen obviously intended to have a more offensive approach than in the previous two Champions League-games, but that also meant that they became more vulnerable at the back. After 17 minutes Ronaldo combined well with Saha and from a good position in the left side of the penalty area he fired just outside the post just in front of Rooney who desperately tried to reach the ball.
Copenhagens first goalattempt was a Michael Silberbauer-shot from the distance that went wide, but in the middle of the first half Atiba Hutchinson set up a real good chance for Marcus Allbäck, but Edwin van der Sar came down to block the low, hard-hittet shot from the edge of the area.
Danish optimism
The official UEFA-statistics revealed a 50/50-ball possession so far, and after half an hour Fredrik Berglund nearly came past van der Sar after a good through-ball from Hjalte Nørregaard. Later offensive full back Lars Jacobsen earned a corner, Michael Gravgaard outjumped the defence only to see his fierce header go over the crossbar. When Hutchinson shortly after provided a fine opportunity for Berglund, you almost began to believe that Copenhagen could get away with a result, but then United clinically struck back. Again Rooney was the man behind, and again Saha found himself alone with Jesper Christiansen – and again the keeper denied him a goal with a great save.
Michael Gravgaard outjumps Nemanja Vidic after a corner
Christiansen continued to keep Copenhagen in the game, when a few minutes later he saved a Michael Carrick-shot from the distance only to see the ball rebound to a completely free Darren Fletcher, but Christiansen instinctly threw himself into the shot and saved again.
But in the 39th minute the heroic keeper was chanceless, when Paul Scholes hammered the ball home from just outside the penalty area and gave United a deserved lead. Ronaldo could easily have doubled the lead a few minutes later, when he tried to outsmart Christiansen with a header, but he managed to get his hands on the ball.
Jesper Christiansen with yet another great save
Questions at half-time
Despite being one-nil down, Copenhagen could go to the dressing rooms knowing that they had played their best half so far in the Champions League. And if they continued that way, they might create the odd chance that could lead to an equaliser. The big question, however, was if they could prevent United from coming to so many open chances. The deadly answer came all too soon... In the very first minute after the break, United sent a long ball over the Copenhagen defence and Rooney tipped the ball over Christiansen, but Michael Gravgaard reached back and cleared for a corner. But when it came across from Ronaldo, John O’Shea somehow managed to bundle the ball over the line from close range, and then it was 2-0.
After 10 minutes Scholes might have had a penalty, when he was brought down by Christiansen in the penalty area, but the referees whistle remained silent – as most of the huge crowd at Old Trafford did for very long periods of the game. And when the still very active and supportive Copenhagen-fans began to sing “You only sing when you’re winning” they might as well have sung “You don’t even sing when you’re winning”… Much to their surprise the fan-culture at Celtic Park and Old Trafford seems quite difference these days from what they heard, when they grew up with only English football live on TV each Saturday afternoon.
But no one really doubted that United actually was winning. The players confidently slowed down their game, perhaps resting a bit before the game at Sunday against yet another Carlsberg-sponsored team. Copenhagen seized the opportunity and found their way back into the game, knowing that a goal would suddenly open the game up again. Atiba Hutchinson had the best effort, when he forced van der Sar to dive at full length with a curved shot from the edge of the area, but Copenhagen never managed to come closer.
Instead Wayne Rooney had another opportunity to get rid of his growing beard, when Alan Smith earned a freekick right outside the Copenhagen penalty area, but the captain hit the ball right into the defence wall. Smith himself did what he could to earn a yellow card, when he first provoked Gravgaard and then Jacobsen, but the only consequence was that he seemed to loose concentration and completely missed an open chance right in front of goal, when Solskjær found him with a perfect cross from the right side.
United got the third
With 10 minutes to go several Copenhagen-players began to look a bit tired, but they still did what they could and tried to come forward. Then suddenly United struck again, when Jesper Christiansen were caught wrong-footed on what seemed to be a harmless shot from 25 meters from Kieran Richardson, and the ball slowly rolled over the goalline.
United strolled home with a comfortable 3-0-victory and looks sure to go on to the Round of 16, whereas Copenhagen still are looking for their first goal in the Champions League.
Copenhagen Man-of-the-Match Jesper Christiansen celebrates the fans
All photos by Carl Redhead
Matchfacts:
Manchester United-F.C. Copenhagen 3-0 (1-0)
39.: 1-0 Paul Scholes
46.: 2-0 John O’Shea
83.: 3-0 Kieran Richardson
Attendance: 72.020
F.C. Copenhagen: Jesper Christiansen – Lars Jacobsen, Brede Hangeland, Michael Gravgaard, Oscar Wendt – Michael Silberbauer (81.: Martin Bergvold), Tobias Linderoth, Hjalte Nørregaard (56.: William Kvist), Atiba Hutchinson – Fredrik Berglund (56.: Razak Pimpong), Marcus Allbäck. (Unused substitutes: Benny Gall, Dan Thomassen, Nikolaj Hansen, Jeppe Brandrup)
Booked: Patrice Evra, Manchester United
